Study: PLLA-SCA Induces Adipogenesis and Volumization of the Hip Dell
Injecting poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA-SCA) is a safe and effective method for durable volumization and aesthetic improvement of the hip dell, and may promote adipogenesis and elastogenesis, according to a new study published in Dermatologic Surgery.
“People have used Sculptra for years, but we were always curious why we saw volumetric changes in the face and the butt, if only collagen was to blame,” study co-author Sabrina G. Fabi, MD, said in a LinkedIn post about the article.
The investigators conducted a double-blinded, split-body trial of 15 female patients with hip dell volume deficits, randomizing each to have one hip dell treated with 150 mg of PLLA-SCA and the contralateral hip dell receiving the equivalent volume of saline. Each patient received three monthly treatments and were followed for 9 months. Assessments included physician global aesthetic improvement scale, ultrasonography, and histologic examination. Blinded investigators rated PLLA-SCA–treated hip dells as improved and much improved. The dermis and adipose layers increased in thickness by 26.1% and 27%.
“These measures, in addition to collagen and elastic fiber quality, were significantly improved compared with saline-treated hip dells, which did not change from baseline,” the investigators wrote. “Subject satisfaction was also significantly greater on the PLLA-SCA–treated side. No subject experienced significant adverse effects.”