TO BANISH WRINKLES A patient being treated with Sculptra in the office of Dr. Z. Paul Lorenc, a plastic surgeon in Manhattan who uses it to fill in sunken cheeks, among other purposes.

SCULPTRA, a long-lasting filler that has been used since 2004 to plump the cheeks of H.I.V.-positive patients with facial wasting, is finally having its cosmetic debut. In July, the Food and Drug Administration approved Sculptra Aesthetic — as the cosmetic version is named — for use to improve the appearance of nose-to-lip wrinkles (think Jack Nicholson’s Joker), horizontal chin wrinkles and so-called marionette lines that frame lips.

But that is not to say Sculptra is a new-to-the-ball debutante. Since 2004, Sculptra has been used off-label not only to tame stubborn skin folds but also to add volume to cheeks and temples withered by time. Now that Sculptra has been approved for some cosmetic uses, plastic surgeons and dermatologists are expecting a surge of interest.

Previously, little prevented a dermatologist or plastic surgeon from recommending Sculptra to a patient gaunt from exercise or distressed by hollow cheeks. In fact, last year, plastic surgeons and other doctors treated nearly 80,000 patients with Sculptra, up from 46,732 in 2005, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Sculptra has already won over some doctors and patients. One advantage is its longevity; it can last up to two years once an optimal result is achieved, while alternative fillers including Restylane, Juvéderm and Evolence generally last a year or less. Another advantage is Sculptra’s ability to address broader depressions like sunken cheeks.

Laura Coco has been heading to Dr. Z. Paul Lorenc’s Park Avenue plastic surgery office for a number of years. But these days instead of surgery, she’s opting for less invasive, less expensive fillers due to the shaky economy.

“I decided to hold off and see how things go. Who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow. So I decided to go with fillers, because I know that will freshen me up for at least a year, and then I can decide, get the surgery, like a year or so, as long as things are going well,” said Coco.

Dr. Lorenc said during the economic downturn, his office has definitely been seeing more patients practice a similar amount of caution.

“What we have seen is patients, for instance in the past would come in for a surgical procedure, have transitioned, some of them, not all of them, but some of them to non-surgical approaches, fillers, lower toxins. And some of the patients that have come in for fillers, lower toxins, have transitioned into even simpler procedures,” said Lorenc.

Dr. Alan Gold, president of the American Society for Aesthetic Surgery said it’s a trend that’s happening across the board.

“We have seen in a poll taken for the American Society for Aesthetic Surgery, in our members, we have seen approximately 50 percent, a little over 50 percent in our members have reported a downturn in their practices as a result of the downturn in the economy,” said Gold.

In the midst of a recession, Dr. Lorenc’s practice has implemented a fancy term for discount, they call it “compassionate pricing”.

We care about our finances, and we care about our patients finances. And if we can help someone make the decision, maybe they will not be able to have surgery today, but let’s give them something to make them feel better. By giving them a compassionate pricing program it helps them to say, maybe I can afford it,” said Lorraine Russo, Executive Director, Lorenc Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

According to Dr. Gold, the demand in the field of plastic surgery will always be there.

“When we see the economy turn around, whenever that may be, I think that you are going to see an abrupt uptick higher than what we usually see, because that is pent up demand. People will say, okay, I can’t have a surgery this year, or in this last six months. But six months to a year from now, they are still going to be interested and are still going to pursue that concept of having surgery,” said Gold.

Reposted from NY1