Injectable "Sculptra"

I haven't tried it but I have read this:

"Sculptra

Sculptra is the first product approved by the FDA to treat the signs of facial lipoatrophy (facial fat loss). It is specifically approved for lipoatrophy associated with an antiviral drug for the treatment of HIV. Lipoatrophy, however, is a common part of aging. It is the facial hollowing that kicks in especially after childbirth or menopause in women and in maturing men that are not overweight. Sculptra is now used off-label for filling in age related lipoatrophy.

Sculptra is an injectable product that increases the skin thickness of the areas where volume (fat) has been lost, helping to restore fullness to the face for a more natural appearance. Sculptra is composed of poly-L-lactic acid, a synthetic product. Sculptra is not made from human or animal sources and does not require a skin test. Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) is biocompatible (does not harm the body) and biodegradable (able to be broken down by the body). PLLA has been widely used for many years in dissolvable sutures. The effect of Sculptra lasts 2 to 3 years in most patients.

The results from Sculptra are not immediate. It increases the skin thickness gradually, taking between 2 to 4 injections 5-6 weeks apart to be effective."

Having read this, I definitely plan to try sometime in the next couple of years (I don't think I need it quite yet )

Hi Envie,

It's great to hear of your positive experence with Sculptra . I'm looking to have this myself, can you tell me if you had any problems with the lumps that some people have mentioned, also who is your injector?

PM me if you don't want to post on here.

snuggle x

I have had two treatments of Sculptra and am experiencing horrendous problems. After the second treatment I was okay for a few days then, I developed complete facial swelling. My practitioner wasn't sure why I had this. I also had loads of lumps - both small, around pea size and large, around marble size. I have been taking the maximum dose of anti inflammatory meds as I was advised this was deep inflammation. Nearly three weeks later I am still swollen in the mornings and am finding new lumps on a daily basis - many noticeable!

I am devastated that I have spent a lot of money on this treatment and now wish I had never even heard of Sculptra. My practitioner has been very supportive. But, I feel as though my face changes daily. I am never sure what I am going to look like each day. And, I am worried how this will progress over the next weeks/months.

Just now I have considerable lumpiness. Some of it quite visible. Some of it quite sore. Some areas are itchy and discoloured. And, I am pumping max dose Ibuprogen into myself.

None of the pro-Sculptra sites warn of this but from searching the web, I am clearly not alone.

Please be very careful people. I feel I am paying the price for my vanity and I now wish I hadn't done this. I'd now love to have my slightly ageing face back instead of looking like a freak.

Think long and hard about how you would feel if it all went wrong!

I too have had Sculptra done once to my forehead and had bumps some small and four the size of marbles. Painful and embarrassing.

My doctor injected saline in the large bumps but did not help. A few weeks later he then injected cortezone (spelling) which did work accept it left me with facial scars.

My doctor told me that they are not scars but the injection took away the Sculptra that was in that area. I had a hard time believing that as it felt like skin touching bone and you could see a coupler veins pushing thorugh.

In any case, he injected more Sculptra in the area to plump it back up. This time I did not get bumps but broke out in a serious case of acne all over my forehead. This was way worse than the bumps but did go away after about two weeks.

The areas that needed to get plumped still look the same as they did before the injection. I have not been back to the doctor yet so not sure what the next plan will be.

If I could take it back, I would. I have some lines on my forehead which have smoothed out but now have two divet areas where you can see a couple veins pushing through.

If anyone is dealing with the same problem as I, I would love to hear whether there was a way to fix it.

Don't use something that could possibly cause lumps which may need to be surgically removed!
I had sculptra injected into my face...I did the standard 3 rows, with 2 vials per round not only did I pay an absurd amount, but saw no results nor did the Plastic Surgeon.
I wish that was just the extent of it, but exactly 15 mths. later I woke up to my horror to find two large granuales ( below my check and the size of marbles). Not long after I started getting more granuales....and it got to the point where I was afraid to look at my face in the morning. Nasty! The later granuales are only visible if I stretch my face, but I can feel them all over. I have not returned to my surgeon as I am on the other side of the country, but they are aware of the situation and refered me to someone in my city. I am waiting until I return home. I read that these granuales that occur down the road need to be surgically removed and that saline or cortisone at this point is useless. LOVELY! I am not happy and should of just stuck with restalyne.
I would not recomend it, just for the possibility of lumps and it suprises me that I even considered it for that reason alone.