Collagen Stimulation: Sculptra® and Radiesse®
Offered at our Scranton office, 5 Morgan Highway, Suite 3, Scranton, PA 18508.
What to Expect
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A consultation first
We discuss your concerns and review your options, including whether collagen stimulation belongs in your plan.
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The appointment
Plan on about thirty to forty-five minutes. Numbing medicine is part of the treatment, so it is more comfortable than most people expect.
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Results that build
With Radiesse®, some structure is visible at the appointment. With Sculptra®, the change appears over about two to three months as collagen rebuilds, so give it time before judging the result.
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Sessions and how long it lasts
Sculptra® is commonly a short series, two or three sessions spaced several weeks apart, with results that can last two years or more. Radiesse® is usually a single session, with results commonly lasting a year or more. Your provider will be specific about the long-term plan they recommend for you.
How Collagen Stimulation Works
Sculptra® and Radiesse® are biostimulators. A hyaluronic acid filler adds new volume; a biostimulator prompts your own body to produce it, by rebuilding collagen. Collagen gives skin its structural support, so results show in both fullness and skin quality, and they last longer than most treatments we offer.
Every treatment is planned and performed by a board-certified physician or physician assistant at our Scranton office, and every treatment starts with a consultation.
Sculptra® works gradually. Placed where the face has lost fullness, it prompts collagen to rebuild over the following months. For the first few weeks it can look as if nothing happened; that is how it is supposed to go. The change appears over about two to three months and builds with each session in the series.
Radiesse® splits the difference: it provides structure you can see at the appointment, then keeps working as collagen builds over the months that follow.
Collagen stimulation and the other injectables do different jobs. For precise volume in one feature right away, the lips most often, a hyaluronic acid filler such as Juvederm® or Restylane® is the better tool, and it stays adjustable afterward. For lines of expression, neurotoxin does that work. Your provider will sort out which belongs in your plan at the consultation.
Biostimulator Brands We Offer
| Brand | What it is | Typically lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Sculptra® | Poly-L-lactic acid; prompts your own collagen, building gradually across a short series of sessions. | Two years or more. |
| Radiesse® | Calcium hydroxylapatite; some structure the same day, then your own collagen builds over the months that follow. | Commonly a year or more. |
Looking for Juvederm®, Restylane®, or Revanesse®? Learn more about our dermal fillers.
Good to Know
- Results build over months rather than days, and they are among the longest-lasting we offer.
- Sculptra® and Radiesse® are not hyaluronic acid fillers, so they cannot be dissolved the way hyaluronic acid can. That is one reason treatment starts conservatively, with a provider-led plan.
- Swelling, and sometimes a bruise, can last a few days; plan two to three weeks ahead of events.
- After Sculptra®, plan on a few days of simple at-home massage; your provider will show you exactly what to do.
- Collagen stimulation does not relax lines of expression; that is neurotoxin’s job, and your provider will tell you which applies.
- Your provider reviews your health history at the consultation to confirm collagen stimulation is a fit.
Injectable Safety & Product Authenticity
Every injectable we use is a prescription medicine, obtained only through authorized U.S. sources.
Injections are performed only by board-certified physicians and physician assistants. You can meet the team, and you can verify any Pennsylvania provider’s license through the state’s Pennsylvania Licensing System. More in our guide to verifying an injectable provider.
Mild swelling, tenderness, or a small bruise at the injection site is normal for a few days. For questions about how you are healing, call or text the office at 570-507-1451. For symptoms that need prompt attention, such as changes in vision or trouble swallowing, speaking, or breathing, seek medical care right away.
Collagen stimulation: common questions
Are biostimulators the same as fillers?
No. A hyaluronic acid filler adds new volume, and you see the result at the appointment. Sculptra® and Radiesse® are biostimulators: your own body produces the volume as collagen rebuilds, so the result appears over months and lasts longer. Different tools for different jobs, and the consultation exists to match the tool to the goal.
How soon will I see results?
With Radiesse®, some structure is visible right away. With Sculptra®, expect the change to appear over about two to three months, building with each session.
How long do results last?
Sculptra® results commonly last two years or more; Radiesse®, a year or more, depending on the area treated. Your provider will give you a specific expectation for the plan they recommend.
Is collagen stimulation right for me?
Collagen stimulation is not right for everyone. Your provider will recommend if an alternative treatment, such as hyaluronic acid filler, neurotoxin, or microneedling, would serve your goal better.
What is the downtime?
A few days of possible swelling or a small bruise, similar to other injectable treatments; most patients go about their day. Book two to three weeks ahead of an event you care about.
Helpful resources
Other Services We Offer
Neurotoxin
Botox®, Dysport®, and Xeomin® soften the look of fine lines and wrinkles by relaxing the small muscles that crease the skin.
Read moreDermal Fillers
Juvederm®, Restylane®, Revanesse®, Sculptra®, and Radiesse® add volume and definition, working to the proportions of your own face.
Read moreSkinPen® Microneedling
A treatment that helps your skin renew itself, smoothing fine lines, acne scars, and uneven texture.
Read moreSkinPen® Microneedling with PRP
SkinPen® microneedling with platelet-rich plasma prepared from your own blood.
Read morePRP for Hair
Platelet-rich plasma from your own blood, placed in the scalp where hair has started to thin.
Read moreMed-Grade Skin Care
Provider-recommended products that keep your skin healthy over the long term, chosen for your skin rather than for everyone’s.
Read moreEvery treatment is performed by a licensed medical provider
- Chris Connor, MD is our Medical Director, board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with a sub-specialty in Pain Medicine.
- Bailey McGloin, PA-C, Caitlin Mesko, PA-C, and Olivia Gentilezza, PA-C are Physician Assistants, each certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
We always start with a consultation, at 5 Morgan Highway, Suite 3, Scranton, PA 18508. Text or call 570-507-1451.
Schedule your visit with a licensed provider.
Board-certified physicians and physician assistants, at our Scranton office. Text or call 570-507-1451.