Saving Face

Facial atrophy is a telltale visual of a person's battle with HIV, and because of this, the condition has been shown to boost risks for depression and stigmatization among HIVers. But a study in the March issue of the journal HIV Medicine offers some welcome news. The injectable filler Sculptra produces sustained increases in facial volume and tissue thickness through at least 48 weeks after treatment and possibly much longer. The Sculptra recipients also were pleased with the treatment results, according to study data, and 91% said they believed their facial wasting was markedly reduced.