POLY-L-LACTIC ACID (PLLA)
Sculptra Aftercare
Sculptra works gradually. Temporary swelling, tenderness, redness, pain, bruising, bleeding, itching or small lumps may occur after treatment, while the collagen-stimulating result develops over time.
Quick recovery priorities
- Follow the instructions for the exact product, device and treatment area you received.
- Keep treated sites clean and avoid unnecessary rubbing, picking or pressure.
- Do not use this page to self-diagnose a complication. If something feels significantly wrong or is worsening, contact THCB or seek appropriate medical care.
Massage: 5-5-5
- Unless your treating provider gave you different instructions, massage the treated area for 5 minutes, 5 times a day, for 5 days. This is the manufacturer’s commonly published 5-5-5 guidance.
- Use clean hands and firm but comfortable pressure. If your provider excluded a particular area from massage, follow that individualized instruction.
- Stop and contact THCB if massage causes significant pain or you notice a concerning skin-color change.
First 24 hours
- A cloth-wrapped cold pack may be used for a few minutes at a time for ordinary swelling. Never apply ice directly to skin.
- Official Sculptra guidance advises avoiding excessive sunlight and ultraviolet exposure until initial swelling and redness have resolved.
- If there are no complications, official guidance notes that makeup can generally be resumed after several hours; follow your provider’s specific instruction.
What to expect
- Early post-treatment fullness partly reflects injection fluid and swelling and is not the final collagen result.
- Visible improvement develops progressively over the following weeks. A treatment plan may involve a series rather than a single visit.
- Keep scheduled treatment-series and follow-up appointments so response can be assessed over time.
- Contact THCB for persistent or enlarging lumps, worsening redness or pain, drainage, skin discoloration or delayed swelling.
Get urgent medical help now if you notice
- Severe or unusual pain, white/gray/blue or mottled skin, vision symptoms, or neurologic symptoms.
- Rapidly worsening swelling with difficulty breathing or swallowing.
- Signs of a severe allergic reaction.
If you have trouble breathing, signs of stroke, sudden vision loss/change, or another potentially life-threatening symptom, call 911 or seek emergency care rather than waiting for an app response.
Questions after treatment?
For non-emergency concerns, contact The House Call Beauty at 415-780-1854. If THCB gave you treatment-specific written instructions that differ from this general guide, follow those individualized instructions.
This page is general patient education. It does not replace individualized medical advice, examination, diagnosis, treatment or emergency care.
Safety sources
Last reviewed: August 15, 2026.