Please choose a selection for more information:

Select >>> Details Procedure Risks/Side Effects Recovery Results FAQ

Details: Sculptra^TM restores your youthful appearance with natural-looking and long-lasting results!

There are many options when it comes to reducing the visible signs of aging — but there is nothing quite like Sculptra^TM. Referred to by some physicians as a "Face lift in a bottle", Sculptra^TM represents a new and unique non-invasive option that helps facial skin naturally regain a more youthful and natural-looking appearance.

What is Sculptra^TM?
Derived from fruit acids, Sculptra^TM is a biocompatible and biodegradable injectable material known as poly-L-lactic acid that naturally stimulates the body to produce its own collagen.*

The result is a fuller, smoother, more youthful and natural-looking face with less pronounced lines, creases, wrinkles and folds. Unlike traditional treatments Sculptra^TM results can last up to 2 years!¹

* Demonstrated in animal model. 1 Vleggaar D. Facial Volumetric Correction with Injectable Poly-L-lactic acid. Dermatol Surg 2005;31:1511-18.

Procedure:

Pre-treatment
Before you are treated with Sculptra^TM, your physician will perform an assessment to see if you are a good candidate for this product and to determine the appropriate injection sites for results that best meet your expectations. No skin pre-testing is required.

Treatment
The number of treatment sessions you require will depend on various factors such as your age, how deep your wrinkles are and the areas you wish to treat. At your initial treatment, your physician will also determine with you, if and how many follow-up treatments may be required. Generally, Sculptra^TM is injected in 3 treatment sessions over a 2 to 3 month period (at 4 to 6 week intervals). During this time unwanted deep lines and wrinkles gradually diminish as the skin firms-up as a result of the production of your own collagen. Each treatment session will involve multiple small needle injections on each side of your face. Your physician may choose to use a local anaesthetic to reduce any discomfort associated with the injections. You may experience mild soreness and swelling in the treatment areas for a few hours up to a few days after treatment. Applying make-up is not contraindicated for most patients within a few hours of treatment.

Post-treatment
You should know that much of the initial injected volume will disappear after the first week as Sculptra^TM is absorbed and your swelling subsides. This can make your original skin depressions reappear, but the depressions should gradually improve within several weeks as the treatment effect of Sculptra^TM occurs. You will be told to thoroughly massage the treated areas for 5 minutes, 5 times daily, for 5 days after each treatment to allow for the even distribution of the product and to ensure natural-looking results. Because the production of new collagen formation is gradual, each treatment session will yield results that are more noticeable. Of course, individual results may vary, and you may need touch-up treatments to maintain best results.

Recovery: Any type of injection involves the risk of infection. When injections are performed by a trained physician, side effects are usually temporary and minimal, but can range from redness to slight bruising, bleeding, small bumps, tenderness, pain or swelling. These side effects generally last 1 to 15 days, on average.

Results:

Sculptra^TM offers the broadest range of treatment areas
Sculptra^TM offers the broadest range of treatment areas when compared to all other injectable treatments currently available in Canada. Sculptra^TM allows your trained physician to literally "sculpt" your face by restoring its natural contours and smoothing out wrinkles, creases and folds. Your physician and you will assess your needs and expectations, as well as explain the unique properties of Sculptra^TM. Sculptra^TM is indicated for increasing volume of depressed areas, particularly to correct skin depressions in the areas of the temples, eye rings, cheeks, nasiolabial folds, marionette lines and chin.

Side-Effects:

Any type of injection involves the risk of infection. When injections are performed by a trained physician, side effects are usually temporary and minimal, but can range from redness to slight bruising, bleeding, small bumps, tenderness, pain or swelling. These side effects generally last 1 to 15 days, on average. In addition, palpable but non-visible micro papules may develop under the skin of the treated area. These will occasionally disappear on their own. Visible bumps, sometimes with redness to the treated area, have also been reported.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What is Sculptra^TM?
Sculptra^TM is a new and unique non-invasive cosmetic dermatology option designed to restore volume of depressed areas such as skin creases, wrinkles and folds resulting from natural aging. It results in a fuller, more smoother natural-looking face with minimal touch-up treatments.

Sculptra^TM is a synthetic injectable material known as poly-L-lactic acid. This synthetic polymer is derived from the alpha-hydroxy family (fruits acids) and is biocompatible and biodegradable.

2. How does Sculptra^TM work?
Unlike other products that use fillers to temporarily correct skin imperfections, Sculptra^TM naturally stimulates the body to produce its own collagen, resulting in a more natural-looking, youthful appearance that can last up to 2 years.¹

Sculptra^TM is injected into the dermis of the skin in the area of fat and volume loss. Sculptra^TM helps lift, smooth and firm-up your skin gradually because it stimulates the production of your own collagen*. Visible results appear naturally and progressively after each treatment session. While Sculptra^TM will not correct the underlying cause of the facial fat loss, it will help improve the appearance by increasing skin firmness in the treated area.

3. Are the results of Sculptra^TM seen immediately?
No, Sculptra^TM works progressively by naturally stimulating the body to produce its own collagen*, thereby firming-up the skin and creating long-lasting results. An assessment must be made after 4 to 6 weeks to determine if more treatments are needed.

4. How many treatments are required?
Generally, 3 treatment sessions over a 2 to 3 month period may be necessary to obtain the desired results.

5. How long will the effects of Sculptra^TM last?
Treatment effects differ from person to person. In many cases, treatment results can last for up to 2 years. Touch-up treatments may be needed to maintain the desired effect.¹

6. Will my Sculptra^TM injections hurt?
When performed by a trained physician, Sculptra^TM injections should only cause slight discomfort. Though Sculptra^TM is injected into the skin, it is injected in tiny amounts using an ultra-fine needle. To optimize your comfort, your trained physician may choose a local anaesthetic in the treatment area prior to injecting.

7. How long will my treatment session take?
Each Sculptra^TM treatment session generally takes about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the number of areas treated and the effects you want to achieve.

8. Is Sculptra^TM a safe product?
Yes. Sculptra^TM is a safe, non-invasive procedure that has been used in the cosmetic dermatology field since 1999 in 30 countries. The product is highly biocompatible and biodegradable. Sculptra^TM is made from a material called poly-L-lactic acid, which has been widely used for over 30 years in dissolvable sutures, soft tissue implants and other types of implants.²

9. Have there been any side effects associated with the use of Sculptra^TM?
Any type of injection involves the risk of infection. When injections are performed by a trained physician, side effects are usually temporary and minimal, but can range from redness to slight bruising, bleeding, small bumps, tenderness, pain or swelling. These side effects generally last 1 to 15 days, on average. In addition, palpable but non-visible micro papules may develop under the skin of the treated area. These will occasionally disappear on their own. Visible bumps, sometimes with redness to the treated area, have also been reported.

10. What is the background of Dermik®?
Dermik is the dermatology division of sanofi-aventis Canada Inc. part of the sanofi-aventis Group, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies with over 55 years of experience in the development, marketing and distribution of prescription pharmaceutical products. Backed by a world-class research and development organization, sanofi-aventis is developing leading positions in 7 major therapeutic areas. Sanofi-Aventis Canada Inc. is headquartered in Laval, Quebec.

* Demonstrated in animal model. 1 Vleggaar D. Facial Volumetric Correction with Injectable Poly-L-lactic acid. Dermatol Surg 2005;31:1511-18. 2 Thioly-Bensoussan D. A