Ellansé
Polycaprolactone beads in a gel Polycaprolactone is a soft, slowly dissolving material used in stitches and implants. The gel does the filling. The beads do the collagen work.
← All comparisons
Dermapedia / CompareProcedures
Ellanse vs Sculptra
Ellansé gives volume on the day and then builds collagen, and you pick how long it lasts. It is made of polycaprolactone beads in a gel, and the versions run from about a year to three years. Sculptra gives you nothing on the day and builds collagen slowly across a course of visits. Ellansé is not sold in the United States, so for many readers that settles the question before anything else does.
At a glance
| The difference | Ellansé | Sculptra |
|---|---|---|
| What is in the syringe | Polycaprolactone beads in a gel | Poly-L-lactic acid in liquid |
| What it is used for | Volume and structure | Broad thinning |
| Cost | Priced per syringe, one visit | Priced per session, across a course |
Sculptra
Side by side
The differences that matter
What is in the syringe
Ellansé
Polycaprolactone beads in a gel
Polycaprolactone is a soft, slowly dissolving material used in stitches and implants. The gel does the filling. The beads do the collagen work.
Sculptra
Poly-L-lactic acid in liquid
Also a stitch material. There is no gel to fill with, so nothing shows on the day.
How it works, illustrated
Sculptra
Do you see anything on the day
Ellansé
Yes
The gel carrier fills straight away, then absorbs over a few months as collagen takes its place.
Sculptra
No
There is swelling from the fluid for a few days. Then you look much the same while collagen builds.
How long it lasts
Ellansé
One to three years, by version
The versions are named for how long the beads take to break down, and your injector picks one before treatment.
Sculptra
About two years
There is one version, so there is no length to choose.
How many visits
Ellansé
Often one
Sometimes a top-up later, though the point of the longer versions is not to come back.
Sculptra
Usually two to four
Spaced about a month apart. It is a course, not an appointment.
What it is used for
Ellansé
Volume and structure
Cheeks, temples, chin and jaw, and the folds running from nose to mouth.
Sculptra
Broad thinning
Hollow cheeks, temples and a face that has lost fullness everywhere at once. Also used on the body.
Where you can have it done
Ellansé
Europe and much of Asia
Ellansé is not sold in the United States, so US readers comparing the two are usually choosing between Sculptra and something else.
Sculptra
Widely available, including the US
It has been used for facial volume for around twenty years.
Can it be undone
Ellansé
No
Sculptra
No
Side effects to expect
Ellansé
Bruising, swelling, firm lumps
Lumps are the specific complaint with a long-lasting bead, and they cannot be dissolved away.
Sculptra
Bruising, swelling, tenderness
Small lumps here too. Massage afterwards is part of the instructions for that reason.
Cost
Ellansé
Priced per syringe, one visit
The longer-lasting versions usually cost more per syringe.
Sculptra
Priced per session, across a course
Ask what the whole plan costs, not what one session costs.
The at-home or drugstore version
Ellansé
There is not one
No cream carries a bead of anything under the skin, and nothing sold over the counter reaches the depth this works at.
Sculptra
There is not one either
Collagen creams and collagen drinks borrow the word. They do not build collagen in one chosen spot.
Who each suits
Ellansé
- Best for — Someone who wants volume they can see today and does not want to come back for years.
- The mindset — You are confident about the result, because you are living with it for a long time.
Sculptra
- Best for — Volume loss across the whole face, and someone happy to wait.
- The mindset — You want gradual change nobody can point to.
Both build collagen, but only one fills on the day
Ellansé
Ellansé does two jobs at once. The gel carrier gives volume immediately, and while that gel absorbs, the beads prompt your skin to lay down its own collagen. The result hands over from one to the other.
Sculptra
Sculptra only does the second job. There is no lasting gel in it, so the entire result is collagen you grew yourself. That is why the wait is two to three months.
What neither one does
Conditions treated
Sculptra
Wrinkles and Fine Lines
A collagen-stimulating injectable given as a course, usually three sessions. Nothing looks different straight away; volume builds gradually over several months and lasts around two years. It suits overall thinning and flatness rather than a single line, and it cannot be dissolved, so it is a slower and less reversible decision than filler.
Before you book
More photographs
Sculptra
Related topic illustrations
Sculptra
Radiesse
Moderate evidence. The other common biostimulator. It adds volume the same day as well as building collagen, and typically lasts about 12 to 18 months rather than two years. Also not reversible.
Common questions
Questions Patients Ask
Is Ellanse available in the United States?
No. Ellansé is used in Europe and much of Asia but is not sold in the US, so American readers are usually comparing Sculptra against a different product.
Is Ellanse better than Sculptra?
Neither is better overall. Ellansé gives volume on the day and can be chosen to last up to about three years. Sculptra shows nothing on the day and lasts around two.
Can Ellanse be dissolved?
No. Polycaprolactone has no antidote, so a result you dislike has to be waited out. That wait is longer with the longer-lasting versions.
What do the Ellanse letters mean?
They mark how long the beads take to break down, from roughly a year at the short end to about three years at the long end. Your injector chooses one before treatment.
Do both build collagen?
Yes, both are biostimulators. The difference is that Ellansé also contains a gel that fills straight away, while Sculptra has nothing that fills.
Which is the safer place to start?
Neither, if it is your first injectable. A hyaluronic acid filler can be dissolved, so it is the lower-risk way to learn what you like before committing to something permanent-feeling.