SCULPTRA® | POLY-L-LACTIC ACID
Sculptra in Tokyo: Rebuild Volume, Don’t Just Fill It
For people tired of adding filler, then dissolving it, then starting again
Korea Minyoung Clinic Ginza | Doctor licensed in Japan and Korea
Sculptra does not replace lost volume with a substance. Its PLLA works like scaffolding, prompting your skin to make its own collagen, and the PLLA itself is gradually broken down and absorbed.
- US FDA approved (2004)
- CE marked in Europe
- Not approved in Japan
This is private (self-pay) treatment, not covered by Japanese public health insurance. The Sculptra we use is not approved in Japan. Please read the information on unapproved products.
IN SHORT
Sculptra suits volume loss over a wide area, built back slowly over two to three sessions. It cannot be dissolved, so we never inject a lot at once.
From ¥33,000 per cc including tax, or ¥22,000 and ¥11,000 per cc with our monitor plans. Prices are the same for visitors and residents.
Why people come to us
The area around the nasolabial folds and the corners of the mouth moves a great deal, and the skin there is thin. Simply filling the groove often isn’t enough.
It felt like a lump, or seemed to have moved, so it was reversed with an enzyme.
The upper cheek looked heavy. This tends to happen when the real cause is sagging or lost volume in the cheeks.
They would rather improve little by little over months than change all at once.
Not one line, but volume lost across the cheeks, temples or whole face.
The same fold can have different causes: sagging or lost volume in the cheek, the quality of the skin, facial movement, or bone structure. We use our own Minyoung E-Sign assessment to identify the cause and its severity before deciding whether Sculptra is right for you.
How it differs from hyaluronic acid
The two work on different principles. One is not better than the other. What matters is choosing with the difference in mind.
| Hyaluronic acid | Sculptra® (PLLA) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Fills physically with a substance | Prompts your own collagen production |
| When you see it | Usually from the same day | Gradually, over weeks to months |
| What keeps the result | The injected gel stays in place and holds volume | PLLA acts as scaffolding while your own collagen grows; the PLLA is broken down and absorbed |
| Can it be reversed? | Yes, with hyaluronidase | No, so it is given in small amounts over several sessions |
| Suits | Targeted, localised volume | Overall laxity, hollowing, skin quality, wider areas |
Sculptra cannot be dissolved afterwards. That is exactly why we don’t rush it. Going slowly is this treatment’s safety device.
It is not always one or the other. We often design treatment that combines the two.
Rebuilding the structure
We think of firm skin in three layers, a framework we call Skin Architecture. Sculptra works on the middle one.
Texture, hydration, fineness. The layer that makes the surface look good.
The scaffolding of firmness and elasticity. When this thins, polishing the surface rarely brings firmness back.
Fat and bone, the base everything rests on.
Move through time
The moment people misunderstand most is right after the injection. Move the slider to see what actually happens to the volume.
Volume has been lost over time, in the cheeks, temples or around the mouth.
An illustration only. The timing, degree and duration of change vary between individuals, and not everyone follows the same course.
Treatment details and prices
The areas, amount and plan are decided by a doctor after your consultation and E-Sign assessment.
| Areas | Around the nasolabial folds, the corners of the mouth (marionette lines), hollow cheeks, temples, tear-trough-to-cheek lines, the jawline. Not recommended for thin, delicate areas such as around the eyes or the lips. |
| Sessions | Usually two to three sessions as one course, four to six weeks apart. Further sessions are considered after the course, depending on your skin. |
| When you see change | Change usually begins at four to six weeks and becomes clear at around three months. |
| How long it lasts | Clinically reported to last around two years. It varies with constitution, age and lifestyle, and is not permanent. |
| Treatment time | 【所要時間を記入】 (excluding anaesthesia) |
| Anaesthesia | Numbing cream, ¥3,300 (incl. tax) |
| Daily life | Possible from the same day. Bruising and swelling vary between individuals. |
| Consultation fee | ¥2,200 (incl. tax) |
Regular
¥33,000per cc, incl. taxNo photos are taken or published.
Partial monitor
¥22,000per cc, incl. taxYou agree to photos of the treated area only being taken and published. This does not include areas that could identify you, such as your eyes.
Full-face monitor
¥11,000per cc, incl. taxYou agree to photos of your whole face being taken and published. Where, in which media and for how long are agreed individually in writing beforehand.
The amount you need depends on how much volume has been lost and where. Because a course is usually two to three sessions, the total is the number of cc per session multiplied by the number of sessions. We give you an estimate of the total at your consultation, and only start once you are happy with it.
Other costs (incl. tax): consultation fee ¥2,200, cannula fee ¥5,500, numbing cream ¥3,300.
Monitor prices require your written consent to photographs being taken and published, including the media, period and area. Photos are taken three times: before treatment, right after treatment, and one month later, under conditions kept as consistent as possible. They are published with the treatment, amount, cost and main risks.
A deposit of ¥10,000 is required for monitor plans, and refunded once your one-month photographs have been taken.
If you would rather not be a monitor, you can choose the regular price, or check our monthly campaigns for current offers.
A monitor plan does not guarantee results. You can withdraw consent at any time, and we will remove the photos promptly. Monitor places are limited, and a doctor decides whether you are suitable.
Your treatment, step by step
- Consultation and E-Sign assessment
We check your filler history, when anything was dissolved, and whether any filler remains. We assess the type and severity of your folds from how your face moves.
- Design in three layers
We find which layer needs work, foundation, structure or finish, and plan from the cause rather than simply filling the groove.
- Topical anaesthetic
Applied for around 20 to 30 minutes.
- Injection
A well-diluted product, injected into the appropriate layers in stages.
- Massage aftercare
Because it helps reduce the risk of nodules, we always explain how and for how long to massage.
- Review at 4 to 6 weeks
We check your response and decide whether, and how much, to inject next.
If you are visiting Tokyo, keep in mind that a course means returning every four to six weeks. Tell us your travel plans and we will think about timing with you.
Risks and who should not have it
Results vary between individuals, and the following can occur. We always explain them at your consultation.
- Bruising, swelling, pain or itching at the injection site, usually settling within a few days to two weeks.
- Rarely, nodules (lumps). Injection depth, dilution and insufficient massage afterwards play a part, so treatment by an experienced doctor and following the aftercare instructions are important.
- Infection and inflammation. Rarely, granulomas.
- If injected into a blood vessel, serious adverse events such as tissue necrosis or loss of vision can occur.
- Not suitable for: people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, allergic to any ingredient, or have infection or inflammation at the injection site, and anyone a doctor judges unsuitable.
- Safety not established for: people prone to keloids, pigmentation or hypertrophic scars.
Important information on unapproved products
- Not approved in Japan
- The Sculptra we use has not received regulatory approval in Japan.
- How we obtain it
- Imported personally by our doctor, under the doctor’s responsibility.
- Approved equivalents in Japan
- There is no approved product in Japan with the same ingredient (PLLA).
- Safety information abroad
- Sculptra was approved by the US FDA in 2004 and is also used in Europe and elsewhere. However, as a personally imported product, it is not covered by Japan’s Relief System for Adverse Drug Reactions if a serious health problem occurs.
Frequently asked questions
I dissolved my filler recently. Can I start Sculptra straight away?
After hyaluronidase, your tissue needs time to settle. We check when the filler was dissolved and how things look now, then suggest when to start.
My face looked fuller right after the injection, then went back. Has it stopped working?
No. That is the expected course. The fullness right after injection comes from the water used to dilute the product and settles within a few days. The real change usually begins after four to six weeks and becomes clear at around three months.
Can Sculptra be dissolved later?
No. Unlike hyaluronic acid, there is no enzyme to reverse it. That is why we never inject a lot at once and build up gradually over several sessions.
Does Sculptra work for nasolabial folds?
It depends on the cause. It tends to suit folds driven by sagging or lost volume in the cheeks. Where facial movement is the main factor, or the fold is very deep, Sculptra alone may not be enough. We decide at your consultation.
Can lumps form?
Rarely, nodules can form. Injection depth, dilution and massage afterwards all play a part, so treatment by an experienced doctor and following the aftercare instructions help reduce the risk.
Is it safe to use a product that is not approved in Japan?
It is true that Sculptra is not approved in Japan. We explain its approval status abroad, the reported risks, and that Japan’s relief system does not apply, and you decide once you are satisfied. If you would rather not, we will suggest other options.
Are prices different for international patients?
No. Prices are the same for international patients and patients living in Japan.
Find the cause first, then design the treatment
Whether old filler remains, whether now is the right time, and which layer needs work. We decide all of that at your consultation. Send us a photo to start.
- Consultation ¥2,200
- Photo consultation OK
- English, Japanese, Korean
- 1 min from Ginza Station, Exit B4
10:00–18:00, closed Mondays
8F & 9F Tenshodo Building, 4-3-9 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
This treatment is private (self-pay) medical care and is not covered by Japanese public health insurance. This page provides general medical information and does not guarantee individual diagnosis or results. Results, course and risks vary between individuals; details are explained by a doctor at your consultation.
“Minyoung E-Sign”, “perioral drape classification” and “Skin Architecture” are diagnostic, classification and design concepts used by our clinic.
