If you are considering Sculptra for reducing wrinkles due to age or complications from a disease such as HIV or AIDS, you should be aware of the risks and complications for such a procedure. Like any cosmetic surgery, Sculptra does involve a certain amount of risk for your reward.
Irritation at the Injection Site
Most side effects of Sculptra experienced by patients involve swelling, bruising, redness or pain at the injection site. These are minor symptoms that usually pass after a few hours or days, but have been known to last as long as 15 days.
There are a few things you can do to minimize these particular complications of Sculptra. Massage the affected area several times a day and place an ice pack over it sometime during the first 24 hours. This can help to reduce swelling and pain, as well as minimize the discomfort you may experience from Sculptra.
Skin Discoloration
Some bruising that results from a Sculptra injection can cause your skin to change colors around the injection site. This condition is known as ecchymosis and is caused by blood leaking into your skin from veins that were ruptured during the injection.
Allergic Reaction
While Sculptra is marketed as an inert substance, there's still the possibility of a patients being allergic to a Sculptra injection. Make sure to discuss any medicinal allergies you have with your doctor to make sure that you have no allergies to any of the substances within Sculptra.
Facial Nodules
Some patients of Sculptra may experience small or large bumps near the injection site. These bumps may appear above the skin or below it. For bumps appearing below the skin, they can't be seen but can be felt if you place your hand on them. Bumps such as these may form several days after the injection. Usually these bumps go away on their own.
For a small percentage of patients, a serious reaction to Sculptra can result. This involves disfiguring nodules appearing on the face, particularly around the eyes. For some these facial nodules can become permanent. The risk for this appears to relate highly to the skill of the doctor applying the injection, so make sure that your doctor has lots of experience applying Sculptra before getting it done. This is especially true when getting any work done around the eyes, which seem particularly sensitive to the effects of Sculptra.
Long Term Effects Are Unknown
One risk involving Sculptra is that no studies exist on the long term effects of Sculptra. While it is well known that in the short term Sculptra is generally safe, you face the risk of the unknown effects that Sculptra may have on your body in the long term.
As with any cosmetic procedure, Sculptra has both its advantages and its risks and complications. Always make sure to discuss all of these risks and complications of Sculptra with your doctor.
