Is Sculptra for Buttocks Safe?
For many, the ideal shape and size of the buttocks are round, full, and smooth, but many of us find that due to age or genetics, the buttocks can look flat and be dimpled on the surface due to cellulite or stretch marks. Previously, many patients believed that the only option for butt augmentation was a plastic surgery procedure known as the Brazilian Butt Lift, which involved a fat transfer, long amounts of recovery time, and a high potential for adverse side effects. Luckily, there is a non-surgical procedure that can be quickly, safely, and easily performed with comparable results at board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michele Green’s office: the injectable dermal filler Sculptra.
Sculptra is a dermal filler that boosts volume in the treatment area by triggering the body’s natural collagen production, resulting in effects that continue to improve over time. Unlike other fillers like Juvederm and Restylane, which have hyaluronic acid (HA) as the active ingredient, Sculptra is formulated with poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), which is a collagen stimulator that leads to firm, smooth, youthful-looking skin. Produced by Galderma, Sculptra is one of the longest-lasting injectable fillers, with results that remain for as long as two years. Sculptra is an anti-aging treatment FDA-approved specifically to address volume loss in the cheeks and fine lines around the nose and mouth. In addition to its use in addressing volume loss on the face, Sculptra can be injected into other parts of your body, including the buttock area, for non-surgical butt augmentation, providing patients with their desired results without the need for incisions, general anesthesia, surgery, or any downtime. To access a rounder, smoother, firmer buttock area without surgery, schedule your initial consultation with experienced dermatologist Dr. Michele Green.
Dr. Green has been expertly treating patients in her Upper East Side New York City office for more than 25 years. A master of all forms of cosmetic and medical dermatology, Dr. Green has a wide range of treatment options available at her office, which range from dermal fillers, such as Radiesse, Sculptra, Restylane, and Juvederm, Botox, laser treatments, chemical peels, CoolSculpting, and much more. Dr. Green also has her skincare product line, MGSKINLABs, to provide patients with the ability to maintain smooth, clear, and youthful-looking skin at home. Well-known for high patient satisfaction, Dr. Green has been voted one of New York City’s best healthcare providers by Super Doctors, Castle Connolly, and New York Magazine.
What is Sculptra filler?
Sculptra is a dermal filler treatment that uses the active ingredient poly-L-lactic acid as a bio-stimulator to boost collagen production in the treatment area. While other dermal fillers work by filling in lost volume, Sculptra injections work by replacing lost collagen, which is highly effective for addressing volume loss, filling in fine lines and wrinkles, improving skin laxity, and reducing the appearance of stretch marks, acne scars, and cellulite. Originally FDA-approved in 2004 to treat facial volume loss in patients living with HIV, Sculptra is now used to address a range of cosmetic concerns, providing facial rejuvenation and augmentation for many patients. Sculptra injections require no downtime and are a long-lasting treatment option, with effects that remain visible for as long as two years.
What is a non-surgical butt lift?
Aging, weight loss, and pregnancy can all contribute to the appearance of flat, sagging buttocks. Patients who are looking to restore a firm, round, and plump shape to the buttocks can turn to a non-surgical butt lift, which is a cosmetic procedure to enhance the butt without the need for plastic surgery. While butt implants, surgical fat grafting, or fat transfer can provide dramatic buttock augmentation results, any surgical procedure is associated with a high risk of serious side effects, including bleeding, scarring, and infection. Luckily, there is a non-surgical alternative for butt enhancement, providing patients with their desired results without the need for any downtime or risks of serious side effects. Most often, Dr. Green will turn to Sculptra dermal filler injections for patients’ butt augmentation treatment plans, as Sculptra injections provide long-lasting, natural-looking results.
How do Sculptra injections work for buttocks augmentation?
Sculptra is an injectable dermal filler treatment that boosts collagen production to fill in lost volume, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and improve skin texture and laxity. The active ingredient in Sculptra injections is poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), which triggers natural collagen production. As new collagen forms over time, the protein provides structure to the skin for facial rejuvenation and a more youthful appearance. When injected into the buttocks, the natural collagen production helps to enhance the size and shape of the butt over time. As Sculptra injections rely on the body’s natural collagen production processes, it can take four to six months post-treatment to see the full effects, but the treatment results are very long-lasting.
When patients arrive at Dr. Green’s office for the treatment session, she will begin by cleaning and marking the injection sites. Typically, she will apply a topical anesthetic to numb the treatment area and reduce any risk of patient discomfort during the cosmetic procedure. The treatment process is quick—generally taking less than twenty minutes—and patients can immediately return to their regularly scheduled activities following the procedure. Dr. Green recommends avoiding strenuous physical activity and alcohol consumption in the days following the treatment to reduce the risk of common side effects like swelling, bruising, and irritation at the injection site.
Who is a good candidate for a Sculptra butt lift?
In terms of a non-surgical butt lift, Sculptra dermal filler injections are often considered the best treatment option. A good candidate for the Sculptra butt lift is looking to enhance the shape or size of their butt, reduce the appearance of cellulite, and create naturally firmer, more lifted-looking skin. Any surgical butt augmentation procedure is going to provide more dramatic results than a non-surgical procedure like Sculptra injections. As such, patients should have realistic expectations for the results of Sculptra butt lift treatment. Sculptra injectable filler treatment is best for patients who are looking for natural-looking augmentation of the buttocks and hips.
Sculptra butt lift vs. Surgical Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)
A non-surgical butt lifts, such as the Sculptra butt lift, and a surgical butt lift procedure, such as the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), both help to augment the buttocks for more volume and shape to the treatment area. BBL differs in that it is a surgical procedure done by a plastic surgeon. In contrast, the Sculptra treatment is a non-invasive procedure that a dermatologist, such as Dr. Green, can perform. The surgical BBL procedure works via fat transfers from other body areas, such as the thighs or abdomen, to the buttocks. The fat transfers are performed via liposuction, a surgical fat removal process, and then surgically implanted in the buttocks via fat grafting. While BBL is highly effective at providing patients with dramatically enhanced results, the risk of developing serious side effects is much higher when undergoing a surgical procedure. Sculptra butt lift can provide patients with natural-looking augmented results without the need to go under the knife. While neither procedure is inherently better, it is important to consider the risks involved in a surgical procedure.
Is Sculptra safer than BBL?
Any non-surgical procedure is always going to be safer than going under the knife, as plastic surgery is associated with a significant risk of adverse events. When incisions are made on the body, there is always the risk of infection, scarring, bleeding, and improper healing. Surgical butt implants with silicone implants come with additional risks, including allergic reactions and asymmetries that have to be fixed with additional surgeries. The most common adverse events associated with surgical butt augmentation include:
- Scarring
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Pain
- Allergic reaction
- Nausea from general anesthesia
- Skin loss
In rare cases, improper placement of fat grafting or fat transfers can lead to an embolism when a blood vessel is blocked.
Does Sculptra Butt Lift have side effects?
Patients often wonder, “What are the side effects of Sculptra for buttocks?” Sculptra is a very safe and effective treatment for non-surgical butt augmentation that provides volume and enhancement to the treatment area with very little risk of adverse events or side effects. Though Sculptra is composed of a synthetic active ingredient, poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), the PLLA is biocompatible, meaning that it does not cause adverse events in humans. Patients may experience some mild bruising or swelling at the injection site following the treatment session and lingering soreness. Still, these mild side effects will resolve independently after a couple of days, and minimal downtime is needed following the cosmetic procedure. Rarer side effects include the formation of nodules or bumps under the skin, which are hard to get rid of. Unlike hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane or Juvederm, Sculptra cannot be dissolved after injection. Therefore, patients should seek an expert injector, such as board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michele Green.
Dangers of Sculptra for buttocks
Sculptra injections are safe and effective for buttock enhancement and are not associated with serious side effects or complications. After any derma filler treatment, patients may experience mild, common side effects, including bruising, redness, and irritation at the injection site. Some patients develop small nodules or lumps in the treated area, which may disappear over time. The best way to prevent these nodules from forming is to massage the treated area as instructed following treatment. While Sculptra dermal filler injections are not dangerous, it is important to seek out an expert injector. Receiving treatment from an inexperienced injector can put you at a higher risk of developing serious side effects from improper injection into a blood vessel.
Is Sculptra BBL safe?
The Sculptra butt lift is a safe alternative to a surgical butt lift, also known as a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL). Plastic surgery for butt augmentation is associated with serious side effects, including bleeding, scarring, improper healing, injection, and asymmetry that can only be fixed with additional surgery. Any surgical procedure is also associated with extensive recovery time. Sculptra dermal filler injections, on the other hand, do not require incisions, and no downtime is necessary following the procedure. The risk of side effects from Sculptra injections is low, especially when seeking treatment from an expert injector like board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michele Green.
Is Sculptra safe during pregnancy?
The effects of Sculptra injections on people who are pregnant or breastfeeding have not been studied. As such, Sculptra dermal fillers should not be used during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. If you are pregnant and interested in a non-surgical butt lift, you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Green, and she will let you know your options for when you can safely begin the treatment process.
Are four vials of Sculptra enough for the buttocks?
The number of vials of Sculptra necessary for a non-surgical butt lift depends on several factors, including the patient’s aesthetic goals, the size and shape of the buttocks, and the patient’s age. Four vials are typically not enough to provide patients with visible treatment results. The exact number of vials used will depend on each patient’s unique needs and goals but can vary from as few as four to as many as thirty. The number of vials for a Sculptra butt lift is typically less than the number of vials for Sculptra hip dips. For instance, a patient who gets Sculptra for the hips may require roughly four or five vials, while a patient who gets Sculptra for the buttocks may require roughly nine to ten vials. During your initial consultation with Dr. Green, you will discuss your desired results, and she will generate the treatment plan that best meets your needs.
What is the 5 5 5 rule after Sculptra?
After the Sculptra injections, it is important to massage the treated area to avoid the development of nodules or bumps under the skin’s surface. Dr. Green recommends following the “Rule of 5s” when massaging the treatment area after Sculptra: Patients should massage the area five times a day for five minutes for five days after the injections. Immediately following the procedure, Dr. Green will massage the treated area, performing the first massage out of five for that day.
How long does Sculptra for buttocks last?
Sculptra dermal filler injections are a long-lasting treatment option for butt augmentation. Because the treatment takes advantage of the body’s natural collagen production, it can take between three and four months post-treatment for the results to become apparent. Once the effects are visible, they can last for as many as two years. Patients can repeat the treatment process every couple of years to maintain the treatment results.
Pros and Cons of Sculptra for buttocks
Sculptra injections are a safe and effective option for non-surgical butt augmentation, providing patients with firm, lifted, well-shaped buttocks and natural-looking results. While the effects of the treatment are long-lasting, they are not permanent, meaning patients will require additional treatments to maintain the results. The non-permanent nature of the treatment can be an advantage, however, since patients can adjust their desired results over time. Surgical procedures can provide more dramatic treatment results than non-surgical options like Sculptra injections. However, any form of plastic surgery—including surgical butt augmentation—is associated with significant downtime and side effects, including bleeding, scarring, asymmetry, pain, and infection. In contrast, Sculptra is not associated with serious side effects and requires no recovery time.
How to get started with Sculptra butt augmentation today
As we age, the production of the structural protein collagen begins to decrease, which can emphasize signs of aging, such as sagging, drooping skin, the appearance of cellulite, and loss of volume. These signs of the natural aging process appear in many body areas, including the hips, legs, and buttocks. Many patients are looking for a way to enhance and augment the buttocks for a smoother, firmer, rounder look. Luckily, there is a safe and effective butt augmentation that requires no plastic surgery and no downtime: Sculptra dermal filler. Sculptra injections boost collagen production with long-lasting effects that improve over time. For patients looking for a smooth, firm, lifted, youthful-looking buttocks, schedule a consultation with expert dermatologist Dr. Michele Green to determine if Sculptra is right for you.
Dr. Michele Green is an internationally renowned board-certified dermatologist with over two and a half decades of experience providing her patients with the best non-invasive treatment options. Dr. Green takes a holistic approach and embraces a less-is-more philosophy, creating customized skincare routines and treatment plans that cater to her patient’s unique concerns and aesthetic goals. She is consistently identified as one of New York’s best dermatologists by Castle Connolly, New York Magazine, and Super Doctors for her dedication to her patients and expertise. Please call us at 212-535-3088 or email our New York City-based office today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Michele Green and determine if Sculptra injections are best for you.