w: Sculptra and Artefill comments - USA

[Guest guest]

Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T

Re: Sculptra and Artefill comments - USA

Hello Edena,

I do not know you and am sorry your facial wasting is back with a

vengence. But felt I needed to share my experience of using Sculptra

to give some balance along side your experience. I too was at a stage

of mild to severe facial wasting and had 7 Sculptra treatments. It

made a huge difference and boosted my self esteem! I received the drug

for free and only payed the $275.00 doctors fee for each visit.

I made sure i had the money as it was well worth it. Yes it's a bit

uncomfortable getting needle pokes in the face, but not as bad as a

dental visit! The soreness and " Possible " bruising was not much to

write home about. Heck a few times i had no bruising what so ever! In

any event i went 18 months before i needed a touch up, and it was only

4 or 5 visits. My face is much fuller and natural looking, there was

no pain or throbbing afterward s as you stated for yourself. The

bottom line for us all is to do all the research we can on any given

drug or product and then research the doctor's who administer those

products. Just my 2-cents worth. Good luck with the Artefill, i will

go check into that product as well.

Thanks Jeff

>

>

> I travelled out-of-state and did a total of 16 injections of

sculptra over a few years - participating in the studies, etc.  I

would tell you to not expect any long lasting results.  It was

extremely expensive (even with the patient assistance program)

considering the short-term results.  I started my treatments in 2002

- and I know it sounds like a long time, but 16 injections and six

years later - I am done with Sculptra - as all my improvements are

gone.  The Dr. did tell me I was an unusual case, but I cannot

endorse this product personally any longer.  If I have to do

thousands of dollars for touch-ups yearly - then what's the point? 

For the dollars I spent, and now I'm back to the original stage I

started in - just a few years later.  It's not just about the money

- it's also about the PAIN that goes with Sculptra injections and the

3-5 days of bruising and throbbing.  I would say, I would learn to

live with my face and save money for something more permanent. 

Definitely do not take D4t or DDi - those are the two that killed my

looks. 

>

>

>  

>

>

> I just started Artefill in the US - and the costs are not as bad as

some website states.  I paid $1000. for a .8 syringe and we will

probably do about 6 total, maybe more depending on how much more I

want to do (or how vain).  It can also be used on your nose.  My

nose got much thinner with lipoatrophy as well.  My20new Dr. said it

could be used in my temple area as well.  He won't even inject

Sculptra anymore - says he hates to see patients throw their money

away needlessly. 

>

>

> I heard that Artefill (Artes Medical) has filed for bankruptcy.  I

have asked my Dr. to hold 7-9 more syringes from his available stock,

just in case it becomes completely unavailable.  Hopefully some other

company will see the value in a permanent product and buy the product

rights.  Can someone confirm this?

>

>

>  

>

>

> I still have hope for something permanent and natural - I have not

heard or spoken with anyone who did implants that was completely

satisfied.  Their comment was that with fillers were still necessary

even with implants.

>

>

>  

>

>

> So - I start my next round of thousands of dollars on PMMA/Artefill

and will hope for the best.  First set of injections was not nearly

as painful or deep as Sculptra and found that the 16 mg of valium I

usually take with Sculptra probably wasn't  necessary.  This might

also have something to do with different injection techniques and

smaller needles...  Dr. said the formula used in the USA is more pure

than the one used in Europe.  I did have to do a skin test for bovine

collagen, as it was described to be to be the suspension that holds

the PMMA particles in place - the bovine collagen eventually gets

absorbed, leaving behind PMMA product that your body creates collagen

to surround.  This 'collagen surrounded product' is s

> upposedly permanent.

>

>

>  

>

>

> http://www.artesmedical.com/

>

>

>  

>

>

> Stay tuned, I will try to let you know how it goes and how

'permanent' and natural looking it is - as even I'm a bit sceptical.

>

>

>  

>

>

> Back to original state of desperation,

>

>

> Adena

>

>

>  

>