Do you cringe with each passing year as your face loses its youthful look? Facial aging actually begins in one’s 20s, when the skin begins to lose its collagen, the substance that provides elasticity. By age 40, most people experience up to 20 percent collagen loss. And by age 50, 30 percent collagen loss is common. Faces also age because of loss of fat and loss of bone. As this happens, the cheek bones become flatter, the eye sockets widen and the jaw bone becomes narrower.
Various bulking dermal fillers, also called “injectables,” have soared in popularity over recent years. Each targets different areas of the face and plastic surgeons will tell you that most are indicated only for mid-face aging. If you want to reduce smile lines, marionette lines and chin wrinkles without looking “done” or “overdone,” products such as Dysport, Restylane and Juvederm are helpful. However, the face doesn’t age only in these specific areas. That’s why, for some, the go-to filler is Sculptra, a tried-and-true classic that’s been around for about 30 years.
“FDA-approved for full-face aging, Sculptra is a facial injectable with proven, noticeable results that appear gradually over the course of a couple of months and can last up to two years,” says Richard Maggio, M.D., medical director for Luminous MedSpa and Salon in New Providence. “Sculptra helps stimulate the skin’s own natural collagen production to help restore its inner structure and increase facial volume that has been lost over the years.” Best of all, this “liquid facelift” requires no surgery and no downtime, which is why so many women book lunchtime appointments.
Depending upon one’s age and the amount of volume loss, Sculptra may require several treatments to gradually help restore a more youthful you. The cost ranges from $1,000 to $3,600, depending on the client’s age and amount of volume loss, and the effects can last for two years.
Sculptra’s popularity is expanding. With growing requests for Brazilian “butt lifts,” plastic surgeons are also using Sculptra for patients who want a more contoured derriere without traditional surgery.