Sculptra · Upper East Side, New York

Sculptra in NYC

Support that builds slowly, with your own biology.

When a face has lost structure across several areas, rather than volume in one spot, Sculptra helps your skin build its own collagen over the following months. I do every Sculptra injection myself.

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or call (212) 772-0740

Who injects: Dr. Day, every time
How it works: Helps build your own collagen
Sessions: Most need 3, about 6 weeks apart
Results: Build over months
Downtime: Short-lived bruising or swelling

What Sculptra can do for you

Sculptra is an injectable made of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), a material used in medicine for decades. It is often called a biostimulator, because instead of filling space directly, it prompts your skin to build its own collagen over the following months.

Sculptra

Builds gradually over several months and treats broader areas. It can't be dissolved.

Hyaluronic acid fillers

An immediate result in a specific area, and they can be dissolved if needed.

Radiesse

Immediate volume, with collagen support forming over time.

Why faces change with age

When women tell me they want to look as rested as they feel, they are usually noticing several changes at once. The facial bones slowly resorb in predictable areas, such as around the eye sockets and the midface. The fat pads shift. And the skin makes less collagen, a change that speeds up in the first years after menopause. A filler placed in one line can't address all of that. Sculptra is designed to help rebuild support more broadly over time.

Combining Sculptra with other treatments

Many of my patients do best with both: Sculptra for overall support and a hyaluronic acid filler for precise detail. I also often pair injectables with neuromodulators for expression lines, or with Sofwave when skin laxity is part of the picture. See how injectables compare with surgery in face fillers vs. plastic surgery.

Is Sculptra right for you?

Sculptra suits you if you've noticed a gradual loss of support across your face, and you'd like a change that builds quietly over months rather than overnight.

Cheeks · Temples · Cheek wrinkles · Overall facial support

Sculptra is not right for everyone. I'll review your medical history, medications and any past reactions before we decide.

What to expect

I
We look together
We look at your face together, and you tell me your goals and the features you love. Mostly, I listen.
Our Upper East Side office is at 10 East 70th Street, Suite 1C, a block from Central Park.
II
Your plan for the year
I do a full assessment, studying your face at rest and while you talk. Then I walk you through your complete plan, from skin care and your at-home routine to in-office treatments, and map it into a calendar for the year so you can plan ahead and look forward to every visit. My assistant takes notes, reviews the plan with you and gives you a printed copy, plus one by email, before you leave.
III
Treatment, then follow-up
I numb the skin and place Sculptra in small amounts in the areas we agreed on, and I do every Sculptra injection myself. Most patients need 3 sessions spaced about 6 weeks apart. To keep things smooth, avoid scheduling injections right before a dental cleaning or major dental work, or within two weeks of a vaccine. Afterward we stay in touch and follow your calendar together, helping you reach your goals and making every decade your most beautiful best.

Results that build with you

You may look a bit fuller right after treatment because of the water used to mix the product, and that fades within days. The real change builds over the next few months as collagen forms. In the main cheek-wrinkle study, 70.7% of treated patients were rated as responders at month 12, compared with 25.9% of untreated patients. How long your result lasts depends on your age, your skin and how you care for it.

Sculptra and menopause

Menopause is a time when many women come to me to restore facial volume. Yet most studies of fillers and devices don't analyze results by menopausal status or hormone therapy use, which is a real gap in our field. I am the principal investigator on a multicenter study sponsored by Galderma, the maker of Sculptra, that looks at how skin responds to Sculptra before and after menopause. There are no results yet. Read more on menopause skin.

Why experience matters here

Because Sculptra builds gradually and can't be dissolved, it's planned carefully and placed in small amounts. I'm a master injector, injecting for over 25 years, and I map every session to your face and your calendar.

Risks and side effects

The most common effects, bruising, swelling and tenderness, are short-lived. Small bumps under the skin (papules or nodules) can occur, and rarely granulomas, which are inflammatory lumps that can appear later. As with any injectable, an accidental injection into a blood vessel is rare but serious and can cause skin damage or vision problems. This is why technique, anatomy knowledge and an experienced injector matter.

Your questions, answered

Who does the Sculptra injections?

I do, every time.

What is Sculptra?

An injectable made of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA). It's often called a biostimulator, because it prompts your skin to build its own collagen over the following months instead of filling space directly.

Is Sculptra a filler?

Sculptra is an injectable that is regulated as a dermal filler, but it works differently from hyaluronic acid. It helps your skin restore its own collagen, rather than filling a space directly.

How long does Sculptra take to work?

Sculptra works gradually. Any early fullness from the injection fades within days, and the change from new collagen builds over the following months.

How many Sculptra sessions will I need?

It depends on your face and goals. Most of my patients need 3 sessions spaced about 6 weeks apart. In the main clinical study for cheek wrinkles, patients had up to four. I'll recommend a number at your consultation.

Can Sculptra be dissolved?

No. Unlike hyaluronic acid fillers, it can't be dissolved with an enzyme, which is why it's planned carefully and built gradually.

Sculptra or hyaluronic acid filler?

Hyaluronic acid fillers give an immediate result in a specific area and can be dissolved. Sculptra builds gradually over several months and treats broader areas. Many patients do best with both.

What are the risks of Sculptra?

Common side effects are bruising, swelling and tenderness. Less often, small bumps or nodules form under the skin. Rare risks include granulomas and injection into a blood vessel.

Can I combine Sculptra with other treatments?

Yes. Many patients combine Sculptra with hyaluronic acid fillers, neuromodulators or skin-tightening devices. I'll plan the order and timing with you.

Can Sculptra help the temples and lower face?

Yes. Sculptra builds collagen gradually, which makes it a lovely choice for softly restoring hollow temples and supporting the jawline and lower face. Results appear over a series of visits, so the change looks natural and still like you.

Where is the office?

We're at 10 East 70th Street, Suite 1C, between Fifth and Madison Avenues on Manhattan's Upper East Side, a block from Central Park. Call (212) 772-0740 to plan your visit, in person or virtual.

Medically reviewed by Doris Day, MD, FAAD · Last reviewed October 10, 2026

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