Sculptra Care Instructions

Sculptra is a collagen biostimulator, not a filler. It does not add volume on the day; it prompts your own collagen to rebuild over the following weeks. Everything you need to know before and after your treatment.

This page is for Sculptra — injectable poly-L-lactic acid. Fillers are not interchangeable and the aftercare genuinely differs between them — if you were treated with something else, ask us for the right sheet rather than following this one.

Before your treatment

Preparation is the same bruising-avoidance as any injectable. The part that matters most with Sculptra comes afterwards, and it is the opposite of what people expect from filler — you will be asked to massage the area, not leave it alone.

One week before

  • Avoid NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and Advil, fish oil, Gingko Biloba, St John's Wort and high-dose vitamin E — all of them increase the risk of bruising.
  • Never stop a prescribed medication without your physician's approval.

Twenty-four hours before

  • No alcohol.

On the day

  • Arrive with clean, makeup-free skin so we can assess the area properly.
  • Eat something beforehand.
  • Give us as much notice as you can if you need to move your appointment — your Sculptra is mixed and left to stand well in advance of your visit.

Please tell us before we begin

  • Severe allergies, or any history of a severe allergic reaction
  • A known allergy to poly-L-lactic acid, carboxymethylcellulose or mannitol
  • A history of keloid or raised, thickened scarring — or any risk factor for it
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Active infection, sores or inflamed skin anywhere near the treatment area
  • Blood thinners or a bleeding disorder
  • Immunosuppressant medication

Sculptra has not been studied in people under eighteen, or in pregnancy and breastfeeding, so we do not treat in those situations. A history of keloid or hypertrophic scarring rules Sculptra out entirely — tell us even if it was years ago and somewhere else on your body.

Plan your downtime. Sculptra is a course, not a single appointment: most people need two to three sessions at least three to four weeks apart, and in the US clinical study results lasted up to twenty-five months after the last session. Bruising, swelling, redness and tenderness usually settle within a few hours to a few days, though they can last fourteen days or longer.

After your treatment

The 5-5-5 rule, for five days

  • Massage the treated area for five minutes, five times a day, for five days.
  • This is not optional and it is not cosmetic fussing — massage is how the product is spread evenly through the tissue, and it lowers the chance of lumps forming later.
  • Set five alarms on your phone before you leave us. Almost everyone who misses days misses them by forgetting, not by deciding.

For the first twenty-four hours

  • Apply ice, or an ice pack wrapped in cloth, to help with swelling. Never put ice straight onto your skin.
  • Avoid or keep to a minimum any hard, strenuous exercise.
  • Avoid extensive sun, UV lamps, tanning beds and extreme temperatures.

Makeup

  • You can apply makeup several hours after treatment.

Looking flat again after a few days is normal. You may leave us looking fuller than you expected — that is the fluid the product is mixed with, and it goes down within several hours to a few days. You will then look much as you did before. This is not the treatment failing. Judge Sculptra in weeks, not days.

Rare, but treat it as an emergency: changes in your vision, a white appearance of the skin, unusual pain during or shortly after treatment, or any sign of a stroke — sudden difficulty speaking, numbness or weakness in the face, arms or legs, difficulty walking, face drooping, severe headache, dizziness or confusion. Call us immediately on (949) 998-5501 — phone, not text — or go straight to an emergency room.

Call or text us right away if

  • a lump or bump appears in the treated area. These can show up one to two months after treatment and sometimes much later, they are usually treatable, and we would far rather see one early.
  • swelling or bruising is getting worse rather than settling after forty-eight hours.
  • you develop spreading redness, warmth, pus or a fever — these are signs of infection.

General guidance only; it does not replace the advice your practitioner gives you. If you are unsure about a health condition or medication, speak to your physician. For any isolated adverse reaction, seek medical assistance.

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Aurora MD Aesthetics & Head Spa
21224 Beach Blvd, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
(949) 998-5501 — call or text · hello@auroramdspa.com

Questions or concerns at any point in your recovery? Call or text us on (949) 998-5501 — we would always rather hear from you early.