Scultpra® (poly-L-lactic acid) Los Angeles, Torrance, South Bay California How does the face age? One of the telltale signs of aging is the loss of fullness in the face. As we age, our facial structures vertically drop secondarily to a loss of volume (loss of subcutaneous fat and collagen) which inevitably creates a flattened appearance. This produces a droopy skin and fat appearance. Understanding this concept helps surgeons address the face much more effectively. As you age and lose subcutaneous (under skin) support, your skin begins to sag as there is no foundation for it to be nice and tight anymore. Therefore it is logical to rejuvenate your face by replacing the volume lost. Anywhere from the cheeks, temple region, laugh lines, and jawline are great areas for replenishing volume with Sculptra®. Sculptra® is one of the most advanced new injectable products for facial contouring and facial sculpting. It's enhanced ability to stimulate collagen growth helps it last longer than other fillers. Sculptra® is composed of tiny poly-L-lactic acid microparticles which are biocompatible, meaning that it is safe for the body and does not require allergy testing as required with collagen. Sculptra® is in a class of its own because unlike other fillers that need to be injected superficially into the skin, Sculptra® can be injected into deeper tissues for facial shaping. In essence, it offers the versatility for both cosmetic and reconstructive use without surgery. Sculptra® gives natural-looking results that can last up to 2 years and sometimes even longer. The poly-L-lactic acid microparticles behave like collagen seeds that stimulate your own body to grow new collagen over time (increasing volume in the face and tightness in the skin) so there is no foreign substance in your face at all. Because the collagen growth process occurs over months, there is no sudden change or tell-tale sign of “having work done”. Prior to being treated, you should take some precautions. Avoid using aspirin, anti-inflammatory medications, St. John's Wort, or Vitamin E supplements as they may increase bruising or bleeding at the injection site. Be sure to let our medical staff know prior to your appointment if you have experienced cold sores in the past so we can help prevent any recurrence. Whenever facial injections are done, some clients may experience minor swelling, tenderness or bruising. Dr. Liu helps minimize these minor side effects with certain tricks of the trade that will be discussed during your appointment.