Radiesse and Sculptra are injectables used to fight wrinkles and sagging skin by stimulating the skin’s collagen production to help restore the plumpness of healthy skin. It is an alternative anti-aging treatment to injectable dermal fillers, skin creams, fat injections and implants. Collagen is an important structural protein found in connective tissue. Its function is to keep the skin firm, youthful and smooth. As you age, your body’s collagen production decreases, and you may begin to see wrinkles or sagging. Fat loss beneath the skin also results in drooping skin, hollowed cheeks, indentations and depressions in the face. The ingredients in Radiesse and Sculptra are nontoxic, nonallergenic, and compatible with your body’s natural tissues.

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How It Works

As Radiesse or Sculptra stimulate your skin to regrow its own natural collagen over time, it helps to correct shallow to deep facial wrinkles and folds resulting in a firmer, younger looking skin.

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Most dermal fillers are made with a naturally occurring substance called hyaluronic acid (HA). Radiesse is made with calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA), which is stiffer than HA gel fillers and therefore provides good support in areas such as the cheeks, nasolabial folds, chin, and jaw line.  Radiesse is an injectable filler used to plump wrinkled or folded areas of the skin, most often on the face. As it works, Radiesse stimulates the naturally-occurring collagen beneath your skin. It works immediately, can last for up to two years, and is a highly sought-after choice for dermal filling.  This product is also commonly used to fill in and plump wrinkled areas in their hands. Injections are administered under the skin with a tiny needle.  Ideal candidates for Radiesse treatments are adults between the ages of 35 and 60 who have developed folds and wrinkles around their mouth and nose. Radiesse results are visible immediately.  Full results will appear within a week of treatment.  Some individuals enjoy long-term results for up to two years before repeat procedures are required.

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Sculptra® is composed of poly-L-lactic acid, a molecule which is biodegradable, so it does not harm the body and is easily broken down and absorbed. We use a very effective topical numbing agent to numb the skin prior to the injections. The Sculptra® powder is also reconstituted with water and lidocaine, so you will feel more numb as the injections are being done. Most people are surprised at how comfortable the treatments are. On average, a minimum of three treatment sessions are needed over a period of several months. The number of injection sessions and the length of time between sessions vary from person to person. Older patients, thinner patients, and patients who exercise extensively may require more product or more treatment sessions.

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It is important that you understand that Sculptra® is simply a collagen stimulator. The Sculptra® itself is NOT providing the filling action; the Sculptra® causes a reaction in the skin, which forms new collagen. The Sculptra® itself is absorbed by the tissue and is gone about 2 years after a treatment, but the new collagen layer which is left behind may last 2 or more years. Sculptra® requires a SERIES of treatments to achieve adequate filling for most skin defects.

 

Your Procedure

You should avoid taking the following medications for at least 7 days prior to your injections to minimize bruising:

• Any type of anti-inflammatory medication – including Aspirin, Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Aleve, etc.

• Any type of Omega-3 supplements such as fish oil, flax seed oil, etc.

• Vit E.

You can also take Arnica to help prevent bruising. There is an oral pill and a topical gel or cream form – we recommend you use both. Start the pills (one tablet 3 times a day, dissolved in your mouth rather than swallowed whole) 3-7 days before your treatment and continue the pills and add the gel afterward until any bruising is gone. This will cut the healing time significantly. You can purchase these products over the counter at most local drug stores. We recommend that you ice the treatment area off and on for at least the first 24-48 hours.

Most IMPORTANT: Sculptra Rule of 5’s: Massage the areas injected for 5 minutes, 5 times daily, for 5 days. This is critical to prevent the formation of nodules – we want to keep the Sculptra particles dispersed in the tissue rather than allowing too much collagen to form in one spot.  (Note - Post-procedure massage is not required for injectable Radiesse)

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