Can Prednisone Affect Sculptra?

Sculptra helps your body produce collagen.  That is similar to the process of inflammation and for the several days you took the Prednisone, there may be less inflammation.  There may be less production of collagen by the fibroblast cells that make the collagen during this time, but the prednisone doesn't kill those cells, just inhibit them. Sculptra is a long term process and a week of reduction of its collagen stimulation, if that occurs from prednisone, should not prevent its ongoing effect.

While a prolonged course of prednisone immediately after Sculptra injection may potentially hamper optimal stimulation of collagen by Sculptra, it is unlikely that a low-dosed short course of prednisone 3 months after last Sculptra injection would have any significant impact. 

The short course of steroids that you have taken, well after the sculptra has done most of it's work, should not be any problem. This probably all represented changes in fluid retention during steroid use and loss of that after. 

By 3 months post your Sculptra treatment, you have had most of your collagen deposition completed from your treatment.  I would be more concerned if you had the prednisone within the first 4 weeks.   Also 5 days is a relatively short time, whereas a longer course might have more effect on collagen deposition.

Sculptra works by causing a immune reaction to the product.  This is the last thing you want a filler to do.In certain studies up to 50% of individuals injected developed lumps. So Prednisone stopped the Allergic reaction and also the affect of the agent.

 

Sculptra is not a filler but a stimulator of your own collagen which then acts to create volume in a gradual, progressive, and predictable manner. Little to no result is usually seen after the first treatment. The final result takes many months to appear.  A relative short five day course of low dose prednisone several months after your Sculptra treatment should have no effect on the outcome of your Sculptra treatment. I typically recommend a series of at least three Sculptra treatments four to six weeks apart to get the best results. Patients having one to two Sculptra treatment sessions rated their correction as good to excellent 48% of the time. After three treatment sessions this percentage rose to 50%. After four treatment sessions this percentage rose to 67%. After five treatment sessions this percentage rose to 75%. 

 

A five day treatment will not be likely to make a difference.

However, if you were really upset by the poison ivy and lost weight, that can effect your look.

Also, at three months you may be ready for your second session of Sculptra if that was planned.

Dr. Mayl

Fort Lauderdale

Low dose Prednisone would not have had a lasting effect on Sculptra.

Fluid retention is a well know side effect of Prednisone. What may have happened is that fluid might have settled into the area where the Sculptra was injected. As thge fluid resorbed, the appearance may have looked as your cheeks were deflating. I assure you, they were not. Behind the scenes the Sculptra crystals are busy forcing your  fibroblasts to make collagen.