By Marissa Abdo and Morgan Renfro
Recent advances in facial anatomy have increased the understanding of the facial aging process, leading to more natural aesthetic outcomes. An important piece to treating facial aging is the lateral face, including the often-neglected temporal region. Revolumization of the lateral face allows for lifting of the facial structures, using the line of ligaments as a natural anatomical boundary separating the lateral and medial face and identifying fat compartments to guide treatment.
To address the whole lateral portion of the face, we use a technique called the Sculptra Lateral Lift using injectable Sculptra Aesthetic (poly-l-lactic acid, PLLA). The collagen-stimulating properties of PLLA provide global volumization in this area, resulting in a natural lift and overall more youthful appearance.
The Procedure
Sculptra is a biostimulator that restores and promotes healthy collagen production, producing global volumization that can stimulate up to 1 to 2 mm of skin thickness per treatment. Sculptra works beautifully in the temple, lateral cheek and preauricular space, concentrating behind our facial retaining ligaments to pull the face straight up. This technique produces lifting and tightening without adding width or giving an overfilled appearance.
As former team members of Dr. 90210 in Beverly Hills, Marissa Abdo, MS, RN, CANS, and Morgan Renfro, RN, CANS, have combined their expertise to create Lumen + Bevel Aesthetics, an aesthetic practice based in Scottsdale, AZ. They specialize exclusively in nonsurgical injectable treatments and are also national trainers for Allergan and Galderma.
