I was told today that collagen fillers like sculptra and Bellafill are a waste of time for those over 65?

I respectfully disagree with the nurse injector that you met with. I studied and published a paper on the nonsurgical rejuvenation of the aging face using Sculptra for restoration of soft tissue volume in patients from 2007-2009.  The age range of patients in my series was 40 to 78 years. Because of Sculptra's unique mechanism of action when using it for nonsurgical facial rejuvenation, it requires meticulous injection technique with special considerations for optimizing outcomes and minimizing adverse events. Many of us who Sculptra's in our practices understand that it is not the real age of the patient that contributes to its effectiveness, instead it is the condition of the skin and the nutrition of the patient. To use Sculptra effectively, many of us stress that the patient should optimize the condition of their skin with skin care products and laser, optimize their nutrition,  and tighten their skin with energy devices like Uthera, no matter what their age. 

While it is true that a collagen stimulating filler such as Sculptra or Bellafill, will not have the same stimulatory effect in someone over 65, as they would, say, in someone under 35, for example, that is largely because our inflammatory response and wound healing abilities tend to decline with age in everyone.  This does not mean that these collagen stimulatory fillers are completely without benefit for someone like yourself, particularly, if you are trying to avoid a surgical procedure that may involve medical considerations, more expense, logistical considerations, recovery time, etc.  It certainly is the case that an older patient's nutrition should be optimized before using Sculptra or Bellafill, to optimize the benefit that she may experience from this treatment.  These injectables also pair well with skin tightening and collagen stimulatory noninvasive treatments such as Ultherapy.

No. To me the most important issue is not age but rather the quality of skin and tone.  There are some older patients that have maintained excellent skin tone and respond nicely to Sculptra.  In face many 65 yo in my practice have had some form of a facelift in the past and sculptra does excellent in those patients.Hope this helps.  Good luck.

I don't think it's a waste of time.  Sculptra and bellafill is a good way to build up lost volume and improve collagen at any age. Combination treatments with fillers including lasers/skin tightening will achieve best results. Always see an expert in facial sculpting. Best, Dr. Emer

So I have used sculptra in the over 70s and it does very well. The down side is that it causes an inflammatory reaction and as such can make the patient look puffy for a while, especially in the cheek area. The upside is that it gives a gradual improvement and shows no lumps which works well in the older patient with thinner skin.Hope that helps. Adam Goodwin

Dear bennam68:  These procedures, as well as other biostimulatory procedures such as #Pellevé, #Ultherapy, #Fraxel, and #CoolTouch, may result in a quicker tightening of the skin in younger patients.  Having said that, I have seen very dramatic positive results in patients even in their 70's and 80's.  I now take a dietary history, and when appropriate, especially in older patients who may not absorb and process nutrients as efficiently, recommend some over-the-counter supplements including essential amino acids, magnesium, vitamin C, copper and zinc, which are the essential building blocks and cofactors for producing connective tissue proteins. Also, you may want additional treatment for optimal results.  All the best,   Dr. Clark

I do think these are a great option for this age group. Most people 65 or older need a lot of volume and it is cost prohibitive to use HA fillers. Sculptra is the best way to build up lost volume in this age group. It is about 4 syringes of HA per vial in comparison. However, other measures are needed as well to lift including RF (Infini). Also, fine tuning around the eyes and mouth area need an HA filler. That's the truth.

Sorry that you have spent a lot of money for nothing. There is surely value to fillers in nasolabial folds and cheeks. I do not think there is value to fillers for the treatment of jowls. Only a facelift can give effective long lasting results for jowls. The person needing to address this is you. There are huge adverting budgets in our society that effectively convince unfortunate people such as you that fillers can do things that they do not. Please tell your story loud and clear. There is no such thing as facelifts in a bottle or any other gizmo to compare with a well done facelift.

I totally disagree with what you were told.  Sculptra naturally builds your own collagen and is perfect in older patients where there is usually some skin laxity.  I combine this with Thermage for excellent results.  Please consult an expert.  Best, Dr. Green

I disagree with what the nurse injector told you. While fillers will not provide you with the results of a facelift, they can certainly be used to provide some lift in the midface region. Sculptra is great for candidates over 65 because it stimulates your own collagen production.