What you describe indeed sounds like a foreign body granuloma, which can occur at any time following the injection of synthetic or non-biologic agents. I am not a proponent of synthetic agents such as Sculptra, Artefill, Radiesse or silicone for this very reason. In the medical literature, there are many... more
What can I do about Sculptra lumps?
Some 5 years ago I had NewFill (Sculptra) for smile lines and hyaluronic for my lip line. Some 2 months after, I started to get hard painful lumps, which I have been told are granulomas. I went back to the person who did the injections and he gave me 3 steroid injections. They broke the lumps down but seem to be more little ones and they seem to be worse again, almost like they're growing as I can notice them under the skin. Can I get IPL or heat treatment Thermage to break them down? If I have steroid injections, what strength do I have and how many can have?
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17 posts
19 Sep 2008
Dear Heather: The sculptra lumps, or papules, that you describe are one of the complications with this product. Sculptra is a synthetic poly-L-lactic acid. If it is not laid down evenly, if it is too concentrated, if it is not put deep enough, or laid over a dynamically moving muscle or in skin that is too thin, papules are possible. I have worked with this product for nine years and did the FDA study with my partner. We now rarely see papules due to change in technique and dilution. If you have a papule this is how you treat it. First, your physician should use massage daily in the area if it is a recent pasule. This is if it occurs immediately after injection (the first week or so). If it is a nodule that has formed months after, have your physician use subcision. This is when they take a small needle and physically cut it up. Then they will flush the area with normal saline and inject a steroid. If this doesn't work it may be injected with a mix of steroid and 5-FU. Next, if there is still not a satisfactory result, you may start on a one month course of oral prednisone, as well as Doxycycline. Your physician may contact me via the "Request more information" form in my RealSelf.com profile if he would like more help in this area. The other expert in this area is Dr. Danny Vleggar in Geneva and in Paris. Gail Humble MD
7 posts
28 Jul 2009
i keep reading up on sculptra some say it lasts a year others say it will last two years or even three, can you tell me how long it does last because to pay such a large amount for only a year would not seem worth it?