Fast facts

Sculptra


What it is: Permanent dermal filler (cosmetic injection) to restore facial fullness.


What it addresses:

Sculptra is US FDA approved for restoration or correction of the signs of facial fat loss (lipoatrophy) in people with human immunodeficiency virus.

Sculptra is used "off label" to restore facial fullness and to treat:

- Nasolabial folds
- Sunken cheeks
- Deep wrinkles
- Nose humps
- Facial creases


MORE INFORMATION

Was it worth it?

Percent of consumer reviews saying "Yes":

75% Lasik
74% Botox
55% IPL
40% TITAN

Question

Sculptra to fix loss of facial volume after nose surgery?

Hi, I just had a rhinoplasty and a turbinectomy last year. Ever since the turbinectomy my face has been looking very thin. I am 35 years old and am naturally skinny, but my face didn't look so gaunt before.

My nose is smaller and my turbinates are no longer there, but for some reason my nose really stands out, I think due to lack of facial fat. I am 5'5 100 pounds and small boned, my size genetic.

Have I just lost facial fat due to my age, and can I get it back by eating more? Should I try Sculptra? I have already tried juvederm in my lip area and botox in my forehead to make me look a bit younger, but it really didn't help any. I look at least 45! Help!

Sculptra to fix loss of facial volume after nose surgery?

Asked by: katie1992
Washington, D.C.

Answers (5)

Sort by: Most recent | Most helpful
1
September 11, 2008

As Billy Crystal used to say on SNL, "You look Mah-Vah-Los"

Michael A. Persky, MD
Michael A. Persky, MD
Board Certified
Facial Plastic Surgeon

Hi Katie,

I have never seen turbinectomy or rhinoplasty result in loss of volume from the face.  A syringe or two of Restylane, Juviderm, or Radiesse should be more than enough to restore youthful volume to your pretty face.  If you wanted a more permanent fix, fat transfer would be the choice, but you need to be very careful in choosing your physician. I would recommend William Little in the D.C. area. Some physicians are getting good results with Sculptra, but others are seeing complications.  I am not using it.  Leslie Bauman, MD at University of Miami is whom I would recommend if you choose Sculptra.  Be well.

Dr. P

 

2
September 11, 2008

Sculptra and Facial re-volumization

My partner and I did the original FDA study on Sculptra where it was used to revolumize patients that had lipoatrophy.  Lipoatrophy, or facial fat loss that is associated with patients with HIV, is just an accelerated form of aging.  You are on the slim side and probably had little facial volume to start with.  With aging we lose more facail volume due to osteoporosis of the facial bones, muscle atrophy, dermal thinning and actual facial fat loss. Whether this was related in actuality to your surgery or not, is not as important as how to correct it.  Sculptra offers a slow and gradual rebuilding of your own dermal and subdermal tissue.  In the inital clinical trials we found a three fold increase in dermal thickness that maintained at twwo years.  This is why the product is often quoted as lasting two years.  In actuality the clinical results last longer.  We did a follow up study and found that  a portion of the patients did not even need retreatment at four years.

This product in particular takes a qualified injector with a trained eye.  I believe the results can be incredibly rewarding.  Consult the company for a referral in your area.  All physicians must be trained now prior to purchasing the product from the company.

 

Good Luck

 

Gail Humble MD

Medical Director Blue Pacifi Aesthetic Medical Group

3
September 11, 2008
D.J. Verret, MD
D.J. Verret, MD
Board Certified
Facial Plastic Surgeon
Answer by D.J. Verret, MD

I would echo the sentiment of the other physicians that your best option is a personal consultation with a qualified facial plastic surgeon or plastic surgeon in your area. In a more generic sense, you pose several interesting questions:

1) What are options for cheek fillers?

There are several options for cheek fillers. Temporary fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm can be used as a cheek filler. Radiesse can also be used but should be used with care as there can be lumpiness which is very difficult to remove. Sculptra is another good option. It is a poly-L-lactic acid which must be injected over several treatments and the results actually 'grow' over time. All of these treatments though will eventually fade. For a more permanent solution, consider fat augmentation or cheek implants. Both are fairly easy surgical procedures that can produce lasting and excellent results. Again though - to determine if any of these are right for you, consultation with a qualified surgeon would be necessary.

2) Will I notice a change in my face after rhinoplasty surgery?

While rhinoplasty surgery will generally not change the structure of your cheek, it will alter the relationship between your face and your nose. There are very well established spatial relationships in the face. Altering the shape of the nose can cause the appearance of a change in the cheeks even though no actual anatomic change has occurred.

Good luck in your search.

4
September 11, 2008
Richard P. Rand, MD
Richard P. Rand, MD
Board Certified
Plastic Surgeon

I have not encountered a situation where a turbinectomy has changed the relative volume of the cheeks. This is probably more due to being slender and perhaps to some early signs of facial aging which can include volume loss.

A well qualified plastic surgeon can evaluate you and discuss possible treatments. I have found that Radiesse works especially well in volume restoration and augmentation of the cheeks. This is especially true in younger patients who have good skin. I personally would not recommend Sculptra or fat injections which are other alternatives to Radiesse.

5
September 11, 2008

I prefer Radiesse to restore facial volume

Shahram Salemy, MD
Shahram Salemy, MD
Board Certified
Plastic Surgeon

Katie,

This is a good question.  I doubt that the turbinectomy has any direct effect on the appearance of your face, but there are a couple of things that may be going on.  The first is the relationship between your nose and the rest of your face. 

There are natural proportions that represent aesthetic ideals, for example the width of your mouth as compared to the width of the base of your nose.  If these change after surgery, you may notice aspects of your face that were not as obvious before.  This, in combination with being thin already, probably is contributing to what you are now noticing.

Without examining you directly, it's difficult to know what the best options are for you.  But if we need to increase the volume in your cheeks, I prefer Radiesse to Sculptra.  It's very straightfoward to use and will give you results that last at least a year or more.  I think this is the best non-surgical option in this area.  Other surgical options include fat transfer, which also works well, but requires an operative procedure.

Bottom line is that the best way to know exactly what is going on is to sit down with a Plastic Surgeon, have them listen to your concerns, so that they can lay out your options for you and put together a plan that works.

Dr. Salemy

Write a comment

(required, shown publicly)
  • Allowed HTML tags: <p> <br> <em> <strong> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <img> <div>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • You may link to webpages through the weblinks registry

More information about formatting options

(required, kept private and never sold. We hate spam as much as you do, and won’t spam)
CAPTCHA
Enter the numbers in the image below (no spaces)
Image CAPTCHA

Comments for unregistered users are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see our Community Guidelines

Check out more Q+A about Sculptra

Have a question? Ask it

IMPORTANT: As noted in our Terms of Service, the information found on RealSelf.com, including that provided by professionals in the Questions & Answers area, is a general educational aid. The Questions and Answers contain opinions and views created by community members. RealSelf.com is not responsible for the accuracy of any information posted by community members. Do not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical or healthcare advice, or for diagnosis or treatment purposes.
  •     Cancel