SCULPTRA®
Rebuild collagen. Restore firmness. Lift and tighten skin.
What Is Sculptra®?
Sculptra is a collagen biostimulator made from poly-L-lactic acid, a biocompatible substance safely used in medicine for decades as dissolvable skin sutures. It’s injected below the skin’s surface to gently activate your body’s own collagen production, helping to restore structure, firmness, and elasticity from within - specifically what’s been lost with age.
Over time, this process strengthens the foundation beneath the skin, creating a smoother texture and more balanced facial contour. The change develops gradually, making it ideal for those who want subtle, natural rejuvenation rather than an instantly filled look.
How Does Sculptra® Work?
Sculptra works by stimulating your skin’s natural collagen renewal cycle. The poly-L-lactic acid particles act as a gentle signal to rebuild the underlying support network that gives skin its strength and lift. As this new collagen forms, fine lines soften, volume returns, and skin regains its youthful elasticity.
From around the age of 20, our bodies begin to lose collagen at a rate of up to 1% per year. This gradual decline contributes to skin feeling thinner, less firm, and more prone to sagging.
By age 35, collagen levels may be reduced by 15%. By age 45, that loss can reach 25%, and by 55 up to 35% loss, with some even claiming losses can be up 50% after women reach menopause.
Unlike hyaluronic acid fillers that create instant volume, Sculptra focuses on long-term regeneration. It helps replenish the collagen your skin naturally loses with age - restoring structure, elasticity, and support from within. Over time, this renewal process can reverse years of gradual collagen decline, helping skin feel firmer, look fresher, and regain its youthful resilience.
Improvements appear gradually over several months as collagen rebuilds, and once established, these results typically last up to two years.
Sculptra® is not a traditional filler and cannot be dissolved once injected. That’s why your initial appointment includes a detailed consultation to ensure this treatment is the right fit for your skin, goals, facial structure, and musculature. We’ll assess your skin quality, treatment history, and desired outcome before moving forward.
What Areas Can Sculptra® Help WIth?
Overall Facial Rejuvenation with tightening and lift
Restores harmony and balance for a refreshed, natural appearance. Skin is thicker and tighter, helping create results reminiscent of a non-surgical facelift.
THE NEW ERA OF COLLAGEN STIMULATION
Sculptra® is part of a new generation of injectable treatments called biostimulators. Instead of simply adding volume like traditional dermal fillers, Sculptra® encourages your skin to rebuild its own collagen. This natural stimulation gradually restores firmness, thickness, and elasticity - helping the face look fresher and more lifted over time.
Unlike fillers that work instantly, Sculptra® takes a regenerative approach. Results develop subtly as your body creates new collagen, with improvements becoming more visible over the following months and lasting for up to two years.
The effect is a gradual, authentic rejuvenation that strengthens the skin from within rather than changing your features overnight.
Compared with Radiesse®, which can offer an immediate lift (if used as a filler), as well as collagen stimulation, Sculptra® is a slower, more progressive treatment that focuses on long-term renewal. It is often chosen by patients who prefer a natural, gradual transformation rather than instant volume.
Although Sculptra® can cost more than standard fillers (see prices here), the lasting improvement in skin quality and structure often makes it a worthwhile investment for those wanting results that continue to evolve and strengthen with time.
Step-by-Step: Your Sculptra® Treatment At ALLOR Cosmetic Medicine
Before Your Treatment: How to Prepare
During Your Sculptra® Treatment
Immediately After Treatment: What You’ll Notice
When Sculptra® Results Start to Show
Sculptra® Cost
Sculptra® results will vary depending on your natural body response to collagen stimulation, and the areas being treated. Our goal is always the same: subtle, long-lasting improvement that still looks like you.
At ALLOR, we design every Sculptra® treatment to support a refreshed, natural look that evolves gradually and fits harmoniously with your unique facial features.
We’d be happy to discuss your options during a personalised consultation at ALLOR Cosmetic Medicine in Auckland. Our clinic is based in Whenuapai, and we welcome clients from across Auckland - including the inner city, North Shore, and West.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I see results from Sculptra®?
You won’t see an immediate change, as Sculptra® works gradually by stimulating your body’s own collagen production. Most people start noticing improvement around six weeks after treatment, with results continuing to develop for several months.
How long does Sculptra® last?
Results from Sculptra® typically last up to two years after completing the full course of treatments. Longevity depends on your individual collagen response, lifestyle, and maintenance schedule.
How many Sculptra® treatments will I need?
Most people need two to three treatments, spaced four to six weeks apart. Each session builds upon the last, allowing collagen to form gradually and creating natural, long‑lasting results.
Is Sculptra® safe?
Yes. Sculptra® contains poly‑L‑lactic acid (PLLA), a biocompatible and biodegradable compound used in skin sutures, that stimulates your body’s natural collagen production. It has been safely used worldwide for over 20 years and is Medsafe-approved for use in New Zealand.
Can Sculptra® be dissolved?
Because Sculptra® is a collagen biostimulator rather than a filler, it cannot be dissolved once injected. The poly‑L‑lactic acid is gradually metabolised by your body as your own collagen forms in its place.
Does Sculptra® hurt?
Discomfort is usually mild. A local anaesthetic is mixed into the product, and we cannulas to keep the procedure comfortable and safe. Some tenderness or swelling may occur for a short time after treatment.
Can Sculptra® be combined with other treatments?
Yes. Sculptra® can compliment other treatments such as anti‑wrinkle injections, dermal fillers, or skin boosters.
Are there any side effects with Sculptra®?
You may experience mild swelling, tenderness, or small areas of firmness at the injection sites. These effects usually resolve within a few days.
What makes Sculptra® different from dermal fillers?
Dermal fillers provide instant volume using hyaluronic acid gel. Sculptra® takes a regenerative approach - it stimulates your body’s collagen production for gradual, natural‑looking improvement that strengthens skin structure over time.
Sculptra® Medical Device Class III, to increase volume of depressed areas, particularly to correct skin depressions. Sculptra® has risks and benefits. Contains Poly-L-Lactic acid implant suspension. Ask your doctor if Sculptra® is right for you. For product information check with your doctor or from product details with the supplier. Click for further details. Galderma Australia Sydney. Distributed by Healthcare Logistics, Auckland.
Radiesse® Medical Device Class III. Lidocaine injectable implant is indicated for plastic/reconstructive procedures in adults, including deep dermal and subdermal soft tissue augmentation of the facial area and is also intended for restoration and correction of fat or volume loss (lipoatrophy) in the facial area and for rejuvenation of the hands. Radiesse® has risks and benefits. Contains Calcium Hydroxylapatite. Ask your doctor if Radiesse® is right for you. For product information check with your doctor or Consumer Medicine Information on www.medsafe.govt.nz. Click for further details. Merz, Sydney. Distributed by Healthcare Logistics, Auckland.
Dermal Filler, Medical Device Class III to smooth facial wrinkles and folds, correct facial atrophic scars, restore or enhance the lips or restore facial volume. Dermal filler has risk and benefits. Ask your doctor if dermal filler is right for you. For product information check with your doctor or from product details with the supplier.