Poly-L-Lactic Acid was first used in cosmetic surgery as dissolving sutures. Plastic surgeons found that having sutures dissolve on their own (vs. physically removing them) created better scars, but it wasn’t just because they weren’t disrupting the wound during its healing process to remove the stitches – it was also because as these stitches dissolved, the body laid down collagen in their place.
Collagen forms the structural support mesh in the deepest layers of the skin. Replenishing and restoring collagen creates skin that is bouncier, firmer, tighter, smoother, and more youthful, naturally. So naturally, this discovery that PLA could be used to get the body to build more collagen has been used in several applications for cosmetic outcomes.
Silhouette InstaLift is the most popular other PLA cosmetic treatment at use in the U.S. currently. These dissolving lifting threads can be used in combination with Sculptra to create an immediate lifting effect that builds new collagen to support tissue into maintaining this new, lifted position.