Feeling young is one thing – looking young is another. What is vitality if not a beautifully sculpted, radiantly youthful appearance? When the natural aging process has made your skin thinner, duller, and more prone to wrinkles, it’s hard to feel as confident and outgoing as you usually would. Fortunately, at Refine U MedSpa in Oklahoma City, OK, we have a wide range of anti-aging treatments that will have you looking – and feeling – younger again, including Sculptra, a revolutionary dermal filler.
How Many Sculptra Sessions Do You Need?
The first thing you should know about this Sculptra treatment is that it takes its promise of providing subtle, natural results very seriously – and that starts right from the very beginning with your first treatment session. Generally speaking, most patients will require about 3 treatment sessions to achieve desired results.
These treatment sessions are typically spaced 2 to 4 weeks apart, meaning the total time to complete your treatment sessions usually rounds off between 6 to 12 weeks. The number of treatment sessions you will need depends on the condition of your skin and your overall appearance goals.
If you are using this treatment primarily to correct skin health and tone, then you will likely only require 1 to 2 treatments; if you have anti-aging concerns, then you will likely require the full 3 sessions or more. You and your aesthetic professional will determine the ideal amount of treatment sessions you will need.
How Many Vials Will You Need?
Because this is an injectable treatment, it will be administered with needles filled with a special solution. The number of vials or units that will be required for your treatment actually comes down to a mathematical formula. For this treatment, the number of vials corresponds with the number of decades on the skin.
For example, for women in their 40s, a total of 4 vials is really ideal for treatment, and these vials are administered in at least 2 different treatment sessions. Women in their 50s and 60s, however, will definitely require at least 3 treatment sessions to safely administer the vials. No more than 2 vials can be injected into the skin at any given time, mostly because we don’t want to overwhelm the skin.
What Are Results Like?
The results of this treatment are quite unlike any other results from similar dermal fillers. For one thing, these results have a gradual and subtle build-up over time that leads to natural-looking results, which includes plumper, hydrated, radiant skin free of the most visible signs of aging.
How Soon Can You See Results?
Although the results of this treatment appear gradually over the course of several months, the majority of patients can see their desired results within as little as 3 to 4 months from the time of their first treatment session. It takes this long for results to gradually build because of the nature of the special formula used for treatment, which progressively improves the production of collagen within the skin’s sub-dermal layers.
How Long Will Results Last?
Generally speaking, dermal fillers are capable of producing results that last for much longer than other cosmetic treatments, including fellow injectable treatments like Botox and Dysport. Sculptra blows the long-lasting results of those other dermal fillers right out of the water with results that can last for as long as 2 to 3 years at a time.
These impressively long-lasting results can be attributed to the way the special lactic acid formula interacts with the skin. While this formula initially heightens the level of collagen produced in the sub-dermal layers of skin, it also lingers for a longer time than other fillers, which is what keeps collagen production high for such a long time.
How Frequently Should You Have Treatments to Maintain Results?
If you are a fan of the results you get from this treatment, then the frequency of the treatment is probably right at the top of your list. The timeframe to best maintain the results of this treatment is to have an annually scheduled treatment about once every 2 years, which will top-up the filler to extend results.
Of course, if you notice results fading within those 2 years, you can have yearly treatment appointments to maintain your results. Your aesthetic professional will provide you with more information about how frequently you should have this treatment.
Benefits of Sculptra
It’s already easy to see that there are many benefits from this treatment that you can take advantage of. For example, one of the better benefits of this treatment is how long the results last, which outshines the longevity of other dermal fillers – and even some energy-based treatments. Other benefits of this treatment include:
Minimally Invasive and Non-Surgical
This is a minimally invasive and non-surgical treatment, which means it will not require the use of any anesthetics or sedation during the course of treatment. And like other fillers, this treatment will not require any incisions to be made in the skin, which significantly lowers the chance of scar formation.
In fact, the only thing required for this treatment is an optional topical numbing cream applied at injection sites and the use of a small, thin needle, which only pierces the surface layers of the skin in targeted treatment areas to produce desired results. Even more impressively is the fact that, as a non-invasive and non-surgical treatment, there is no downtime associated with this treatment.
Great for Anti-Aging
This is primarily an anti-aging treatment, and just like other dermal fillers, the anti-aging aspect comes from the correction of volume within the skin. When skin volume is restored, so too is skin elasticity – and along with that, the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles that display visible signs of aging. In essence, a fuller face is a face that has tight, wrinkle-free skin.
Good for Skin Health
Many women have a tendency to overlook skin health in their pursuit of anti-aging treatments – but this filler defies this pattern and prioritizes skin health right alongside anti-aging results.
Your skin texture and tone will improve as a result of the heightened collagen production within your skin, which will rise to the surface of the skin to improve the overall look and feel of your skin. This is why this filler is also recommended for patients looking to capture a youthful glow.
Subtle and Natural-Looking Results
The trouble with facelifts is that they don’t exactly produce natural-looking results or subtle ones for that matter. A facelift tightens and smooths skin overnight (or after you’ve recovered from the surgery) and may come off looking a little “stiff”.
Injectable treatments such as this one, however, take their time to naturally improve the rate of your collagen production, which in turn means that the results of the treatment will appear gradually over time and will also appear more natural – almost like you’ve been napping in the fountain of youth.
Versatile Treatment
This is also a versatile treatment that has a remarkable number of uses for a filler. While most other fillers are restricted to only being used at one or two areas of the face, this treatment can be used in multiple places, including:
- Cheeks
- Temples
- Undereyes and crow’s feet
- Nasolabial folds
- Chin
- Jawline
- Upper chest and neck
Sculptra FAQs
1. How Does Sculptra Work?
As a dermal filler treatment, this treatment works by injecting a certain amount of a specialized formula into the skin, which then interacts with proteins already present in the skin to set off a chain reaction of increased collagen production. In the case of this filler, the specialized formula in question is Poly-L-Lactic Acid.
Poly-L-Lactic Acid is a synthetically-made form of lactic acid, which is known for its powerful anti-aging properties, particularly for superficial skin concerns such as dark spots, blemishes, uneven skin tone, and enlarged pores. Injected beneath the surface of the skin, Poly-L-Lactic Acid works as a “bio-activator” that immediately begins increasing the level of collagen produced within the skin.
2. Is Poly-L-Lactic Acid Better Than Hyaluronic Acid?
In the world of dermal fillers, another reliable bio-activator is hyaluronic acid, which is also known to boost the production of collagen and improve the outward appearance of the skin.
As to which of these special bio-activators is better, that will depend on your particular skincare needs and goals. This dermal filler using Poly-L-Lactic Acid may be more effective in treating moderate to severe anti-aging concerns than fillers made with hyaluronic acid, which might make it the better choice for some patients.
3. Can This Filler Be Used With Botox or Other Injectables?
Yes, it is possible to use this filler in combination with other injectable treatments such as Botox or Juvederm. However, the need to combine different injectable treatments will depend on your exact aesthetic goals and the condition of your skin. The truth is that, if this treatment works well for you, there might not be any need to add other injectable treatments to achieve the desired results.
4. What Other Treatments Are Compatible With This One?
There are many treatments that may be compatible with this one and help you achieve all of your aesthetic goals. For example, microneedling and thread lifts may be good options to correct skin laxity that cannot be otherwise corrected by this treatment.
Energy-based laser treatments or laser hair removal are also good combination options. Please let your aesthetic professional know if you want to combine cosmetic treatments so we can help you build a customized treatment plan.
5. Is This Treatment Safe?
Yes, this treatment is safe and FDA approved, which means it has been found effective and low-risk on a majority of the patients involved in clinical trials.
6. Will You Need a Consultation?
Yes, you will require a consultation appointment before you can start scheduling treatment appointments with this filler. Your consultation will go over your reasonable expectations for treatment as well as the treatment steps.
We may need to gather certain information, such as any cosmetic treatments you have had in the past and how recent those treatments have been. We may also ask about your current skincare routine and the products you use, such as Retinol or other retinoids.
7. Are You a Good Candidate for Treatment?
Patients who are seeking a powerful, yet subtle, anti-aging treatment are likely good candidates for this treatment. The best candidates for this treatment include women at least as old as 40 who would like to:
- Soften wrinkles
- Diminish fine lines
- Improve skin volume
- Restore facial fullness
- Redefine jawline
- Correct skin laxity on the upper chest
- Perfect skin tone and texture
Refresh Your Skin With Sculptra!
It’s about time your skin looked as young as you feel. If you think the best way to refresh your skin is with Sculptra treatments, please contact RefineU MedSpa in Oklahoma City, OK to schedule your consultation appointment today!
