The Sculptra Gossip

Rumor has it that this age-old injectable is experiencing a comeback. XOXO.

- By Kathleen Hou

Images are for editorial purposes only. Model shown has no known association with Sculptra treatment.

It was early morning in London and my head swiveled as I heard someone say: "[This very famous person] did a whole year of Sculptra before her facelift." Later, at coffee, more gossip: "[A different famous person] Sculptra-ed their abs."

This decades-old injectable is seeing a resurgence, like a '90s actress comeback. "I use it in my office every day. I love it," says Daniel Belkin, MD, a dermatologist in New York City.

Sculptra is not a typical filler but a biostimulator that encourages the body to create collagen, a skin building block that diminishes with age. Made up of poly-L-lactic acid (similar to a suture material), Sculptra was originally used for countering HIV lipoatrophy, a condition that causes facial gauntness.