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POSTED UNDER Sculptra REVIEWS

Sculptra Nightmare - Encino, CA

ORIGINAL POST

On day 13- I'm at loss for words. My right cheek...

Nastygal
$2,100
On day 13- I'm at loss for words. My right cheek bone is swollen & I look deformed! I don't look like myself. My cheekbones look like my cats. I've had edema non stop. I have app on Wednesday I just don't know what to do. I have been massaging constantly but just swell.
I've called doctor last week they said it's normal for up to 2 weeks!
I was told they where suppose to massage me after injection NOBODY MASSAGED ME-
I massaged myself. People n comments say they where back to normal on third day.. I've been swollen non stop and everyone noticed it.
Had I known this substance is like silicone and may never go away in my face I WOULD HAVE NEVER DONE IT.
How did FDA approve this.
I suppose to go back for more sculptra second treatment but I will never ever put this garbage in my face. Who knows what the future holds. I was already beautiful... I've ruined myself n my life
DONT DO IT- do a different filler
God help me

Nastygal's provider

Alex Khadavi, MD

Alex Khadavi, MD

Dermatologist

Nastygal rating for Dr. Khadavi:

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Replies (21)

March 21, 2014
I'm sorry you are going through this.  How was you appointment on Wednesday?
March 21, 2014
He gave me kenalog apparently the juvederm under my eyes he injected was beyond too much. Swelling when down but as far as my cheeks n sculptra they still stick out .. He says to wait and at next appointment want me to get more sculptra at jaw line! My answer was HELLL NOO TO SYNTHETICS!!! Never again!!!
March 24, 2014
Oh no I'm sorry. 
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March 28, 2014
Will this knot by my eye ever go away. I look like Frankenstein!!!!!!!!!!
March 28, 2014
Damn. Ask the doctor to put a steroid, maybe it'll go away or go down. Apparently we're in on this crap for 2-5 even 10 yrs!! Big mistake!!!! On our end
July 19, 2014
Not unless someone cuts it out.
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February 6, 2015
Oh my gosh, what did he want to do match your face to your bumps??? I would have said, Hellll No too.
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February 6, 2015
not all doctors are experienced injectors. just because they do it doesn't mean they are good. i use a nurse practitioner who specializes in dermatology. she also teaches how to use fillers. do your homework.
October 11, 2015
have you gotten better? how much sculptra did you have?
October 11, 2015
btw i am majorly disfigured from just a half vial
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October 11, 2015
I had one vial 2/20/08. The worst day of my life. The first 3 years were the worst. I had a horrible extreme inflammatory response. That was very disfiguring and painful. Horribly painful. That lead to a massive infection that got into my eye socket bone and I got sepsis requiring hospitalization and surgical debridement. Now autoimmunity post sepsis and chronic illness and disfigurement not as bad. Had an ophthalmic plastic surgeon do his best but you can not remove sculptra like you can silicone. I still get flares and it was still there refractive particles with immune cells around them "foreign body response" at 3 years. The manufacturer claims to not know if it ever fully degrades. I have been told it probably does not. You can email me
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December 29, 2014
This is the EXACT same thing that happened to me. I STILL have the bump and its been 18 months ago!!! I had collagen injections at one point and it went down for a few months, but it is now back.
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February 2, 2015
I would really like to know who came up with the "Just massage the bump, nodule, inperfection of whatever it might be"!!! I feel like that's just to get you off the phone or out of they're office. Massaging the bump on my temple if anything has made it bigger. I feel like the sculptra in my face has made it FAT. I never had a fat face before and I am really depressed now. I spent so much money. I'm having Botox around my eyes on a regular basis, but other than that I don't trust anyone to do anything else.
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February 2, 2015
I don't even know what it is to cut out!!! It feels like a bone. When the steroid was injected it actually made a dent!!! So yes it worked a little too good, but now it's back in full swing if not bigger than before. I am tired of driving an hour and a half in L.A. traffic to get one damn injection and I'm mostly tired of paying and wondering if it's going to work. The money is just too much. I didn't realize that I was going to be going back over and over to fix my face and that they were going to want me to pay.
October 16, 2015
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October 16, 2015
DermRx you have no idea. Because your body tolerates it goody goody. For MANY of us it sparks an intense inflammatory response not easily controlled. That is a FACT. And also the reason the FDA has added a black box warning. It is not like silicone is true because microscopic particles whose sole mode of action is to initiate an immune response are more impossible to remove than is space occupying silicone. Those PLLA particles can only be removed once large enough granulomas form around them that the granuloma with the particle at the center can be cut out. For many of us, the inflammatory response to the remaining irritating particles continues for many years. The particles persist far longer (many years) than any cosmetic result. So DermRx go back to school. I have a MS in chemistry and have been forced to learn about sculptra because my body has an intense inflammatory response to it. I know more about it than most doctors pushing it as "very safe". It relies on the foreign body immune response to form scar tissue to the irritant foreign PLLA particles. Scar formation varies greatly from individual to individual. So you stop it with the she thinks she knows it all because she named herself DermRx and likely pushes this crap.
UPDATED FROM Nastygal
16 days post

Sculptra swelling less after 17 days

Nastygal
My cheek has a bump or corner like- looks like [RS bleep]

Replies (24)

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February 6, 2015
i had sculpra done in 2011. i had to massage my face 5 times a day for 5 days. it was sore the first few days. when i went back for my next treatment i was told i would only need 3 instead of 5 because my results were good. after 3 i was told if i did it once a year i would only have to do 1. due to circumstances i won't get into i didn't go back. in may of 2014 i had several fillers put in my face, restalyne, radiesse. i had a little bruising in 2 areas above my lips which went away within 5 days. i like these fillers better. i don't like the massaging after sculptra.
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February 6, 2015
I had restylane in my lips and it caused bumps (still have one bump after 18 months) and my lips didn't stay plump at all. It went right down. The radiesse I would like to try. Do you know how long it lasts and how much it is.
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February 6, 2015
i wouldn't put radiesse in my lips. if you don't like restylane and the other HA's they can be removed. radiesse can not. you have to wait for it to wear off. and never use ArteFill. it's permanent. i had radiesse done on my hands 2 weeks ago to hide the veins that were showing. my injector uses different fillers for different areas.
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February 6, 2015
Im never putting anything in my lips again. After trying twice both times bad results. Would you mind if I asked how much the radiesse on your hands was?? I'm thinking of having my hands done. The veins are large and totally give away my age.
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February 6, 2015
i'm 73 so it took a lot of filler, but there were some discounts. came to about $1500.
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February 6, 2015
Yikes. Do you know how long it's supposed to last?? Also was it very painful?
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February 6, 2015
she put a numbing cream on first so it wasn't really painful. was sore for a few days and i still have some slight bruising. she told me that could happen because of my age. radiesse is supposed to build collagen so i don't really know. it takes a lot of filler to hide veins and there still not completely hidden but much better. when i left she had ice on my hands over gauze and wrapped them. i said "how am i going to be able to drive", but i was okay. i guess you know before you have fillers you have to stop fish oil, vitamin E, acetamenophen and take lots of arnica starting a week before and keep taking it after the procedures. there's also a vitamin K with arnica cream to put on the areas to help with healing and bruising.
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February 6, 2015
Thank you so much. I'm going for Botox on the 10'th I will ask her. I was thinking about doing laser on my hands and neck and chest. I'll see what she thinks is best. And if I do get the laser on my hands I'll send you a before and after. Mine can get really bad especially when it's warmer weather.
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February 6, 2015
Mine does too and it changes the whole look of my face. I HATE IT!!!!!!!!
February 8, 2015
I'm scared because I have too much collagen from sculptra and I was told it may be permanent .why oh why did I choose this .
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February 8, 2015
It's not permanent.
February 8, 2015
Unfortunately the collagen that is produced is permanant.
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February 8, 2015
How long your own collagen will last is dependent on your specific profile. If you continue to damage your skin with poor diet, sun bathing, and stress, the collagen will break down and degenerate at a more advanced rate than someone who adheres to a more skin-healthy lifestyle. This is not to say that if you are displeased with Sculptra you should damage your skin. It is just a reminder that collagen synthesis and degradation is a byproduct of your own genetics and environment.
February 9, 2015
Linda, you are still early in your post treatment. It does start to get better at about 2 years but very slowly. I am only a few weeks away from year 3 and have noticed significant improvement in the volume. On the other hand, I question whether it will all go away. There is a percentage that I believe is collagen or scar tissue that will stay permanant or for a very long time. It does alter the original face shape because your original collagen and the Sculptra collagen break down at the same rate so you will still keep the facial shape at a much lower volume. At least that's what I have seen thus far. I am still hoping for further improvement but only time will tell.
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February 9, 2015
Searching4~~Thank you sooooo much for your reply to my post!!! I don't like the shape of my face. It seems to be on the round side. But, I think that's from the sculptra. Is your face rounder than it was?? I'm having botox around my eyes tomorrow (eyelift). I do this about every 4 or 5 mon.. And it seems to lift my face up some. I like the results and I use my points so it's only about 300.00. I can afford that, it's the thousands I can't keep dolling out. But, as far as the sculptra I can't believe it lasts so long. I had no idea. I laugh to myself when I remember the doctor saying the down time would be 6 weeks and than I would know what I was going to have!!! LOL
February 9, 2015
Yes, unfortunately my face is a lot fuller than it originally was. Although, I am looking much more normal than when I was at my fullest, I still hate it. My doctor injected me much larger on the left side and it has not been uniform since. The volume has been going down but it is still obivious that the symmetry between the right and left is very off. I will never get any more injections as I feel I am lucky to come through this far. I am hoping because more was injected on the left iside it will just take longer to break down and eventually even out. These doctors are so eager to take people's money and they are full of false information. Some people here have said Sculptra shows up in biopsy at 3 years. I found a government study done on PLLA used as screws for knee repairs and the Sculptra took over 5 years to completely dissolve.
February 9, 2015
Here is a scientific study that gives some facts on degradation of this Sculptra crap: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15532997.
February 9, 2015
Over 5 years till it's all gone. That's not what my ps said. Someone is too busy injecting poison and not doing his homework. Arrgh!
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February 9, 2015
Wow five years. That could be good or bad.
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February 9, 2015
That was the case for me too and I went back and he put more sculptra in my right side which had less. It made it look even and so that is good. I understand you not wanting to go back to even it out.
February 14, 2015
using a dermaroller broke up a chin nodule, just thought I'd share this. but check with a doctor before doing this .
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February 14, 2015
Oh Wow, how long did it take?? My whole face is kind of awkward.
February 15, 2015
it took a few days but It was really bothering. it was painful to do and I used a topical numbing agent. please check with a doctor before attempting this.
April 28, 2016
I was thinking about a derma roller. So it worked for you ?
UPDATED FROM Nastygal
19 days post

Slow progress

Nastygal
Well almost 3 weeks in. Swelling has gone down but I'm not Impressed. My cheekbones are still sticking out and I literally feel sum mass on them. I keep massaging don't know what the F TO expect... Dr. App on Wednesday last week shot left my right tear through with a Deflated dent. I just can't f******g win!!

Replies (55)

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March 28, 2014
I am at 9 months the grotesque knot from sculptra on my right cheeck bone is going strong. Im going in Sat. Plus, my left side is perfect and my right side is hollow. And.........My face is fatter. I do not like that.
March 28, 2014
Linda, your face sounds like me. The lump on my right side got shot with kenalog steroid - I see a little going down on day 2- my doc just keeps brushing it off like oh this is coming along good.. I'm like wtf!!!! My right side seems fuller. He wanted to do more next week as I paid for 2 vials from get go and I said HELL NO!! So juvederm it will be to even the whole face! Sculptra is HELL!!! Good luck this weekend
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April 16, 2014
Hey, are they brothers??? My doctor keeps saying, "Now Linda, everyone is not perfect"!!!!!!! Are you kidding me???? Thats not what I heard 7500 dollars ago. And that doesnt count all the touch ups!!! You should of seen what the Restalyne did to my lips. I had a large lump on my bottom lip that to this day is still visible. My lips went down right away except of course the lump.
May 8, 2014
I said the same thing..i wanted the sulptra so bad but then my face looked fat! ugh! great now my face matches my body and I look like a butter ball.hahaha I just wanted my pock marks to fill in a little but no they are still goin strong.. yuk
May 8, 2014
wth is up with doctors with their lame ass excuses..you effed up.admit it! I got a boob job and one is bigger than the other...you know what they told me? most women have one bigger than the other....I said I bet not the women that paid 8 grand for them~!!!! BS!
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May 25, 2014
Well, my steroid shots in my Frankenstein lump did help 50 %. But, no my face is not the same on both sides. I still do have the bump. Its not as noticeable. But, it is still there. And as far as the Juvederm. I had that in my lips twice and it didnt stick. It worked for about 3 weeks and just disolved. But, then again the doctor injected me with more sculptra in my right cheek thinking that would mask the bump, but it never did and my right side is still flatter than my left.
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May 25, 2014
HaHaHa, Ya Know there is nothing funny about this. But, if I didnt have this forum to vent too, I dont know what I would do. I really went in with high hopes. So much for that. I guess with all the money the movie stars have, thats why most of them look good. They probably go every frickin week and keep paying and paying until they are perfect. Sorry, I am a blue collar worker (someone has to be) and I cannot afford to keep going back because the doctor said it was going to look this way and it didnt.
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May 25, 2014
Ha!!! They arent going to admit it. They dont want to get sued or worse yet give money back. That's not they're business. And yes, it is BS!!!!!!!!! I guarantee they are very wealthy while we are sitting here on our laptops crying over screwed up faces!!!!!!!!!
July 19, 2014
They are the used car salesmen of the medical profession. Sculptra is human experimentation.
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July 19, 2014
Yep that's me. I still have a fatter face. Im in shape, not overweight at all and have a round face. I do not like it!!!!
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July 19, 2014
Its all about money. And when you go in they are all like, "Oh you look so good". But, then when you go home your family sais, "Noo, you don't look good, your face is lopsided, you have a lump on your temple, your face is round, etc, etc..... These injections are so expensive. This is no Joke.
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September 21, 2014
How did the Juvederm work?? I am at 14 months now and my face is evened out. The cortisone shot did take away the lump on my temple. But, I tell ya, this stuff is maintenance. Don't think your going to go in and this is just going to be it. Ive had to have Botox around my eyes every 4 months and I also had Juvederm put in my Jowls last Jan. but that is starting to wear off now. Also, under my chin the skin is still lose. And I dont have more money for Botox. That is what they said I needed. I thought the neck lift would have fixed that.
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September 21, 2014
EXACTLY!!!!!!!!! So are you saying you did this on purpose!!!! What a stupid excuse!!!! My doctor did use that on me too though. When my face wasnt even for a whole frickin year he would always say, "Well, look at mine, it's not even"!!!!!!!!! What!!!!!!!!! LOL I tell ya. I wish I was rich so I could have everything done the way I want it. But, as you can see it goes on and on and on. You have to keep going back to have this and that fixed, evened out, etc.... If you arent rich forget it!!!
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April 16, 2014
Frankenstein. I have said that over and over. I had a neck lift, laser and sculptra and botox. The sculptra has made my face look fat. I had to go back to him at 9 months, last week and have more put in my right cheek because its been hollow from day 1 and never matched. AND............ THE WONDERFUL BUMP ON MY TEMPlE. It is HUGE. I look just like Frankenstein. Oh but the doctor sais it will go away??? Really when???? In ten f ing years???? Ive already waited 9 months. Im tired of going back to him and paying more money. This is exhausting. I dont even look like me. People look at me weird. I am so depressed I dont even know what to do. I owe him 500.00 and I dont want to pay him now.
October 15, 2014
I feel your pain. This stuff is horrible
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April 16, 2014
Lovely. Maybe I can super glue my hair to it!!!!!!!
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April 16, 2014
The knot you posted with your picture is EXACTLY what I have!!! My doctor never said anything about Steroids. His injector of 10 years just left and he gave him a crash course on injections as he wasnt doing them before. LOL This would all be hysterical if it were not really happening!!! To Real People who obviously were vain to begin with!!!!!!!!!!
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April 16, 2014
By the way, this picture is my left side my lump is on the right