Ventura Sculptra doctors

Dear M. Landis,

Sculptra is a terrific product that lasts longer than any other commercially available filler. The following is a list of fillers and the lengths of time that I would expect each to actually last:

• Old-fashioned collagen (human or animal): 6-12 weeks. These products don't last long enough for them to be worthwhile anymore.

• Non-animal Stabilized Hyaluronic acids (such as Juvederm Ultra and Juvederm Ultra Plus, Restylane and Perlane, Elevess): 6-12 months. Closer to 6 months in the lips, but closer to 12 months in various folds. Botox may potentiate the length of efficacy of these products.

• New collagen (known as Evolence): 6-9 months. This product has only been availabe in the USA since the summer of 2008, so no American has even 6-9 months of experience with it! My 6-9 month guess is based upon the experience of my European and Canadian colleagues.

• Calcium hydroxylapatite (known as Radiesse): 12-18 months. Initial experience was a bit overly optimistic; the first injectors thought that Radiesse lasted 1-3 years. The truth is that Radiesse usually lasts a full year or slightly longer.

• Poly-L-Lactic Acid (known as Sculptra): >2 years. The FDA studies approving the use of the product ended after 2 years. Hence, the product cannot be marketed as lasting longer than 2 years. However, I have noticed efficacy for as long as I have been injecting the product--3 years. Since Sculptra has only been available in the USA for 3 1/2 years, no American has a longer experience. However, some European doctors report 5 years of persistence.

Also, there had been a permanent filler on the market--Artefill. However, its manufacturer Artes Medical recently filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and Artefill is no longer available.

Hope that you found all this information helpful!