Is there a high risk of granuloma formation after Sculptura injections?

Thank for your question. There is a risk of granulomas forming when Sculptra is injected however it is not common. If by any chance granulomas form, another option would be to get a cortisone injection to dissolve them.  Hope this helps. All the best. 

In my opinion, there is not a high risk of granuloma or nodule formation after Sculptra injections.  Granulomas or nodules can occur with any injectable filler, but the FDA-approved products have a very low incidence of these side effects.  If nodules do occur after Sculptra, they frequently can be reversed with a medication injection.  Results from Sculptra are not permanent.  I have seen results last from 2-4 years.  

Sculptra should be always injected in deep subcutaneous planes and never superficially. If SMAS layer in a particular person is very thin and close to the surface of the skin it should never be injected. For butt injections, Sculptra is injected in the deep subcutaneous layer to avoid the formation of granulomas and visible irregularities.

Hi there,
Unfortunately, if it is not mixed properly or in advance, the risk of granuloma formation increases with the use of sculptra. The recommendation is that sculptra is massaged 5 x a day for 5 days for 5 minutes. If you follow these guidelines and pick an injector who knows how to properly use and place sculptra, the results are phenomenal! 
Julie, BSN, RN 

The problem with nodules was that some clinicians don't know how to reconstitute the product properly and well in advance on the procedure.  In addition, proper massage of the product must be done five times a day for five minutes for five days.  In this way, nodules do no form.  Please consult an expert in Sculptra injections.  The procedure needs to be redone once a month for three months or until correction and lasts about two years. Best, Dr. Green

Dear DNE,
Decades ago when Sculptra was used differently for facial filling, it was injected in larger quantities and higher concentrations. Less was known about the mechanism of volumizing and nodules developed.

Today, Sculptra is found to stimulate the healing process by prompting the fibroblast to form collagen, elastin and other structural molecules. The powder comes sterile and is reconstituted but remains a micro-suspension; ie., it does not fully dissolve. While the formation of spicules,  granules and nodules has significantly diminished in skillful hands, you will be taught to properly massage the tissue injection site to reduce this side-effect. Knowing the repair physiology of Sculptra interaction with the body’s tissues allows your injector to reduce or reverse this process should a small granule occur. If left to grow creating a deformity, it will require surgical removal.

Yes, it really works. It does take time as stimulation of the repair mechanism takes 6-12 weeks before you see improvements. More Sculptra sessions will maintain the stimulus. Non-surgical topical retinoids will help maintain the stimulus as well. My recommendations are to perform 2-3 facial sessions, 6 weeks apart and a yearly session to maintain or encourage more improvement. It will firm and tighten the skin up to a centimeter, and works well when staged with ThermiTight and Silhouette InstaLift or EuroThreads.  More than a cm. of skin laxity and you should consider a facelift.

Consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon knowledgeable and skilled in these advanced techniques.

Good luck with this terrific option.

In my opinion, no, there is not a high risk of granuloma or nodule formation as long as you are treated by an experienced injector who under the unique mechanisms by which Sculptra works and knows where to the place the Sculptra, how to dilute the Sculptra, and how long to hydrate the Sculptra.