Facial enhancement and the European experience with Sculptra (poly-l-lactic acid).

The primary reason patients seek aesthetic treatments is to combat the signs of aging. However, the majority of facial treatments and procedures fill specific wrinkles or pull-taught sagging skin, without returning the volume and contours of a youthful face. Injectable poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra) is a synthetic, biodegradable polymer, popular in Europe for the correction of lipoatrophy. The novel technique and mechanism of action of this product require physicians to adjust their practice of treating a specific line to returning volume to a facial area. Sculptra has been used successfully for the correction of nasolabial folds, mid and lower facial volume loss, jaw line laxity, and other signs of facial aging. Sculptra treatment provides a minimally invasive, effective, and prolonged (18-24 months) facial enhancement correction with a low frequency of side effects and no need for allergy testing.