How tweakments are changing
Why Sculptra is part of a move towards looking like yourself, only fresher
Unlike a traditional hyaluronic acid filler, Sculptra is a regenerative biostimulator. In simple terms, it works by stimulating your body’s own collagen and elastin production, so the results appear gradually rather than all at once.
For anyone nervous about looking noticeably ‘done’, the idea is that you don’t suddenly emerge from an appointment with a different face. Instead, Sculptra works over time to improve skin quality, supporting the things our skin naturally starts to lose as we age, like collagen and elastin.
During the vodcast, Mary explains, “This is a regenerative stimulator. This is a slower process. This is building that scaffolding. This is planting new seeds in the garden.”
Hannah has tried Sculptra herself. Like most people trying a new tweakment for the first time, she was understandably nervous beforehand - but found the experience far easier than she’d expected. “I had four sessions, she explains. “And I can confirm that it didn’t hurt, or leave any puffiness, and I wasn’t bruised. But it’s so important who you choose [as a practitioner].”
It leads to one of the most useful parts of the conversation: what you should actually expect when you walk into a clinic, from the initial consultation to the treatment itself and what happens afterwards.
Because, however commonplace tweakments might now seem, having one is still a personal decision. Both experts agree that a good consultation should be a conversation: a chance to talk about what you’d like to achieve, ask questions and understand the options available.
Rather than focusing on a particular treatment from the outset, the advice is to start with your goals and let the conversation develop from there. “Part of my role as a practitioner is actually guiding them to what would be better suited for them to achieve the goals that they’re trying to achieve,” explains Mary.
It’s a much more individual way of looking at aesthetics. After all, what works beautifully for one person might not be what another needs, whether you’re considering a regenerative treatment such as Sculptra or exploring other options.
In the latest woman&home loves vodcast episode, Editor-in-Chief Hannah Fernando sits down with aesthetics expert Mary Irving and leading practitioner Dr Ahmed El Muntasar to explore what this new era actually looks like, including the growing interest in regenerative treatments such as Sculptra and what they can offer.
Aesthetic treatments these days are less about dramatic transformations and more focused on gradual results for better skin, regeneration and individual looks
he aesthetic landscape is moving. After years of frozen foreheads and severe features, we’ve moved towards a more subtle approach. It’s less about looking noticeably different, and more about looking like yourself on a particularly good day. Rested, hydrated, and fresher-looking. And treatments such as Sculptra, which takes a gradual, regenerative approach by stimulating the skin’s own collagen and elastin production, are part of that shift.
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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GALDERMA
The rise of regenerative aesthetics
Discover more about Sculptra at sculptra.co.uk
Of course, collagen is only one part of the conversation when it comes to how skin changes with age. Hydration matters too, and that’s where Restylane Skinboosters come in.
While Sculptra takes that slower, regenerative approach, Restylane Skinboosters are designed to improve hydration, skin smoothness and overall skin quality. They can be used on areas including the face, neck and hands, and the experts discuss how the two treatments can play different roles within the same, personalised treatment plan. As Dr Ahmed explains, “It’s never one tool in the toolbox that gets us there. It’s usually a combination.”
It’s a useful reminder that there isn’t one definitive treatment for ‘better’ skin, just as there isn’t a particular birthday when we should all suddenly start thinking about aesthetics. What works for one person might be completely wrong for another, which is why the conversation you have before any treatment matters just as much as the treatment itself.
And perhaps that’s the biggest takeaway from Hannah’s conversation with Mary and Dr Ahmed. Looking after your skin as you get older doesn’t have to mean trying to make it look younger.
“Ageing is beautiful, and having signs of ageing is absolutely gorgeous,” says Dr Ahmed. “It’s all about making sure you look and feel your absolute best.”
And what about Restylane Skinboosters?
It’s never one tool in the toolbox that gets us there. It’s usually a combination.
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Ageing is beautiful, and having signs of ageing is absolutely gorgeous,” says Dr Ahmed. “It’s all about making sure you look and feel your absolute best.
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That feels like a much healthier way to think about the whole subject. Aesthetic treatments aren’t something you should have, nor is ageing a problem that needs fixing. But if you are curious about what’s available, understanding the options, asking the right questions and finding a practitioner you trust is a pretty good place to start.
Watch the full woman&home loves vodcast above to hear Hannah, Mary and Dr Ahmed talk Sculptra, Restylane Skinboosters and everything you might want to know before booking that first consultation.
To find out more about restylane, visit the Galderma website
This content is sponsored by Galderma.
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For Ireland, suspected adverse events can be reported via HPRA Pharmacovigilance, Website: www.hpra.ie; Adverse events should also be reported to Galderma (UK) Ltd, Email: medinfo.uk@galderma.com, Tel: +44 (0) 300 3035674 ‘GB-RES-2600041 DOP SEPT 2026
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