Also try: anti wrinkle, cheek augmentation, chin hollows, deep lines, eye hollows, fillers, hollow cheeks, Sculptra, sunken cheeks, wrinkle treatment
Is sculptra the best choice for deep wrinkles and sunken cheeks or is it overkill? Sculptra is soooo expensive and appears to require lots of injections (I'm guessing this means pain too!!!).
Submitted by HollyBell2 on February 7, 2007 - 3:58pm. Viewed 10007 times
Does anyone have any advice on the use of sculptera for under eye circles? Im interested in other peoples experiances, good/bad results?
Im really interested in sculptra.I've had several peels in the past, which has made some what of an improvement. However, I still have a slight hollow appearence around my cheeks. I would like to get some feedback on someone who had this procedure done.Is it worth the money?
Hi!
I just posted my comments on this site, so be sure to read them. I think Sculptra could definitely improve that slight hollow appearance and you wouldn't need as many injections as I did.
Jan Kutsch
Hi there,i have had three rounds of sculptra and i have been left with big lumps under my eyes,no matter how i massage them there is no movement.Take my advice do not go near it,i wish i had never read about the stuff it has ruined my life,and i will not go outside the door with the embarrassment of the lumps.
Katee - I had the same thing happen to me. Lucky for me my derm is doing everything she can to help me. First thing my derm did was zap these bumps with the V-beam laser. My derm did this twice, four weeks apart. This significantly softened the bumps. Approx. 3 weeks ago, my derm used the Fraxel laser under my eyes and this made them significantly smaller. My derm is going to do another round with the Fraxel laser at the end of June & hopefully get rid of these horrible bumps for good. I hope this helps you and gives you a possible solution!
Remember, any MD can watch a DVD and ram sculptra into your face the next hour. There is no certification for most of these non surgical procedures. The doc that treated me {edited} in MA placed an entire bottle of sculptra under one eye!! I have 4 large lumps under my eye that {edited} states is scar tissue and needs surgical removal. Sculptra is approved for folks with AIDS, it is specifically (read the package insert) not approved for the periorbital region. Most of the docs out there are looking to make big money, your money. It isn't worth the risk. If you have a FACS Plastic Surgeon or dermatologist that you have worked with and trust has significant experience with dermal fillers, go for it. If you read an advertisement in the paper by your local otolaryngtologist or opthamologist, run for your health in the opposite direction.
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I have found after asking doctor whom I trust this simple question: what website do they trust for their medical questions/research and it is free and available to the consumer. The answer is pubmed. Go on this site and get sick to your stomach as I did. National Lib. of Med. (perhaps tax payer supportered supportered.)
I had 3 vial of sculptra in cheeks, under eyes, around mouth, pretty good results 1 year and counting,did get a small lump by corner of mouth but had kenelog injection to reduce it, I am overall happy with sculptra would reccommend! paid 3k in all*
Sculptra is NOT supposed to be used under the eyes or in the nasal folds. Are you sure you didn't go to {edited} in Danvers MA???? She is the kind of freak who would inject 3 vials into someones face.
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Started Scultra in March 2007 for deep lines and hollow cheeks. The first round was $1K but I was lucky in that I was selected for a trial. In May I had 1 treatment ($250). It is now June and I am beginning to notice improvement in the lines & hollow areas of cheeks. My husband and daughter have noticed as well. I have a great dermatologis who is very careful the procedure. I had the 3rd treatment ($300) this week and will return in August for another treatment.
I reported to my dermatologist this week that I notice improvement in my hair (very coarse - appears to be softening). Also I have battled a dry cracked foot for 26 years. Suddenly the foot is almost smooth. She has not had or seen any reports of these types. Could be conincidental.
to read more Sculptra experiences you may want to see other RealSelf member [weblink:http://www.realself.com/skin_care/skin_treatment/sculptra.html|Sculptra reviews and Sculptra stories].
cheers,
tom, founder, RealSelf.com
I recently had sculptra. The procedure has not enhanced me at all; it has in fact been disastrous for me. I asked the doctor if there is anything to remove it and he said no. Yet I read in this blog that someone did in fact get it removed. Can you confirm this.
Only way that works is to have sculptra removed surgically as I had to do.
sculptra in face + juvederm in lips
I had sculptra done recently. I had tight skin which was admittedly thin, and only wanted and requested for one or two very fine lines filled with restyline. This is what I had had before (with another doctor) and which had worked well. I had a taut jaw line, high cheekbones and hollows under my cheeks which I liked. In expressing my concerns and reservations regarding this sculptra being for folds of which I had none I was sidelined and my fears were ignored. I have a lump of restyline which has lasted more thn two years in the forehead area injected by a dermatologist, and I have shown this to the doctor so he was aware that because of my history the less fill for me the better, and for this reason I reqeusted a minimal mount of fill for the top lip. He chose to over fill and of his own reasoning did both lips. The sculptra has left my one very acceptable face a mess;
in a word ruined.
I specifically told the doctor that I did not want my cheeks filled that I in fact liked them. He was not listening.
He has taken away from me any looks I had. I now look twenty years older and twenty pounds heavier. I now have folds and large raised lumps in my cheeks. My jaw line also has lumps which make me look as if I have growths coming out of my jaw on either side (worse on the one side). Reputedly a doctor of standing he was not big enough/unable to admit to these awful results saying he had taken more time to explain this to me than he had for anyone else. He bascially told me the risk was small bumps! If only... These large lumps and much excess in the cheeks has only served to diminish any attractiveness I had.
Combining this treatment he also overfilled both my lips (I only wanted the top one minimially filled). My mouth is so bulging I can not close it without my lips being pushed (puckered), and here too much fill has has created folds, and I now look as if I have buck teeth. If my lips were thinnish before at least they were even. Now the one side is thicker and more uplifted so my mouth and smile are now lop sided. Too much fill actually prevents me smiling without strange lines and folds forming. His excuse on this was that it can never be exactly the same each side. It was before.
In examining me (in a very dimly lit room with one bulb in the ceiling and blinds shuttered down) he just refused to acknowledge these raised lumps. That three people have actually commented to me (unasked for) about these same strange lumps makes me wonder...
The puffiness and in turn folds and indents have really changed my looks, and I have truly lost any confidence I had.
The results are for me disastrous.
The two fine lines I actually did want filled are now clearly visibly, along with a few more lines which are a direct result of too much fill and folds, indents and raised lumps being formed. I look very different and regrettably not for the better. This has affected me professionally and personally; my heart sinks to even look in the mirror.
The doctor has said there is no removing agent for the sculptra and that he does not know how the juvederm dissolving agent works.
My face (each person's face) is worth mopre than the few thousand dollars paid, no matter it is still a lot of money. But to take someone's money for ruining their looks seems more than unjust!
In retrospect my research and reservations were apt. These were brushed aside as well as my telling the doctor specifically that I did not want my cheeks filled. He ignored my wants and fears, and still is not (capable of?) listening.
This website has taught me a lot. I wish I'd known of it prior to having had this done.
I have no choice but to live with it (his words of consolation to me). Yes, I have to live with it, but it's hard for me to show my face. I look very different, and not in an enhancing way. It is as if I have paid to have my looks marred.
I would do anything to have my original face back. This not only looks like a "bad job", but because of the excess folds it now looks as if I should have somthing done to remove all the excess. I only know my skin was thin but taut and if I looked thin well I am thin, and that was never a complaint or issue for me.
Advice; Find a good doctor capable of listening, and read this website before having anything done!!!
i was so sorry to hear that someone else had experienced my nightmare. my doctor, too, injected me without my permission. i had said to him that one side of my face was smaller than the other...i asked him to correct it, and he injecterd both sides...i now look like a watermelon. aside from this, he injected juvederm under my eyes in august, resulting in large bags under my eyes...which i never had..he tried the anectdote that he promised would work, and fivr months later i have just received two treatments to remove the liquid...it is still there. i design jewelry and will be appearing on television...not happy. i went to my classs reunion...not happy. summer vacation....same. have you found any way to get rid of the excess sculptra...amything you know would be appreciated. thanks, char
I can sympathise with you as sculptra for me was an absolute disaster. It caused me nothing but hours of angst, tears, discomfort and not least of all was an aesthetic disaster with visible rock hard lumps in rows across my top lip and each side of my chin!
It cost me thousands of dollars in consultations and treatments with numerous doctors. I eventually found a dermatologist and plastic surgeon who listened to the fact that I wanted the lumps removed (after exhausting all other less invasive treatments!). If the earlier doctors had listened to me from the beginning and removed the lumps surgically as requested it would have saved me thousands of dollars in useless treatment!
The only winners here were the doctors!
My stepmother used Sculptra to fill a small divet in her face that remained after a cyst was removed. It has been almost two years since this was done, and it has been a nightmare. She noticed the bumps first, despite massaging and following her doctor's instructions, and then the site became infected and inflamed. She has had a puss-like drainage from her cheek for almost two years and her doctor believes she is experiencing an immune response to the Sculptra. She went to a very well known Beverly Hills doctor and he is working with her and the company that manufactures Sculptra to resolve this. Now, she has a very large indentation in her face and she told me this morning that she is still experiencing the drainage! My point is that reactions do happen, and this stuff is far from fool proof no matter who your doctor is. Because of her experience with Sculptra, I decided to use Juvederm, but that is another story... I think one of the lessons I am learning is to accept myself as I age! :-)
i had 4 treatments over a 4 month period.. i was extremely pleased..only now after 2 years do i see a need for further treatment.. it was uncomfortable but better than plastic surgery.
I have had an overfill of sculptra ,same story doctor injecting where you do not want it. But I have heard that salaine is sometimes use to dissolve the sculptra quicker. Apparently it does not always work but i cant see salt and water doing any harm to your face. Has anyone tried this with good results oe otherwise. I will be definatley trying this .
Steroid injections are supposed to dissolve sculptra but did nothing for me!
Had sculptra injections in vorners of mouth and under lower lip. Tghese lumps are lasting loger than the promised good results. My dermatologist originally said he'd charge $1100.00 for removal and then when I contacted Pharmaceutical company he called and said it would be free!!!!ETHICSwhere are they!!!
19 months later the lumps are stil here. Is there any way to get rid of them? Besides surgery?
I have to say I am so happy with Sculptra!All these people who complain about the bumps do not realize,that they HAVE TO massage injected area 5 times a day for 5 days 5 minutes.
That's how lactic acid get evenly distributes in the area,then body own collagen is growing around evenly distributed product in your adipose(fatty tissue)
I used high frequency to contract the collagen even better!
I hope every doctor performing the injection explains what to do AFTER.It is crucial to massage it and to be diligent about it!
I used Sculptra in my cheeks and loved the results. However, I opted to have some injected into my forehead and now I have 3 noticeable bumps that won't go away. I've had 3 rounds of saline injections to try and disolve them, but it doesn't work. Has anyone heard of anything else to remove sculptra besides surgery?
Thanks~
I'm a 40 year old male, HIV negative, and I've had 3 rounds of Sculptra. The first in December of 2007. The second in February 2008, and the third in April of 2008. I look at least 5 years younger. People seriously guess me at 28-32 now. Sculptra was well worth it. However, you do have to massage it 5x a day for 5 days. I followed my doctors instructions very specifically...and I've had no issues whatsoever. I look amazing. My doctor is one of the country's most respected facial plastic surgeons, and I completely trust her. Sculptra can be great, but you have to have a good doctor and follow the instructions after.
There is no product better on the market for facial contouring for lipoatrophy or cosmetic use. As I read the comments it always seems those that have the adverse problems never give the full story. It is very important to choose a physician that is experienced with this particular filler, unlike many others this is one that must be put in deeply and not superficial or you will get lumps and bumps that are visible. Depending on the atrophy or area it takes a certain number of treatments: cosmetically usually 2-3, but for facial contouring due to hiv lipoatrophy may take 6-8 treatments or more. This is generally done every 4-5 wks. If someone gets a treatment then waits 6 months that is way to far apart and set yourself up for no results. This product should last 18-24 months at which time you need touch up and dont have to start from scratch. It should never be used in the lips. In other areas may have to be diluted or put under muscle, such as under eyes area. We use lidocaine with epinephrine in the solution when we inject so that you get anesthesia and contriction of blood vessels, therefore, decreasing your chances of bruising. I had topical anesthesia for 30min prior to treatment. Those that I have read that were not happy should have been if it was done correctly and the time between treatments maintained. Also, veryyy important to massage face 5 times a day for 5minutes for 5 days (5-5-5- Rule)
I finished my third and final injections a month go and am so happy with the results. I had two vials injected each month, one on each side of my face to fill in and lift the cheek area. The second injections were lower on my face, also to give it some fullness and reduce the depth of the nasolabial folds, which were quite pronounced. The third month's injections were to additionally "plump up" those areas that the plastic surgeon and I agreed needed a little more fullness.
Now when I look in the mirror in the morning, even though I might be tired, gone is that "haggard" look that had been there for quite a few years. Also the additional fullness and raising of the cheeks reduced the wrinkles under my eyes.
Discomfort was minimal; the surgeon injected Novocaine first, then waited 10 minutes before injecting the Sculptra...the whole experience was virtually painless, just a few pricks when the novocaine went in. I did have some bruising after the first injections. I was told that this could have been attributed to the Vitamin E in my multivitamin, as Vitamin E can promote bruising. I discontinued the Vitamin E for the remainder of the injections and definitely noticed diminished bruising. I also took Arneca tablets which I purchased from GNC and I believe that also helped.
This is an expensive undertaking which is another reason to get a reputable doctor. Each vial was $1,000, for a total of $6,000 for the injections. The results are expected to last AT LEAST 18 months or longer, depending on when the individual feels he or she needs a "touch-up". There will still be some collagen where it was initially injected, so you would only need the first round of injections to "perk up" your appearance. In my case, that will probably be another $2,000...and believe me, I'm saving my pennies already for when that time comes.
I hope this helps anyone who is thinking about using Sculptra. One other thing is....don't expect immediate results. The results from the first injections didn't start showing up until about the time for the second injections, which was about a month.
I have read some of the previous "horror stories" on this site and my only comment is to have this done by someone who knows what they are doing. I used a Board-certified plastic surgeon with experience in administering Sculptra. And I can only say that I haven't looked this good in years!
I am very happy for those of you who have had a wonderful experience with Sculptra. (I am also very jealous).
The truth is you cannot blame the person with the lumps (myself included) for not following directions and not massaging. I haven't stopped massaging! The lumps are still under my eyes, though my derm is working on reducing the size of my lumps.
Everyone has to remember.
Sculptra is a VERY difficult material to apply properly.
Your results depend ENTIRELY on the expertise of the practitioner.
I wouldn't get Sculptra treatments UNLESS you go to one of the few true experts in the field.
There are several doctors who helped Dermik Labs develop Sculptra. These doctors have been using Sculptra for MANY years with excellent results.
Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald in L.A.
Drs. Doug Mest & Gail Humble in L.A.
Dr. Gervais Frechette in New York and S.F.
Drs. Richard Skolnik & Matthew Schulman in New York
There are a couple of others as well.
But there are SO MANY doctors using Sculptra out there who are relatively new to the process. BE CAREFUL!!!!
Go to one of the experts.
Paul's comment is "RIGHT ON"...I attribute my great results to a plastic surgeon in the Tampa area....if anyone is interested, let me know and I'll supply his name.
Sculptra is an excellent product yielding great results . . . if done properly and post-care instructions followed religiously. I have had very satisfied patients and no problems or complications. However, due to the extremely high number of reported complications across the country, I have decided to stop using it.
Combining Thermage, TotalFX (ActiveFX plus DeepFX), fat transfer, and Botox has yielded phenomenal results which are consistent and without the risks of Sculptra (albeit with slightly different end points).
View answers from Robert Clinton, MDYes Dr. Clinton... Fat Transfer is ultimately the way to go in the end. After all, it makes sense to replace the fat you lost with more of your own fat.
I'm not at the point where I need something so "global" or pan facially. I just need some targeted volumization.
Hopefully, by the time I do decide to get fat grafting, the NEXT generation of fat transfer technology will be available.
Dr. Ellenbogen (L.A.) and Dr. Coleman (N.Y.) are both talking about a new technology to "supercharge" the autologous fat solution with adipose-derived stem cells. A device by Cytori Labs called CELUTION 800... will greatly multiply the adult stem cells in the transplanted fat... thus making it able to not only REGENERATE new fat cells, but also regenerate muscle mass and bone mass... both of which are lost in the aging process. This will TRULY regenerate the aging face to more youthful proportions and volume.
As Dr. Perricone says... the youthful face is characterized not just by fat volume, but also by incredible muscle tone.
I agree. I do test photography here in New York for IMG and DNA Modeling agencies. And I am constantly struck by the incredible MUSCLE tone in young faces. Sculptra and fat grafting alone can't address that. That's why I urge anyone who gets re-volumized with Sculptra or fat to also start a rigorous resistance facial exercise program. You can pump up the muscle volume in your cheeks, temples and jawline the same way you would pump up the muscle volume in your biceps. (Make the muscles more convex.)