Can sculptra affect a future facelift?

Question

Hello, I have heard both that sculptra can cause delayed healing/complications in future facelifts. Is this true? I'd like to hear from a surgeon rather than Google.

Stephen Prendiville, MD · Answer

Will Sculptra affect a  future facelift?  Yes, to some degree it can complicate the surgical dissection but it is generally injected in a relatively deep plane.  Will it cause delayed healing? Absolutely not in my experience.  I commonly inject Sculptra at the time of a facelift in patients who require additional volume.  Watch out for half-truths and over simplifications in your research.

Guray Yesiladali, MD, FEBOPRAS · Answer

Hello, I’ve reviewed your question carefully.
Sculptra does not interfere with wound healing or increase surgical risk in future facelifts when it has been injected properly and enough time has passed. The product stimulates collagen production and gradually integrates into your own tissue, which is why its effects can last beyond the active filler period.
What sometimes causes concern is that the treated areas may develop mild fibrosis or firmness, making dissection during facelift surgery slightly more delicate for the surgeon. This is a technical consideration rather than a healing problem.
In practice, most surgeons prefer to wait 12 to 18 months after Sculptra injections before performing a facelift to allow the tissue to stabilize. Beyond that, it rarely poses any issue.
I hope this helps you understand that previous Sculptra use does not prevent a successful facelift, provided timing and surgical planning are appropriate.Güray Yeşiladalı, MD

Mike Majmundar, MD · Answer

This is a great question and one that is commonly asked at consultation. The short answer is no.  Sculptra is collagen producing and is injected in the subcutaneous layer.  The preferred face lifting technique is deep plane face lifting.  In the deep plane, the surgeon is deep to the subcutaneous layer so the presence of Sculptra is not an issue.  I will say that it does make the small amount of skin lifting involved during a facelift more difficult for the surgeon so avoiding Sculptra for a year or 2 prior to your facelift can be beneficial but not absolutely necessary.  I will say that avoiding skin tightening procedures in the neck can be beneficial in case a deep plane neck lift is needed in the future but Sculptra is not commonly used in the neck.

Nicholas S. Karter, MD · Answer

That’s a very reasonable question. In most cases, Sculptra does not prevent someone from having a successful facelift in the future. Sometimes the surgical planes can be completely clean with no signs that anything was ever done and sometimes there can be significant scar tissue. It is very difficult to determine prior to surgery. Sculptra works by stimulating your body's own collagen production, and that collagen becomes part of your natural tissue over time. For most patients, this does not interfere with surgery or healing. 
However, if large amounts were injected or areas of firmness or nodules developed, a surgeon may encounter slightly thicker or more fibrous tissue during the procedure. An experienced, board-certified facial plastic surgeon can account for these variables, and facelift outcomes are typically very good.

Albert Yang, MD · Answer

It won't delay healing. But sculptra will make the surgery a little bit more difficult because we will have scar tissue to cut through. The reason why it "tightens" the face is by producing collagen , which are scars.

Alejandro Nogueira, MD · Answer

Those fillers are not anything advisable on the face, firstly because of the blindness risk due to embolization to the retinal artery, do research about this dramatic and not rare risk of fillers.

Secondly, they frequently lead to granulomas (visible lumps), migration, deformities, etc.

Finally, they do not provide the purpoted effects they are sold about.

It depends how deep the filler is injected, it might cause fibrosis making dissection more delicate and difficult for the surgeon, but not impossible, I have met myself this situation in some of my facelifts and all was executed as planned, not easily though.

Can sculptra affect a future facelift?

Answers (6)

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