How do Sculptura and Bellafill compare?

Hello and thank you for your question. Sculptra and Bellafill are similar in that they are used to stimulate the body's own natural collagen production.  Simply put, the difference between the two is that while Sculptra is almost completely replaced by your own collagen, Bellafill leaves microspheres that attract your collagen in addition to it, and in place of it. Moreover, Sculptra's volume is seen immediately, but once the saline portion of the injection is reabsorbed by your body, you will look empty again.  The volume begins to slowly build up after a few weeks or so and will need several sessions to achieve best results.  Results can last 1-2 years.  Bellafill, however, will give you volume right away, but will have some settlement after a few weeks at which point a subsequent treatment is usually needed.  Although both will need several sessions to achieve best results, I believe Bellafill will give you a longer lasting result.Be sure to find an injector with plenty of experience treating patients with Bellafill and can give you a proper consultation.  Best of luck! 

Bellafill and Artefill are known to cause granulomas. Although used for soft tissue augmentation, they can, and are known to cause permanent nodules and swelling. This is not the case for everyone. 
My office specializes in the removal of Bellafill and Artefill injections, in addition to silicone biopolymers, from the face and body. Initially, treatments are non-surgical with corticosteroids and immune modulators. If unable to be corrected, we can also perform surgery in some cases. 
Lastly, our office is conducting ongoing studies of plasma-assisted corticosteroid application, which allows for diffusion of the treatment medication in superficial tissue without causing atrophy. 
Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian 
Realself100 Surgeon

Sculptra and Bellafill are both stimulating agents that produce gradual volume replacement in the areas where it is injected.  Both of them normally require several treatment sessions spaced over time.  Sculptra results can last 2-4 years and Bellafill results can last much, much longer.  The volume replacement from Bellafill is permanent, but the face will continue to change with age, so it is possible that a change in appearance will still occur over time.  Sculptra is FDA-approved to treat HIV-associated facial lipoatrophy and has a patient access program that can reduce the cost of treatment for individuals who qualify.  Bellafill is not specifically FDA-approved to treat HIV-associated facial lipoatrophy but it can be used for this purpose as an off-label indication.    

Sculptra and Bellafill are both effective bio-stimulatory fillers capable of addressing the sunken areas on your cheeks and temples.
Sculptra, composed of poly-L-lactic acid, works gradually to stimulate collagen growth and improve skin texture and volume. While Sculptra has shown positive results for you, it's true that its effects typically last up to 2 years, necessitating repeat treatments.
On the other hand, Bellafill, which combines collagen gel and PMMA microspheres, provides both an immediate plumping effect and prolonged collagen growth over time. While Bellafill is commonly used for treating acne scars, it's equally effective in addressing facial volume loss. A key advantage is its long-lasting results, potentially enduring for 5 years or more.
In essence, Bellafill could be a suitable option if you're looking for a longer-lasting solution to Sculptra. However, this decision should be made in consultation with a skilled injector who can assess your specific needs and guide you accordingly.

Both are collagen stimulators used to replace long-term volume loss. Sculptra is FDA approved for this indication and Bellafill is not. Off label use of fillers is routinely done by the experienced physician. Sculptra (PLLA) is eventually degraded by the body while Bellafill is not. The corrections will look similar in the long run, but Bellafill will give a correction during the period while you body is creating its own collagen because of the carrier - bovine collagen. Sculptra's carrier is saline/water and will therefore not show any correction for 3-4 months. In the long run, Bellafill will be more economic because of its duration but Sculptra will be less expensive in the short term. My preference would be placement of Bellafill in the temples with cannula technique, in the superficial plane between the superficial and deep temporal fascia.

Thank you for your question.  While both products will add volume through different mechanisms.  I find that Sculptra tends to add a more volume than Bellafil.  Fat grafting is still the best way to achieve longterm volume replacement, however Sculptra is a nice non-surgical alternative.   I would seek consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon who can offer both fillers and fat grafting to learn about your options in depth. 

Bellafill is permanent. Sculptra is not. Both are good products and are safe, and rely on the individual patients ability to make collagen

Both Bellafill and Sculptra stimulate collagen production. Generally Bellafill lasts longer. Bellafill (known as Artefill previously)  was approved in October of 2006 as a facial wrinkle filler and has been shown since then to be very effective, safe, and longer lasting. Since then it was specifically approved by the FDA for acne scarring.I have found it effective as a facial filler for individuals who have facial volume loss due to medications or chronic illnesses. It is also very useful for hand volume loss as well. 

Thank you for your question. Both Bellafill and Sculptra are bio-stimulators in that they stimulate your body to produce collagen. The greatest differences between the two are longevity and cost. Each vial of Sculptra Aesthetic will generate approximately 5 cc of volume whereas a syringe of Bellafill will generate 0.8 cc of volume. Newly formed collagen typically lasts about 5 years but due to ongoing collagen loss in the body most patients will require further stimulation every couple years. The PMMA particles in Bellafill which stimulate collagen never dissipate so there is ongoing collagen stimulation. One syringe of Bellafill is usually a bit more expensive than one vial of Sculptra and since it takes at least 6 syringes of Bellafill to produce an equal volume of collagen versus one vial of Sculptra, the cost of volume restoration in the short run is going to be significantly greater with Bellafill. Bellafill's first indication was for volume restoration in HIV patients. More recently it got approval for the treatment of acne scars.I hope this was helpful - Dr. Moore.

Bellafill and Sculptra both work by stimulating your own collagen production. However, the particles in Sculptra that are responsible for this are broken down by the body in about two years whereas the collagen stimulating particles in Bellafill are essentially permanent. So naturally the results of Bellafill are much longer lasting. I would also add that although Bellafill is the only filler approved by the FDA for acne scars it is more commonly used for adding volume to the face so I think it should suit your needs very well.