Sculptra is a synthetic product made of poly-L- lactic acid. This product has had extensive use in Europe and initially was approved in the United States to help the cheek atrophy or wasting in AIDS patients.

When Sculptra was originally introduced in the United States, it was given FDA clearance for treating facial lipoatrophy.  Facial fat loss, or lipoatrophy, is the loss of fat beneath the skin, which can result in sunken cheeks, indentations, and hollow eyes. Sculptra is a safe, synthetic, and biocompatible material that is injected below the surface of the skin in the area of fat loss. It provides a gradual and significant increase in skin thickness, improving the appearance of folds and sunken areas. No skin testing is required.

As of July 2009, Sculptra has FDA clearance for cosmetic facial procedures that treat mild to severe nasolabial folds, wrinkles and contour irregularities. During the approval process, officials referenced a research study of 233 patients that had been treated with Sculptra and found the results to be generally long-lasting (visible up to 25 months in some patients) and effective, with no seriously adverse reactions cited.

With a series of Sculptra injections, the body builds collagen around the poly-L-lactic acid particles. The results can be quite impressive to fill out the cheek hallowness and can have some skin lifting effect as well. Sculptra lasts approximately 1 to 2 years. The patients usually receive a series of injections spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart until the desired volume is added. Sculptra is used in the cheeks, nasolabial folds, around the orbital rims or upper cheek.

Sculptra is resorbed by the body typically after 9 months. Poly-L- Lactic acid has been used widely in dissolvable sutures, and soft tissue implants. Side effects include occasional nodules at the injection site, bruising, redness, and lumpiness.

Sculptra is distributed by Dermik Aesthetics.