It is completely natural that your appearance changes over time. However, just because it is natural does not mean that you have to accept the changes. Fortunately, there are several effective anti-aging treatments designed to restore the appearance you enjoyed in your youth. Today, our aesthetic experts at Peachtree Dermatology in Atlanta, GA are looking at Sculptra injections, an FDA-approved injectable dermal filler that is right for most people with volume loss.
What Is the Best Age for Sculptra Injections?
Most people who receive Sculptra injections are in their 30s at least. This is because the skin starts to produce collagen at a reduced rate starting at the age of 25. By the time people reach the age of 30, they are starting to notice the effects of their volume loss.
However, genetics, severe illness, tobacco consumption, and sun damage can cause extreme early onset volume loss. Therefore, the best age to get these injections is when you are at least 18 and are concerned about the appearance of extreme volume loss.
Am I a Good Candidate for Sculptra Injections?
Are you displeased by your appearance? Do you have hollow temples or cheeks? Do you feel like your cheekbones or jawline are less contoured than you would prefer? Whether you were born with a jawline or cheekbones that weren’t very defined or the problem has developed recently, you don’t have to live with your current appearance. You can improve your contours and volumize your face with Sculptra injections.
This incredibly safe, effective PLLA-based injectable can be used to volumize virtually any region lacking collagen or fat, like the cheeks, chin, temples, and chest. However, it is not recommended for lip augmentation or improving the appearance of the upper eyelids. If you think you could benefit from this volumizing injectable, keep reading to learn about signs that you may be a good candidate.
You Don’t Like the Appearance of Your Temples
Remember, as you age, your skin produces less and less collagen. Sometimes, this becomes obvious in the temples, resulting in an older, gaunter appearance. If you don’t like the way your temples look, this injectable can quickly and effectively increase the fullness of your temples by roughly 40%. After just a few quick injection sessions, you will find that you look younger and healthier than you have in years.
You Don’t Like the Appearance of Your Cheeks
If you don’t like the appearance of your cheeks, you’re not alone. The cheeks are among the first places to lose volume as we age. Unfortunately, this can make you look severely ill or older than you are. Fortunately, this PLLA-based dermal filler was designed to restore volume to the cheek area. Therefore, you can expect this treatment to restore volume to your cheeks, recontour your cheekbones, and lift loose, sagging cheek skin.
You Don’t Like Your Jowls
Jowls are one of the most frustrating signs of facial aging because they are so hard to treat. However, when you restore volume to your cheeks and lift your sagging cheek skin, you will find your jowls fading away until they disappear. You will be able to enjoy a younger, healthier appearance without undergoing an invasive procedure.
You Don’t Like Your Marionette Lines
Do you have wrinkles around your mouth’s corners that look like the lines on a marionette puppet? If so, you may be an ideal candidate for this volumizing injectable. Sometimes, these wrinkles are caused by overactive mouth muscles. However, they can also be caused by extreme volume loss. Fortunately, this injectable anti-aging treatment is great at encouraging the skin to produce lots of volumizing collagen. It can easily treat the deepest mouth lines.
You Don’t Like Your Nasolabial Folds
Do you have nasolabial folds running between your nose and mouth that are making you feel self-conscious? If so, this PLLA-based injectable may be perfect for you. With that being said, you still need to come in for an initial consultation to determine whether you are a good candidate. This is because nasolabial folds are sometimes caused by overactive muscles, and this injectable can’t relax overactive muscles.
Everything Else You Need To Know About This Injectable
Originally, this injectable was designed to restore volume to the cheeks of individuals who had lost a lot of weight due to HIV. Nevertheless, researchers quickly realized that this collagen-inducing injectable could provide far more benefits than helping people look healthier. They discovered that this injectable could also be used to reverse the signs of aging.
What Causes Volume Loss and Wrinkles?
To understand what this injectable can do for you, you first need to understand why wrinkles occur. Your skin is made up of fibers and proteins, like elastin and collagen, that act as scaffolding to support your skin. Also, elastin is crucial for skin elasticity, or your skin’s ability to “snap back” when you are done emoting or you pull your skin and then release it.
When your skin produces less elastin than it uses, your skin can’t snap back once you have finished emoting. When your skin can no longer replenish the collagen it uses, wrinkles occur because there is no longer enough volume in the area to make the skin look plump and healthy.
How Should I Prepare for My Treatment?
One of the most exciting benefits of this highly effective injectable is that you don’t need to do too much to prepare for your treatment. However, you will need to stop taking blood-thinning pharmaceuticals for seven days in advance of your scheduled appointment. For example, you should not take fish oil supplements, garlic supplements, vitamin E supplements, or ibuprofen. Also, you should avoid consuming alcohol or tobacco for 24 hours pre-treatment.
What Can I Expect During My Treatment Session?
Before your injections are administered, we will clean the areas targeted for treatment very carefully. It is advisable to come in without any cosmetics applied to the treatment areas because they will be removed before the injections are administered. Once the treatment areas are prepared, we will administer the PLLA-based injectable. Typically, one vial is required per treatment area per decade of your age. Sessions usually take 30 minutes.
What Can I Expect Once My Session Is Over?
Numerous anti-aging methods require extensive recovery periods. For instance, invasive procedures require six weeks of healing and result in discomfort that requires opioids to ease. However, not everyone has a lifestyle conducive to taking almost two months off from vigorous exercise. Once your injection session is complete, you will be free to return to whatever responsibilities you have for the day.
However, you should keep in mind that you need to protect your skin from sun damage for 72 hours following your injections. Additionally, you need to avoid vigorous exercise and other activities that may make you sweat for 72 hours. Finally, you should sleep on your back for the first three nights following your injections and elevate the injection sites above your heart. Other than that, there are no restrictions on your usual routine.
What Are the Benefits of This Treatment?
We’ve already touched on some of the benefits of this treatment, such as the minimal preparation required and non-invasive cheek augmentation. However, by no means have we provided a comprehensive summary of this treatment’s benefits. Here are a couple of other benefits of this treatment.
Your Results Will Look Natural
Sometimes, anti-aging treatments make it obvious that you’ve had work done. Fortunately, when you get PLLA-based injections, your results will look completely natural. The improvement in your appearance will occur gradually, and your results will look perfectly natural because they are due to the natural collagen that your skin produces.
Your Results Will Be Long-Lasting
There is no way to reverse the hands of time forever. However, this injectable provides results that last for much longer than other anti-aging treatments. Specifically, you can expect the results of your PLLA injections to last for five years.
Find Out Today Whether You Qualify for This Treatment
While most people who receive this treatment are in their 30s or older, the best age to get Sculptra injections is when you are at least 18 years of age and concerned about the appearance of moderate or severe volume loss. To find out if this treatment is right for you, contact us today at Peachtree Dermatology in Atlanta, GA. We look forward to meeting you and helping you reverse years of aging for several years to come.
