Sculptra in Singapore (童颜针), the Original PLLA Collagen Stimulator
Sculptra, known to most Chinese-speaking patients as 童颜针, is the original poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) collagen stimulator, in use since 1999 and carrying the longest research record of any biostimulator. It is used here to rebuild firmness and thickness in a face that has deflated. It is $1,800 a vial before GST, given as two to three sessions four to eight weeks apart, with no downtime beyond a day or two of swelling and a result that builds from four to six weeks and lasts up to two years. Treatment is performed by Dr Gerard Ee, MBBS (UK), MRCS (Edinburgh), PGDip Practical Dermatology (Cardiff).
Sculptra at a glance
| What it does | Prompts the skin to grow its own collagen across the cheeks, temples, jawline and lower face, restoring thickness and firmness that reads as the patient’s own face |
| Product | Sculptra by Galderma, poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), the collagen stimulator with twenty years of published research |
| Price | $1,800 a vial, before GST. Consultation and the three-month review included. |
| Sessions | Usually two to three, four to eight weeks apart. One maintenance session every twelve to eighteen months. |
| Time | About 45 minutes, including the anaesthetic cream |
| Results | From four to six weeks, clear at three months, lasting up to two years |
| Downtime | Swelling for a day or two, a possible bruise at the entry point. Patients work the same day. |
Who Sculptra is for
Sculptra suits a face that has lost fullness across the cheeks, temples and lower face and appears tired or hollow rather than lax, in a patient who wants it thicker and firmer over a wide area with no region appearing filled. Most patients treated with it are in their forties and fifties. It is the PLLA selected where volume loss or laxity is more advanced, whereas Loviselle is selected for the younger face that wants the most natural result.
It is not indicated for a face that has descended, which requires lifting with high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) before anything is added. It is not indicated for a single hollow that needs shape on the day, for which a filler or Ellanse is used. It is not injected into the lips or directly beneath the eyes, where the skin is too thin to conceal a nodule.
Why Sculptra is used here
The evidence base is the reason. Sculptra was the first collagen biostimulator, first used in Europe in 1999 and approved in the United States for facial volume loss in 2004 and for cosmetic use in 2009. It is the product on which most of the biostimulator research was conducted, including a European series of more than 2,500 patients, a randomised trial that followed patients for twenty-five months after treatment, and human biopsy studies showing new type I collagen at three and six months. Those papers are listed in the collagen biostimulator guide. Where a patient asks for the biostimulator with the deepest clinical record, Sculptra is that product.
The newer PLLA used here is Loviselle, which has a smooth microsphere particle and a shorter clinical history. Both are effective, and the choice between them is made at the consultation.
What happens at a Sculptra treatment
The consultation establishes whether a biostimulator is indicated and how many vials and sessions are required, and photographs are taken. Sculptra is reconstituted with sterile water at least a day in advance and with local anaesthetic on the day. Topical anaesthetic cream is applied for twenty to thirty minutes. The product is placed beneath the skin in a fan of passes with a blunt cannula from two or three small entry points, and the area is then massaged firmly for several minutes to distribute the particles evenly. The injections take fifteen to thirty minutes. Patients leave with a massage routine of five minutes, five times a day, for five days, and return at three months to compare photographs.
Sculptra price in Singapore
Sculptra is $1,800 a vial before GST, with the consultation and the three-month review included. A full mid-face in its forties usually requires one vial a session over two to three sessions, and a smaller area or a younger face may require only one. The vial count is agreed at the consultation before anything is reconstituted. Sculptra is quoted across Singapore from about $900 to $2,000 a vial, and the difference lies mostly in the dilution and in whether a doctor is injecting. The collagen biostimulator guide sets out the questions to ask.
Sculptra FAQ
How much does Sculptra cost in Singapore?
Sculptra is $1,800 a vial before GST, with consultation and review included. Most faces require one vial a session over two to three sessions.
How many Sculptra sessions do I need?
Usually two to three sessions, four to eight weeks apart, followed by one maintenance session every twelve to eighteen months.
When will I see results?
Results appear from four to six weeks and are clear at three months. There is no genuine result on the day, and the swelling from the reconstitution fluid settles within a day or two.
How long does Sculptra last?
Up to two years after a course. In the controlled trial patients were still improved at twenty-five months. The collagen that has been grown belongs to the patient and then ages normally.
Does Sculptra hurt?
Less than a filler. Topical anaesthetic cream is applied, anaesthetic is mixed into the product, and a cannula is used through two or three entry points. What patients report is pressure and a dull ache during the massage.
Is there downtime?
Swelling for a day or two and a possible bruise are usual. Patients work the same day.
Can Sculptra cause lumps?
Yes, where it is under-diluted, poorly placed or not massaged. Adequate dilution, a cannula, avoidance of the lips and the under-eye, and the five-day massage routine keep the rate low. Nodules that form are usually invisible and resolve over months.
Sculptra vs Loviselle, which should I choose?
Both are PLLA. Sculptra suits a face with more volume loss or laxity and carries twenty years of research. Loviselle suits the younger face that wants the most natural result. Both are offered here, and the choice is made at consultation.
Can Sculptra be dissolved?
No. Unlike hyaluronic acid there is no dissolving injection, and the treatment is therefore given conservatively and reviewed rather than delivered all at once.
Can I combine it with HIFU or fillers?
Yes. HIFU is performed first and Sculptra follows, on the same day or two to four weeks later. A hyaluronic acid filler for a discrete hollow can be placed on the same day or a few weeks apart.
Who performs the treatment
Dr Gerard Ee, MBBS (UK), MRCS (Edinburgh), PGDip Practical Dermatology (Cardiff). He trained and practised in orthopaedic surgery at Singapore General Hospital and the National University Hospital before moving into aesthetic medicine, and is the author of sixteen peer-reviewed papers, thirteen of them indexed in PubMed.
More about the training is on the about page, and the published work is listed on the publications page.
Where to find us
50 Raffles Place, #01-01 Singapore Land Tower, Singapore 048623. Telephone 6532 2048. Raffles Place MRT is a two-minute walk.
Monday to Friday, 10am to 8pm. Saturday, 10am to 5pm.
