photos by: JEJ PHOTOS
Known for embracing the newest and best technologies when it comes to cosmetic and restorative procedures, the talented team at Salem Plastic Surgery & Renewal Med Spa is fully invested in your personal experience.
One popular featured service on the Renewal Med Spa menu is Sculptra, an FDA-approved injectable that rejuvenates collagen among cheeks and smile lines by addressing multiple underlying causes of aging.
Nurse injectors Joy Goins, RN, and Heather Hayden, RN, are excited to share the details of this bio-stimulatory dermal filler that works in a different way than Botox. While dermal fillers are made of hyaluronic acid, Sculptra is made from poly-L-lactic acid, or PLLA, which works by gradually stimulating your own skin to produce new collagen growth.
“Using Sculptra will help increase volume, improve skin quality and health, and delay aging by creating radiance, tightness and contour to the treatment areas,” explains Joy.
As the “glue” that helps our skin maintain its structure and shape, collagen production is important!
“As we age, the amount of collagen our skin produces slows down significantly, which can lead to sagging skin, volume loss, fine lines and wrinkles,” says Joy. “Collagen damage can also be caused by lifestyle habits such as smoking, exposure to UV rays and a diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates.”
Although we can change our daily habits, collagen will naturally decline as we age. Studies have shown that, by age 45, most people may have lost up to 45% of collagen.
Sculptra is normally injected into the cheek area and lower half of the face, as loss of collagen and volume to the cheeks leads to deep nasolabial folds and marionette lines. It’s important to restore volume to the cheeks to give natural results, as cheeks are also responsible for supporting the skin under our eyes. Sculptra may even be injected into the temples to assist with volume loss. Injectables offer an effective treatment option for weight-loss patients as they can gradually restore facial contours for more natural results.
While mild discomfort is possible during the procedure, a topical numbing cream can be applied to injection areas prior to treatment. The injectable is also mixed with a local anesthetic, so once injections begin, a numbing effect should begin to take place quickly.
“Our office also offers Pronox which is an FDA-approved analgesia gas to help with pain relief and anxiety, and patients are able to safely drive home after Pronox use,” Joy explains. “The treatment itself usually lasts no longer than 20 minutes. During the very first treatment, a patient will typically have two vials injected, returning for a second and third treatment after about four weeks.”
There can be mild to moderate bruising after treatment, so patients are sent home with Arnica, a homeopathic medication which helps with bruising and swelling, and taught the appropriate massage technique to deter nodules from forming after treatment.
“This is a 5-5-5 approach, meaning a moderate massage will be done at home by the patient five times a day, for five minutes, for five days,” says Heather. “Your provider will instruct you how to do this and send you home with an ice pack to use as needed.”
The full effect of Sculptra typically takes about three months for patients to notice – with a change in their skin plumpness – but patients will typically notice a beautiful “Sculptra glow” shortly after the first treatment.
“Skin should appear smoother and firmer with an overall glow. Sculptra results usually last up to two years, but we recommend a maintenance injection be done annually,” says Heather.
While most patients are candidates for Sculptra, there are certain conditions that prohibit treatment including current oral herpes or a similar infection, uncontrolled diabetes, issues with blood clotting, lupus or other connective tissue disorders, an allergy to any components of Sculptra Aesthetic or patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
For more information on body and skincare treatments at Salem Plastic Surgery & Renewal Med Spa, reach them at 336.768.8483 or visit salemplasticsurgery.com. The practice is located at 1345A Westgate Center Drive in Winston-Salem, a convenient location to accommodate busy schedules! Hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Follow them on Instagram @salemplasticsurg and @renewalmedspanc.
