BIOSTIMULATORS

SCULPTRA

Sculptra is a biostimulatory injectable made from poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) that works by stimulating your body’s own collagen production. Unlike hyaluronic acid filler, which provides volume through the product itself, Sculptra works gradually as your body produces new collagen in response to treatment.

I think of Sculptra as a long-term treatment rather than an instant correction. I use it when I want to address age-related volume loss, improve structural support, or build collagen more broadly without creating the immediate volume associated with traditional filler. I typically focus treatment on the more structural areas of the face, including the temples and preauricular area (the area in front of the ears). By improving support in these areas, we can often improve overall facial balance without directly treating every area where volume loss or aging is visible.

Treatment is usually performed as a series rather than a single session. The number of vials and sessions I recommend depends on your age, anatomy, degree of volume loss, previous treatments, and goals. Changes develop gradually over the following months, with results lasting up to approximately two years.

It’s important to remember that although the collagen produced in response to Sculptra can provide a long-lasting improvement, the face continues to age. For that reason, I prefer to reassess patients periodically and may recommend maintenance treatments over time rather than waiting for the entire result to diminish before treating again.

Sculptra is non-reversible. Unlike hyaluronic acid filler, it cannot be dissolved with hyaluronidase, which is why appropriate patient selection and a conservative treatment plan are especially important.

RADIESSE

Radiesse is made from calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA), and one of the reasons I like working with it is its versatility. How it behaves and why I use it depends largely on how the product is prepared.

When used in its more concentrated form, Radiesse can provide structural support while also stimulating collagen and elastin. When diluted or hyperdiluted, the emphasis shifts away from adding volume and toward biostimulation and improving skin quality, firmness, and elasticity. This makes it particularly useful for areas such as the face and neck when skin quality is the primary concern. Because of that versatility, I don’t think of Radiesse as simply another type of filler. The concentration and placement are chosen based on what the tissue needs and what we’re trying to accomplish.

Like Sculptra, Radiesse is non-reversible and cannot be dissolved with hyaluronidase. Results and maintenance vary depending on how the product is used, the treatment area, and the individual patient. Because collagen loss and aging continue over time, I reassess rather than follow the same maintenance schedule for everyone.