Explaining Sculptra (#1 of 4)

Dr. Irwin
January 14, 2011
I get many questions about Sculptra, the relatively new filler. So here are the basics.

Sculptra is a filler that is very different from Juvederm or Restylane (HA or hyaluronic acid fillers). Juvederm and Restylane excel at filling lines and creases. So if you have a crease or line from your nose to your mouth or from your mouth to your chin, you can get an immediate improvement by injecting Juvederm or Restylane under it.

Sculptra, on the other hand, is an injectible made from lactic acid (like the lactic acid in your muscles), and the lactic acid is stuck together in chains. Sculptra excels at contouring larger areas by adding volume back to the temples, cheeks, and chin in particular. For those of us who are losing that soft pad of fat under the skin around our temples or cheekbone area, Sculptra gives us some volume and a softer, younger look there. Sculptra works very gradually over 3 months so you won’t see an immediate effect.

See Dr. Irwin’s Guide to Sculptra.
textmessage
Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

Ask me your skincare question!

Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

  • All our content is written and researched by myself.
  • My medical office in Seattle has treated thousands of patients for 15+ years.
  • This site is not affiliated or financially tied to any product, treatment or device.
Ask Me Something
SkinTour Skincare
One of the best investments in your skin is your daily skincare. Why? Because you can prevent many problems with blotchy skin color, lack of glow, texture, some types of acne, and fine lines with good skincare products. You can also correct some of these problems with effective skincare products. Great skincare is often more expensive because quality ingredients are expensive. Some companies spend on research/development which benefits all of us and adds to the cost. Are they worth it? In general - yes! I have handpicked some of what I consider to be the best skin care products, and offer them for sale on SkinTour's shop. This is based on my team and I's testing and research at our clinic. Many of the products are in my own regimen. What could be better than using skin care products a dermatologist uses?!
Browse Shop