I?ve said it before, and I?ll say it again: I don?t like Botox. It?s not an ideological objection; I just don?t find frozen foreheads attractive. An entirely wrinkle-free face is unnatural, not to say spooky: people are not supposed to look like shop mannequins.
There is, however, one injectable treatment that does seem to work: Sculptra. The name would suit a James Bond villain and so, in some respects, would the product. It is crystallised poly-L-lactic acid which, after reconstitution with salt water, is injected deep into the tissue of the face. It works by stimulating the production of new collagen ? which in turn plumps up the face and, yes, smooths out wrinkles. The results last anything up to three years.
Lactic acid is something the body produces naturally. In children and young people, it is plentiful; as we grow older we produce less of the stuff, which in turn contributes to a deterioration in muscle and skin tone.
