Sculptra: Stories

Would you mind giving out your Doctor's name? This process sounds like it could be a disaster if not administered correctly.

Thanks so much for the update. Really appreciate it. Sounds like your doctor is doing the right job. I will bring up some of these points with my doctor as I'm supposed to go back at the end of this month.

It might be helpful for you to understand the nature of Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA) - AKA sculptra. The immune system has an integral role in fibroblast behavior, (that'd be the lumps/granulomas) in other words its how the the host immune system responds to it. Poly-L-lactic acid differs from the other fillers in that it is dependent on the host immune/reparative response to accomplish filling. Other similar products include silicone and polymethyl-metracrylate (neither is currently FDA approved for soft tissue augmentation). Here is the risk factor: and there is no way even the best injector in the world can control this.... Unfortunately this mechanism of action for augmentation has two potentially negative effects INHERENT TO THE NATURE OF THE RESPONSE : (1) the host immune system can respond less than optimally causing less augmentation then desired; or (2) the host immune system can respond over exuberantly creating granulomas or lumps. I repeat.... INHERENT TO THE NATURE OF THE RESPONSE In the medical literature, there are many reports of delayed foreign body granulomas; in one report with PMMA (Artefill/Artecoll, which is Plexiglas!), up to 12 or 13 years following the injections! The reasons this can occur is that you are injecting something foreign into your body and the human body has a very sophisticated immune response. When it sees something as a foreign invader, it creates a complex reaction to try to get rid of it, and the result is the granuloma which you describe. Your best injectors have no control over this !!!!! So if your injector is injecting this stuff for cosmetic purposes- he/she is not the best! Its just criminal to take our money and cause this kinda of harm. ... and this is the point the injector will blame you for the problem - Pretty good racket they have going! kooie

The lumps, according to my dr.come from not dissolving the solution correctly and not injecting deep enough... After over 1000 patients without lumps, I trust he will inject the correct distance from my eyes to achieve the desired result. I will report back however after 4/17 with more details

Lmd99 The skin in the eye area is very thin, can't inject it deep enough. I hope you don't have that done... You'll be right in the same boat that I and many others are in. What in the world kind of doctor would do that???? That is not the expert injector that everyone says to get. I suggest you research what the Sculptra material is since your not concerned with the injector dude.

"The last treatment he is thinning out the solution and moving a bit closer to my eyes and upper cheek area..." Oh yeah that is smart!

Thanks for that input Lmd99. I had the first treatment on Feb 25. They said to come back in a month but due to scheduling I'll be back in more like 6 weeks so hopefully the results will be good. I, too, like the idea of building back the face little by little. Gives the doctor greater control over the results. By the way, which doctor did you go to?