What Is Sculptra®?
Sculptra is an injectable collagen stimulator made from poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA). It works differently from a traditional dermal filler: rather than simply filling an area, it encourages your body to gradually build new collagen of its own, while also restoring genuine volume.
The result is improved structural support, firmer, better-quality skin, and a treatment that addresses both volume loss and loss of elasticity at the same time. Results develop gradually over several months, so they look and feel natural rather than "done".
Where Sculptra differs from JULÄINE is volume. JULÄINE improves elasticity through collagen formation alone, while Sculptra also volumises, which makes it particularly effective if you're noticing hollowing or lost fullness as well as a change in firmness.
Sculptra is a regulated medical device supplied in the UK by Galderma (UK) Ltd, with over 25 years of clinical use. Galderma's updated treatment protocol, including a higher dilution when the product is prepared, has made the treatment more comfortable and significantly reduced the risk of nodules seen with earlier techniques.
Stimulates your own natural collagen
Restores volume while improving elasticity and skin quality
Natural, gradual results that build over months
Over 25 years of established use, now with an advanced, more comfortable protocol
Minimal downtime
How Does Sculptra Work?
From around our mid-20s, collagen production begins to slow, with roughly 1% lost each year. Over time this shows up as fine lines, volume loss in the cheeks and temples, and skin that feels less firm and supported.
Sculptra tackles this on two fronts at once. Its PLLA microparticles stimulate new collagen formation and provide genuine volumisation, so volume loss and loss of elasticity are treated together.
The active ingredient, PLLA-SCA (poly-L-lactic acid), is gradually broken down by the body over around 9 to 18 months. As it does, it leaves behind a framework of new collagen, mainly Type I and Type III, which provides lasting structural support and volume.
Improved skin firmness and elasticity
Genuine, natural-looking volumisation
Better overall skin quality
Structural support that continues to develop for months after treatment
Who Is Sculptra For?
Sculptra is best suited to patients noticing early to moderate collagen loss, whether that's fine lines, volume loss in the cheeks or temples, or skin that has started to feel thinner and less resilient.
It's ideal if you'd like a natural-looking result and are happy to commit to a course of treatment for a gradual improvement over time. Sculptra is offered by both Dr Lucy and Dr Rebecca, and we treat every area Sculptra is currently approved for, including the face, décolletage, upper arms, buttocks and backs of the thighs.
Treatment Areas
Face: cheeks, temples, jawline and nasolabial folds.
Neck and décolletage: improves skin quality, firmness and the fine crepiness that often appears here before it shows on the face.
Body: upper arms for firmness and skin quality, the buttocks for lift, shape and contour, and the backs of the thighs for skin quality and the appearance of cellulite.
Treatment Process
Before your treatment, numbing cream is applied to the area. Sculptra is prepared with a mix of lidocaine (a local anaesthetic) and sterile water to make the injections as comfortable as possible, and your treatment is carried out by Dr Lucy or Dr Rebecca.
In the weeks that follow, there's no immediate "filled" look. Instead, the PLLA microparticles begin triggering your body's own collagen-building process, with new collagen typically starting to form within the first month.
Over the next 9 to 18 months, the PLLA is gradually absorbed by the body. As it breaks down, it's replaced by your own newly built collagen and volume, which is what gives Sculptra its long-lasting results.
Pricing
Sculptra is £600 per vial.
Book a course of three sessions and save 15%. To receive the course discount, the full course must be paid upfront.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sculptra is a regulated medical device supplied in the UK by Galderma, with over 25 years of clinical use. Since Galderma updated its treatment protocol, including a higher dilution when the product is prepared, nodules have become far less common than with earlier techniques. When carried out correctly by a trained medical practitioner, Sculptra has an excellent safety profile.
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Results are generally reported to last up to two years.
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Side effects are usually mild and temporary, such as swelling, bruising or tenderness where the injections were given, and typically settle within a few days. Nodules were more commonly reported with older techniques; the updated protocol, alongside following the 5-5-5 rule after treatment, makes them far less likely.
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The 5-5-5 rule is Galderma's aftercare protocol, designed to minimise the risk of nodules. For 5 days after treatment, you massage the treated area for 5 minutes, 5 times a day. This helps spread the product evenly under the skin and stops it clustering together.
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Most patients need three sessions, spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart, although some need two and others benefit from four. We'll advise on the right number for you at your consultation.
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Most patients find Sculptra very comfortable. Numbing cream is applied beforehand and the product is mixed with lidocaine, a local anaesthetic, so you may feel some minor discomfort but the treatment is very well tolerated.
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Yes. At The Townhouse Clinic, we create individual treatment plans, so we'd always recommend starting with a consultation. That way we can design a plan around your specific needs and budget.
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Both contain the same core ingredient, PLLA, but the particle shape makes the difference. Sculptra's larger particles restore volume and improve skin quality, while JULÄINE's smaller, spherical particles focus on skin quality and firmness.
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There are so many regenerative treatments available that researching them at home can quickly become overwhelming, and each has its own unique features and benefits. With years of experience and an in-depth understanding of how each product works, we can guide you towards the treatment that's right for you. That's why we always recommend a full consultation and assessment first.
