Sculptra

Sculptra® is an injectable product that restores and corrects the signs of facial fat loss that come with aging. This injectable poly-L-lactic acid is approved by U.S. FDA and used outside the United States since 1999 in over 150,000 patients. Because it's not made from human or animal sources, Sculptra does not require a skin test and is biocompatible (does not harm the body) and biodegradable (able to be broken down by the body). Made of the same material that has been widely used for many years in surgical products, the effects of Sculptra are not immediate, but instead provide a gradual increase in skin thickness. At the same time, the results of Sculptra are long lasting, shown in one clinical study to last for up to 2 years after the first treatment session. Simple touch-up treatments may be needed to maintain the desired effects.

Sculptra has also been approved by the FDA to be used in HIV patients suffering from facial lipoatrophy. With the recent surge in medical technology, patients are able to manage their HIV for years and feel perfectly healthy but with the antiretroviral medications they have to take to maintain their health causes lipoatrophy, a wasting of fat in the face that causes them to appear gaunt and ill.