Sculptra: Mother Nature’s Natural Filler

What is Sculptra and what was it’s use derived from?

The Sculptra procedure , also known as poly-L-lactic acid, is derived from a dissolvable suture material that has been used in surgery for decades; hence it is very well understood as to how it reacts with the body. Sculptra initially started out in the 1980’s as a treatment for patients with HIV-associated facial wasting as a result of massive weight loss seen with AIDs. Sculptra provided relief and helped those patients regain normalcy in their appearance. Since then, the utilization of Sculptra has expanded, gaining clearance for cosmetic use.

Why use Sculptra?

As we age, our skin thins as collagen becomes depleted and more disorganized. This leads to a loss of facial skin elasticity and volume, with the development of fine lines and wrinkles. The Sculptra procedure provides a natural means of skin regeneration, allowing the skin to gain volume and elasticity, gradually returning to a more youthful state.

The Nonsurgical Butt Lift aka “No scalpel butt lift”

Women and men alike have been using Sculptra to volumize hollow areas in the face, and getting rid of fine lines and wrinkles in areas such as the midface and décolleté. Sculptra continues to gain popularity across the globe as Europeans and South Americans are using the semi-permanent filler to give them a more bodacious backside. Here in the US, Sculptra is still awaiting FDA clearance for such use, however the procedure is often performed “off-label”.

My suggestion to those interested in having this procedure performed is as follows: First and foremost, keep in mind that utilizing Sculptra for a buttock augmentation is not comparable to a Brazilian Butt Lift, which typically transfers vast quantities of fat ( often times more than a liter per side ) harvested from the torso and other areas, creating very pronounced buttock augmentation and projection. Sculptra is capable of providing a mild to modest improvement in buttock projection and volume – its use for this treatment is limited in thinner women ( and men) who simply do not have an adequate amount of fat to transfer to the buttocks. Sculptra is also a consideration for patients not interested in the other alternative, a buttock augmentation with the use of a silicone implant. The major benefit of using Sculptra in buttock enhancement is that it does not require a general anesthetic, and can be performed under a local anesthetic. The result, however, will be minimal, as compared to more invasive surgical procedures.