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Biostimulators · Pleasanton & Sunnyvale
Sculptra and Radiesse in Pleasanton
In short
Biostimulators do not fill. They prompt your own collagen, so the change arrives over months and reads as your face rather than as product.
We use Sculptra, a poly-L-lactic acid, and Radiesse, a calcium hydroxylapatite. Both are given as a short series rather than a single appointment, and results continue to build after the last one.
Why gradual is the point
Nobody can identify the week a biostimulator result appeared, which is exactly why people choose one. Collagen is laid down over several months, so the face changes at the speed a face normally changes.
It also treats a region rather than a point. Where filler is the right answer for a defined area, a biostimulator suits a whole midface or a jawline that has softened generally.
Sculptra and Radiesse
Sculptra works slowly and broadly, which makes it the usual choice for overall midface and temple restoration across a series of sessions.
Radiesse has more immediate structure to it and stimulates collagen as it resorbs, so it is often chosen where a little definition is wanted alongside the longer-term change. Which one suits you depends on the area and on how much correction is needed.
Neck and hands
Hands show age early and are treated rarely, usually because nobody offers it. Thinning on the back of the hand responds well to a biostimulator, which restores a layer between skin and tendon rather than filling a line.
The neck is treated conservatively and in dilute form, because the tissue is thin and the margin for error is smaller than on the face.
When we would choose something else
If you want to see a change this week, a biostimulator will disappoint you and hyaluronic acid filler will not.
If the problem is laxity rather than lost volume, adding structure underneath will not lift it, and tightening is the better conversation.
We would not treat over active infection in the area, or during pregnancy.
Common questions
How many Sculptra sessions will I need?
Usually a short series spaced several weeks apart, with the number depending on how much volume has been lost. We plan the series at consultation rather than committing to a number in advance.
When will I see the result?
Some change is visible within weeks, but the real result builds over three to six months as collagen is laid down. Results continue developing after the final session.
What is the difference between Sculptra and Radiesse?
Sculptra is poly-L-lactic acid and works gradually across a broad region. Radiesse is calcium hydroxylapatite, gives more immediate structure and stimulates collagen as it resorbs. The choice depends on the area and how much correction is needed.
Medically reviewed by Seth Eberlin, MD, Medical Director at Essential Bella. Last reviewed 20 September 2026. General information, not a substitute for an in-person assessment.