Sculptra vs. Fat Transfer vs. Juvederm for Cheeks,Temples
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free skin care · Fri Jul 06, 2012 10:04 am

For those who have used two or more of the above volumizers in their cheeks and temples (including Juvederm Voluma or the best Juvederm version available in the US), please compare them in regard to
1) Natural feel: Is the Sculptra firmer feeling than the fat or Juvederm?

2) Long-term stability: A caveat of fat, for example, is that it is heavy and thus when injected into the lower portions of the face, can make skin sag over time, due to the weightiness. Is this true of the other two aforementioned volumizers?

3) Both fat and Scupltra can cause bumps or lumps. Fat bumps can be treated, somewhat successfully but do have the potential to calcify and become permanent. Is this true of Sculptra as well, and if not, will the nodules leave when the Scupltra wears off in 2 years, or are the nodules permanent?

4) In the US, how do prices for each volumizer, including administration by an MD, compare?

Just curious. Lately I've been reading good things about Scupltra, so I wondered how these three most popular volumizers stack up. Thanks!

free skin care · Fri Jul 06, 2012 10:37 am

Hi, EthelM, There is a forum you might want to check out. It has lots of information on fillers.
It is Skin Deep Chat DIY http://skindeepchat.forumotion.net

free skin care · Fri Jul 06, 2012 11:38 am

This is a great topic/thread

I think all of these things arent properly understood and Im interested in them all, just dont know the difference

free skin care · Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:24 am

Sculptra looks like a pretty good product. I like that it last for 2 years. I haven't had any of these done but I'd like to have something done for my thin under eye skin. PS recommends botox or that latest version of it. I've had it there before and wasn't too impressed with it.

free skin care · Tue Jul 10, 2012 2:00 pm

Cat eyes, Be really careful with undereye injections. The skin is so thin there almost everything shows! I did a lot of research on it and chickened out! Restalyne {sp?} is the best for under the eyes. Juvaderm plumps up and can be bumpy under that thin thin skin. Botox is really for freezing a muscle not plumping or filling under skin. I personally don't care for Dysport at all. Did your Dr. recommend Dysport or Botox for filling under the eye? If so run for your life! There are certain techniques for filling under the eyes. So, I would make sure you go to someone you really knows what they are doing. And plan on bruising. They say you can have bruises their for a long time afterwards. I wanted to have it done so badly but it just seems so iffy. Good luck and let us know how it goes-Carol

free skin care · Tue Jul 10, 2012 2:03 pm

Oh another thought on fillers. Longlasting fillers are great as long as you like the result. Long lasting fillers also need to be injected differently and deeper than the others. I would get a regular filler first and see if you like it and then go for the longer lasting. I can tell you this one from experience. It is not fun waiting for your face to return to "normal" if you do not like the result!

free skin care · Tue Jul 10, 2012 4:50 pm

I think we have to be careful that we're comparing apples with apples. Sculptra is actually not a filler and therefore, it can't be compared to Juvederm. Sculptra is injected into the dermis to stimulate your body's own production of collagen. Results take months to show up - it is not instant like Juvederm. The nodules or bumps that you read about on the net were a problem with Sculptra in the past. I believe that the company has now resolved this problem, but you still need an experienced injector to do the treatment.

Fat injections can be hit and miss I believe. Sometimes the fat doesn't take. Therefore, some doctors prefer to us the thicker fillers - at least you get an instant result. My own issue with these is that they only seem to last about six months on me - but I know that with other people they can get up to or even over twelve months.

free skin care · Wed Jul 11, 2012 6:23 pm

Keliu wrote:

I think we have to be careful that we're comparing apples with apples. Sculptra is actually not a filler and therefore, it can't be compared to Juvederm. Sculptra is injected into the dermis to stimulate your body's own production of collagen. Results take months to show up - it is not instant like Juvederm. The nodules or bumps that you read about on the net were a problem with Sculptra in the past. I believe that the company has now resolved this problem, but you still need an experienced injector to do the treatment.

Fat injections can be hit and miss I believe. Sometimes the fat doesn't take. Therefore, some doctors prefer to us the thicker fillers - at least you get an instant result. My own issue with these is that they only seem to last about six months on me - but I know that with other people they can get up to or even over twelve months.

Keliu, I did realize the differing mechanisms of Sculptra and Juvederm but and referred to them as volumizers (volumizing fillers) because of their commonality, i.e. creating volume, regardless of method. Just wanted to clarify. My greatest interest is in the feel of each volumizer and the weight/sag concern. My guess is that Sculptra won't cause added weight and thus is without risk of weightiness and sagging when used in the lower face, but I'm not certain and would like to hear accounts from those who have used Sculptra in the jaw area.

free skin care · Wed Jul 11, 2012 6:31 pm

EthelM wrote:

Keliu, I did realize the differing mechanisms of Sculptra and Juvederm but and referred to them as volumizers (volumizing fillers) because of their commonality, i.e. creating volume, regardless of method. Just wanted to clarify. My greatest interest is in the feel of each volumizer and the weight/sag concern. My guess is that Sculptra won't cause added weight and thus is without risk of weightiness and sagging when used in the lower face, but I'm not certain and would like to hear accounts from those who have used Sculptra in the jaw area.

I'm not sure what you mean by "weight". When you have Juvederm injected you can immediately see it and feel it. It's like putting spack filler in the wall! It's quite obvious. However, after the Sculptra injections you will not feel or see anything. The Sculptra just stimulates your own collagen to grow so it's a slow process and takes months to see results. I had two rounds of Sculptra in my lower face and can't say I saw any results at all. Maybe results depend on age and how much collagen you already have. Also, I think it's a case of the more treatments the better the result.

free skin care · Wed Jul 11, 2012 6:46 pm

I have had a lot of fillers, both sculptra and juvederm. Neither add "weight" in the sense I think you mean. Some people feel that their fillers "migrate" but that is more usually in areas such as the folds between nose and mouth.

As others have suggested for first time filling of this area I would definitely recommend a juvederm type filler...one for the instant result and because it can be dissolved if absolutely necessary. Always have less rather than more injected initially to avoid a result you are not happy with.

Juvederm Voluma which is a thicker HA filler (injected with a cannula rather than a needle) is a brilliant filler and lasted very well for me in that area.

Temples are a different thing altogether. The new way of injecting temples with HA is for it to be diluted heavily with saline to make it very thin, then a larger volume is injected and massage around the area. Once the saline disipates it leaves a very natural result.

hth

free skin care · Wed Jul 11, 2012 6:51 pm

Rebecca1 wrote:

I have had a lot of fillers, both sculptra and juvederm. Neither add "weight" in the sense I think you mean. Some people feel that their fillers "migrate" but that is more usually in areas such as the folds between nose and mouth.

As others have suggested for first time filling of this area I would definitely recommend a juvederm type filler...one for the instant result and because it can be dissolved if absolutely necessary. Always have less rather than more injected initially to avoid a result you are not happy with.

Juvederm Voluma which is a thicker HA filler (injected with a cannula rather than a needle) is a brilliant filler and lasted very well for me in that area.

Temples are a different thing altogether. The new way of injecting temples with HA is for it to be diluted heavily with saline to make it very thin, then a larger volume is injcted and massage around the area. Once the saline disipates it leaves a very natural result.

hth

Keliu, by weight I mean, well, weight! Fat, for example, is heavy and often contraindicated for injection at the jaw line and lower face because the added weight of autologous fat can pull down tissues, causing a heavy appearance and at worst, sagging skin.
(oops sorry Rebecca, I inadvertently quoted you but meant to instead quote Keliu)

free skin care · Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:25 pm

EthelM wrote:

Keliu, by weight I mean, well, weight! Fat, for example, is heavy and often contraindicated for injection at the jaw line and lower face because the added weight of autologous fat can pull down tissues, causing a heavy appearance and at worst, sagging skin.
(oops sorry Rebecca, I inadvertently quoted you but meant to instead quote Keliu)

Regarding your conscerns about sagging - I think this is something that you need to talk about with the injector who will explain the process thoroughly to you. But, theoretically, the filler should just even out the shape of your jaw line. (If that's what you're after). It shouldn't provide any weight or obvious bulges. Plus, it's not as if they use bucket loads! You may only need one or two ml. If you're looking for an overall fullness of the lower face, they would probably recommend the Sculptra.

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2012 7:13 am

HI, Here's a video on Sculptra. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3hYzRIOJrs

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2012 3:19 pm

Keliu wrote:

EthelM wrote:

Keliu, by weight I mean, well, weight! Fat, for example, is heavy and often contraindicated for injection at the jaw line and lower face because the added weight of autologous fat can pull down tissues, causing a heavy appearance and at worst, sagging skin.
(oops sorry Rebecca, I inadvertently quoted you but meant to instead quote Keliu)

Regarding your conscerns about sagging - I think this is something that you need to talk about with the injector who will explain the process thoroughly to you. But, theoretically, the filler should just even out the shape of your jaw line. (If that's what you're after). It shouldn't provide any weight or obvious bulges. Plus, it's not as if they use bucket loads! You may only need one or two ml. If you're looking for an overall fullness of the lower face, they would probably recommend the Sculptra.

I have spoken with MDs about this issue, including with one of the best (if not the best) autologous fat injectors in the country. I'm not asking *if* fat and some fillers cause weightiness and potential sag, I'm telling you that they do. Even small amounts of autologous fat injected at the jaw line poses a risk of sag for many people, depending on factors such as integrity of the underlying tissues, bone structure, etc. But fat and fillers have weight, so they can cause a pulling down of the face in certain areas, unless injected very deeply (a la the Coleman method) which is risky and carries many other potential drawbacks (and so is seldom done by reputable MDs). My question is whether or not Scupltra does that...my guess is it doesn't, since Sculptra's mechanism is to spur one's own collagen.

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2012 6:01 pm

Fillers placed in the jawline are used for correction purposes - to improve the shape of the chin or to even out the jawline. They are targeted to specific areas. That cannot be done with Sculptra - the effect of Sculptra is more generalised. I still don't see how you can compare both procedures.

If you have been told that fillers in the jawline will stretch the skin and cause sagging then go for the Sculptra. But as I've already stated, I had Sculptra in the lower face and saw no improvement or worsening to my jowls.

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2012 7:21 pm

Good grief! I'm apparently unable to communicate my question. Yes, indeed fat and fillers are used to correct specific areas on the jawline. But, I mentioned fillers in the jawline simply to illustrate the concept of weightiness with volumizers. My initial question was about volumizers in the cheeks, not jawline, and among my questions was one asking if Sculptra, like fat and Juvederm, was weighty in that area. or if it feels denser and firmer. I've a friend who has had both fat and Juvederm in her cheeks before, at different times of course. She reported that both felt weighty but as the skin and bone structure is supportive in the upper face, there wasn't sag. She said Juvederm felt softer, more squishy to the touch and that fat felt springier and firmer but still soft. I wondered if others here who have had both would agree with these descriptors, and if those who have had Sculptra would describe it similarly or differently. Again, my guess is that Sculptra feels firmer, akin to thicker skin, due to the mechanism of action, i.e. collagen induction.

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2012 8:38 pm

I'm afraid you're not listening to me: Sculptra is not a filler - you will not feel or see anything from it. The area that it has been injected in should plump up over time - similar to what you may expect with weight gain. I have had both Juvederm and Sculptra and IMO there is no comparison to the two of them.

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 8:36 am

Keliu wrote:

I'm afraid you're not listening to me: Sculptra is not a filler - you will not feel or see anything from it. The area that it has been injected in should plump up over time - similar to what you may expect with weight gain. I have had both Juvederm and Sculptra and IMO there is no comparison to the two of them.

No, I am afraid you are misunderstanding me, Keliu. Obviously, at some point, Sculptra causes a volume increase. I understand that it is not a filler, as I wrote, and I fully understand how it works. That isn't my question. Sculptra does create volume, eventually, and so my question was about the "feel" of that volume as compared to fat and Juvederm (which indeed are fillers, I know). When Sculptra works and new volume is created, that volume will feel like something, either firm like thickened dermal layers, or with another texture, but if volumne exists, it will be palpable.

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 8:40 am

Keliu wrote:

I'm afraid you're not listening to me: Sculptra is not a filler - you will not feel or see anything from it. The area that it has been injected in should plump up over time - similar to what you may expect with weight gain. I have had both Juvederm and Sculptra and IMO there is no comparison to the two of them.

Your last sentence illuminates my question; you wrote "similar to what you may expect with weight gain". Given that my question was about the feel of each treatment (Sculptra vs. autologous fat vs. Juvederm), and not about the time period before improvement is seen (over a time span for Sculptra, instantaneous for fat and fillers), you would be implying that Sculptra feels most like autologous fat, which is what increases when one gains weight. I somewhat doubt that was your intended answer, as I think Sculptra likely feels more like thickened dermal layers than adipose tissue, but I am using this to better clarify my initial question.

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 4:08 pm

I can only reiterate what I have said all along. I did not feel anything from Sculptra, the effects are too subtle and slow to develop. Whereas you can feel the effects of fillers instantaneously - you can physically feel where the fillers have been placed.

With regard to weight gain/loss of the face - it seems to me that the look of the weight gain/loss is more pertinent than the feel.

free skin care · Sun Jul 22, 2012 7:53 am

So...basically, when a Sculptra treatment is at the end of it's magic, the end result is not distinguishable from the surrounding tissues, but the appearance of the area is improved?

Is that the desired info?

BFG

free skin care · Sun Jul 22, 2012 4:51 pm

Barefootgirl wrote:

So...basically, when a Sculptra treatment is at the end of it's magic, the end result is not distinguishable from the surrounding tissues, but the appearance of the area is improved?

Is that the desired info?

BFG

Yes!! That is my opinion. It's supposedly improved because you have built up new collange in the dermis - but I don't believe that the new collagen can be felt or that it can feel weighty.

free skin care · Mon Jul 23, 2012 10:43 am

Glad we got that cleared up. My training worked, lol - my bosses would be proud.

BFG

free skin care · Mon Jul 23, 2012 1:32 pm

I spoke with a well-known cosmetic plastic surgeon about my questions. Of course, ALL volume has a feel, whether it is fat, or filler, or collagen resulting from Sculptra. As I suspected, I was told that the autologous fat and Juvederm (and similar volumizing fillers for larger areas) can pose a sag risk when used in the lower face. Both can feel/behave "weighty", meaning they can pull down thinned, weak or delicate tissues. The collagen resulting from a series of Sculptra treatments will feel firmer to the touch, just like thickened tissue, the feel of a younger face, in other words. Both fat and fillers can sometimes feel softer (less firm, that is) to the touch.
So, that was essentially the apt response to my question. By the way, all three volumizers appear the same, it was the feel that I was curious about and the answers I received certainly make sense to me.
Sorry I was so inept at articulating my questions! Very Happy

Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:09 am

Hello everyone, I frequently scan the topics on this site and there is always so much fabulous information...I don't typically post, but did want to weigh in on this topic.
My very dear friend who has had Sculptra injected in the past with great results just had a tragic experience. Please, please do your research on the potential side effects, including the possibility of infection, etc...I won't expand on the details of what happened to her, but I will say that she had a "life threatening" experience as a "possible" result of a Sculptra injection that went awry.
I would err on the side of caution and go with hyaluronic filler.

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