Does Smoking Delay Results for Sculptra?

Anecdotally, smoking has been found to decrease the effectiveness of Sculptra.  You can still get an effect, you just may need more injections.

Thank you for your question. The nicotine in cigarettes is a vasoconstrictor, and will diminish blood flow, and introduces many free radicals into your body.  The infection rate is also higher while you are smoking.  For our surgeries, smoking must be stopped for 2 weeks prior or we will not treat.  Of your question regarding delay, I would answer possibly, but not 100% .  Smoking will not assist, and may hurt your outcome. I hope this helps!

There is no question that smoking has deleterious effects on the skin and that it contributes to the wrinkling process. Smoking increases enzymes in your body tissues that break down collagen, which is one of the proteins that Sculptra tries to increase. Therefore,  smoking will theoretically compromise your results from any collagen-stimulating treatment (i.e. Sculptra), although you should still see some results. I don't think smoking delays results; instead, I think it decreases results. That being said, a study needs to be performed to confirm or refute that statement.
 

While this probably has not been officially studied, it is reasonable to expect that the tissue growth stimulation effects of Sculptra are  less if you constrict the blood vessels of the face with the drug that is in tobacco, nicotine.  It doesn't mean you won't get an effect though.

If you really want to improve your appearance in the long term, consider a smoking cessation program. Many good methods are available to help you through the process. Remember that tobacco ruins the blood supply to the skin and causes early wrinkles and problems with skin texture resulting in premature aging.  Maintaining your looks is a great excuse to stop smoking.  Contact your primary care doctor of you want assistance.

Sculptra stimulates the production of new collagen in the skin.  Smoking breaks down collagen so you will not have the full benefit of your Sculptra treatment.  Another consideration - depending on where your Sculptra is placed, you may develop uneven collagen production around your smoker's lines.

Smoking decreases blood supply to the face by up to 60 percent. So all the inflammatory response which creates the collagen is muted because it has trouble getting to the Sculptra via the bloodstream. This isn't proven to my knowledge but most likely true.