Sculptra (injectable poly-L lactic acid, made by Dermik) comes to the doctor in little bottles with a freeze-dried, powdery substance inside the bottle. In order to inject it into your face, sterile water has to be added to the vial to reconstitute it, returning it to a liquid state from a solid (i.e. powder).
The amount of sterile water that is added varies slightly, depending on the preference of the injector, but is usually 3 to 5 mL (based on the manufacturer's guidelines). Some may reconstitute with more than 5 mL, which could yield more subtle, less effective results. If it's too concentrated, you may increase your risk for nodules or bumps.
Once the liquid solution is prepared, it has to sit for at least 2 and up to 24 hours. It is no longer good 72 hours after it has been reconstituted, which is why it is packaged and shipped as a freeze-dried material.
