Sculptra® is injected directly below the skin on your face with a blunt needle also known as a cannula or with a sharp needle. It has both an immediate and a delayed effect. It immediately restores the normal appearance of the face by restoring volume. This is followed by a period, usually between one to six weeks, where there will be some loss of the initial treatment volume. Do not worry, your collagen production will increase over time and your face wrinkles both deep and superficial decrease. This usually takes place between 5-6 weeks after each treatment and can continue for up to nine months.

• You may experience swelling, discomfort, bruising or redness around the injection site. These usually disappear within 2-6 days.
• Occasionally SMALL LUMPS (8-10%) under the skin may appear and spontaneously disappear. If they do not spontaneously disappear they may need to be massaged or injected with steroids.
• Allergic reactions are rare but can happen which can lead to prolonged redness, itching, swelling or hardening around the injection site. Please tell the person treating you if you have any allergies.
• As with any injection there is a risk of infection.
• As with all skin injections when injecting certain areas of the face there is a rare (less than one in 100) risk of blindness or damage to sight. This risk will be thoroughly discussed with you by the person treating you.
• If you are taking antiplatelet medicines (such as aspirin, clopidogrel, prasugrel or ticagrelor) or any anticoagulant medicines (such as warfarin, acenocoumarol, phenindione, rivaroxaban, dabigatran, apixaban or edoxaban) please tell the person treating you as there is an increased risk of bleeding at the injection site.
• Whilst you are in the treatment phase you should avoid the use of any vitamin A creams or gels on your skin (e.g Retin A, retinoids or retinol) to reduce the risk of sensitivity.
• The safety of Sculptra® for use when pregnant or breastfeeding, or in patients aged under 18, has not been established. If you think you may be pregnant or you are breastfeeding, please tell the person who is treating you.

Always tell the person treating you if you have any of the side effects listed. If these side effects are severe, do not wait, contact your GP or attend an Emergency Department immediately. Please contact a doctor if you have pain, redness or a fever that does not respond to paracetamol.

We want to involve you in decisions about your care and treatment. If you decide to go ahead, you will be asked to sign a consent form. This states that you agree to have the treatment and you understand what it involves.

If you would like more information about our consent process, please speak to a member of staff caring for you.

The injections can vary from being momentarily uncomfortable to painful. To reduce discomfort, a local anesthetic with a numbing effect will be injected with Sculptra®. Ice packs or a local anesthetic cream can also be applied to the face before the injection. For more information about the local anesthetic, please read our leaflet Having an anesthetic.

How long the effects of Sculptra® last depend on various factors including skin structure, degree of facial fat loss, lifestyle and the ageing process. Generally, the improvements from Sculptra® last between 12-24 months.

Generally, a complete course of treatment is made up of four sessions, spaced approximately four to six weeks apart. The need for repeat treatments varies from person to person. However, when you feel that the result of the treatment has disappeared by approximately 50 percent you should see us for follow up and top up if necessary. Please speak to your clinician before all of the Sculptra® effects have been lost.