Sculptura® Aesthetic in Houston, TX

As early as your 20’s, your body’s collagen production decreases, and you lose about 1% of your collagen supply every year. Since collagen is an important component in keeping the skin firm, plump, and elastic, the loss of collagen leads to lines, wrinkles, facial volume loss. Sculptra Aesthetic dermal injections use poly-L-lactic acid as its active ingredient to reverse the signs of facial fat loss, whether from illness or natural aging. Sculptra works by stimulating the body to produce new collagen at the sites of injection, thereby replacing lost volume and contours to restore a fuller, more youthful appearance. Many patients at Alford Facial Plastic Surgery in Houston, TX prefer Sculptra to other wrinkle fillers because it works gradually to restore the skin’s structure and health, which means results are gradual and more natural. Dr. Eugene "Gene" Alford, a double board-certified plastic surgeon, offers Sculptra Aesthetic treatments to patients, who want long-lasting, natural relief from facial aging.

Sculptra wrinkle injection treatments are an in-office procedure, typically taking 1 hour or less for Dr. Gene to complete. Patients usually require 2 – 3 sessions spaced 4 – 6 weeks apart to accomplish optimum volume and get their best results. You may want to schedule all of your treatments at once to ensure each session is done at the appropriate time.

While you will be able to resume your normal level of activity immediately after your treatment, some patients prefer to take 1 – 2 days for recovery. There is typically some redness, swelling, and bruising after the treatment, but this can be concealed with makeup. You should follow up in 6 weeks at Dr. Gene’s office so he can check for concerns, monitor your progress, and perform your second treatment, if needed.

Sculptra does not give immediate results like other HA fillers do. Since Sculptra has to stimulate the body to create new collagen, this process takes time. Sculptra can last at least 2 or more years because it causes the body to stimulate its own collagen. The nice thing about Sculptra is that because the effects develop gradually over time as your collagen grows, people are less likely to realize that you’ve had a cosmetic procedure. The results of Sculptra typically last for up to 2 years.

Based on the needs and goals you discuss during your consultation, Dr. Gene can help you better estimate your cost for 1 – 3 sessions.

• Chin wrinkles
• Cross-hatch facial wrinkles
• Decreased volume in the cheeks
• Decreased volume in the temples
• Facial fat loss (lipoatrophy)
• Marionette lines
• Mild to severe lines and wrinkles
• Shallow to deep nasolabial folds
• Smile lines

Sculptra Aesthetic injections are a good option for anyone who is willing to wait for gradual, but longer-lasting improvements to facial aging. Sculptra can be used to smooth lines, wrinkles, creases, and folds as well as increasing volume in the cheeks, but it is not for around the eyes or in the lips. Sculptra is particularly effective at correcting smile (nasolabial) lines, marionette (laugh) lines, and chin wrinkles.

Most patients have minimal trouble after their Sculptra Aesthetic treatments, but some people may have swelling, redness, pain, bruising, tenderness, itching, bleeding, and small lumps below the skin that should not last for more than 2 weeks. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Gene’s office to get more information and instructions.

Sculptra is an alternative type of filler that is frequently used as a valuable adjunct to facelift surgery where excess skin is removed instead of a facial fat transfer to restore mid-face volume. Sculptra can also be added to other dermal fillers, like Juvéderm®, Voluma®, and Restylane®, as well as BOTOX® wrinkle relaxer injections to get a liquid facelift.