Clinical Experience of Body Contouring Treatment with Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA)
Clinical data on body contouring treatment with poly-L-lactic acid are sparsely reported in published literature. This report describes the lead author’s clinical experience of body contouring treatment with poly-L-lactic acid in various anatomic locations.
Methods/Technique:
Twenty consecutive patients undergoing body contouring treatments with PLLA (Sculptra Aesthetic, Galderma Laboratories, L.P., USA) were prospectively followed. All treatments were performed at a single clinic between February 2017 and February 2019. Treatment details such as reconstitution, injection volume, and dosage were documented. Treatment outcomes were assessed independently by patients and the treating physician via comparison of pre- and post-treatment photographs taken at baseline and after the final treatment session. Improvement was defined as volumization and/or increased visible fullness of the injected area. Agreement between patient-reported and physician-reported outcome was required for the treatment area to be rated as improved. Adverse events were recorded during treatment and follow-up visits.
Results/Complications:
Twenty patients (85% women) received poly-L-lactic acid for body contouring treatments such as volumization of buttocks, cellulite, and skin quality treatment. In most patients (65%), poly-L-lactic acid treatment was administered to correct post-surgical soft tissue deformities. Overall, patients had a mean of 5.1 treatment sessions in a mean of 1.4 anatomic locations. The most commonly treated anatomic locations were buttocks (80% of patients), thighs (20% of patients), and abdomen (15% of patients). 5%-10% of patients were treated in other anatomic locations (knee, arm, hand, and supraumbilical concavity). Dosage and injection volume varied between patients depending on anatomic location and desired outcome. Most treatment sessions (86%) resulted in improvement of the treated area. Adverse events included bruising, edema, numbness, and tenderness. One patient (5%) reported a nodule of mild severity which resolved spontaneously after 38 days.
Conclusion:
According to the lead author’s clinical experience, PLLA injection is effective and well-tolerated when used for body contouring treatments in appropriate patients. Preliminary data suggests PLLA may be a viable nonsurgical option for correcting post-surgical body contouring deformities.