Biostimulators

An injectable that works by prompting your skin to make more of its own collagen, rather than by filling a space with gel. Sculptra is made of poly-L-lactic acid and Radiesse of calcium hydroxylapatite microspheres. Both are FDA-approved, both have been in use for well over a decade, and both are gradually broken down by the body, leaving the collagen they helped build.

Hyaluronic acid filler gives its result the day it is placed, and can be dissolved if needed. A biostimulator gives most of its result over the following weeks and months as new collagen forms, and it cannot be dissolved. Filler is the choice when you want a specific shape now; a biostimulator suits a face that has thinned overall and wants its firmness and fullness back gradually.

Radiesse gives some lift the day it is placed, then builds collagen on top of that, which suits areas that need structure, like the cheekbones and jawline. Sculptra is almost entirely gradual and is typically given as a short series, which suits broader thinning across the cheeks and temples. Your injector will tell you which fits what you see, and sometimes the honest answer is filler or nothing at all.

With Radiesse, some change is visible right away and the collagen response builds over the following weeks. With Sculptra, expect little on the day beyond some swelling; the result develops over a few months as each session adds to the last. Photos at three months tell the story better than the mirror on day one.

Sculptra is usually planned as a series of about three sessions spaced several weeks apart, depending on how much volume has gone. Radiesse is usually one session, sometimes with a touch-up. Your injector maps this out at the consultation, and you will know the full plan before the first syringe.

Longer than most hyaluronic acid fillers. Sculptra results can last up to two years after the series is complete. Radiesse typically lasts a year or more. Since the change is your own collagen, it fades gradually rather than all at once, and a single maintenance session usually keeps it going.

Numbing cream goes on first and both products can be mixed with lidocaine. Most people describe pressure and a brief sting. Expect swelling and possibly a bruise for a few days. After Sculptra you will be asked to massage the treated area for five minutes, five times a day, for five days, which helps the product spread evenly.

No. Unlike hyaluronic acid filler, neither Sculptra nor Radiesse dissolves with hyaluronidase; both are cleared by the body over time. That is one reason the consultation matters, and one reason we place conservatively and let the collagen do the rest.

No. Neither product is placed in the lips, and Sculptra is kept away from the eye area. For those, hyaluronic acid filler is the right tool, and your injector can plan both in one visit.