Dr. Cristina Cobaleda specialist in aesthetic medicine
Aesthetic physician
Medical license no. 51612
Leading doctor in polylactic acid
The doctor sees patients in BarcelonaView medical profile
Polylactic acid: collagen biostimulator
Thinking about having polylactic acid treatment?
Polylactic acid does not fill: it stimulates your skin to produce its own collagen and gradually regain firmness and volume over several sessions.
From: 450 €
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Treatment duration:
30-45 minutes
With NESAI® Derm ultrasound
Included in Barcelona (subject to the doctor's assessment)
Standard protocol
2–3 sessions
Interval between sessions
4–6 weeks
Vials per session
1–2
Full result
3–6 months
What is polylactic acid (PLLA) treatment?
Polylactic acid is a collagen biostimulator: a biocompatible, resorbable substance that, once injected, stimulates the body to produce its own new collagen for months. The result is a gradual, natural and long-lasting improvement in the firmness, structural volume and quality of the skin on the face, neck, décolletage, arms or buttocks.
Which areas can we treat?
Polylactic acid for the cheekbones
Gradually restores structural support in the midface
Polylactic acid applied to the cheeks
Improves skin laxity and skin quality
Polylactic acid applied to the buttocks
Firmness and skin quality without surgery, with a gradual result
Polylactic acid for the arms
Reduces sagging (“bat wings”)
Patients who have trusted Instituto de Benito look like this:
@laadanez
@fuentes_manel
What does polylactic acid treatment involve?
The treatment is carried out entirely in a medical office at Instituto de Benito in Barcelona or Madrid, in an outpatient session that is always planned and performed by a licensed aesthetic doctor. It consists of the following steps:
Personalized medical assessment
Before the treatment, you have a consultation with the aesthetic doctor at Instituto de Benito, who studies your case, listens to your goals, rules out contraindications and designs a personalized plan. The first aesthetic medicine consultation costs €50 (deductible from your first treatment).
Skin ultrasound with NESAI
When the doctor considers it necessary, a NESAI Derm ultrasound is performed in Barcelona to assess the skin before treating: dermis thickness, density, collagen, fibers and sun damage.
Preparing for the treatment
Preparation is simple: the area must be clean and free of creams. The doctor will tell you whether you should avoid any medication (anticoagulants, NSAIDs) in the days beforehand to minimize bruising, and will discuss with you any circumstances relevant to your safety.
Treatment application in the clinic
The doctor disinfects the area, applies topical anesthesia if necessary and performs the microinjections with very fine needles, following the plan designed. The session is carried out entirely in the doctor's office and the patient returns to their routine immediately.
Start seeing yourself the way you want to feel
Results appear within the timeframe expected for the treatment, with a natural, harmonious finish. The doctor gives you home care instructions and schedules your follow-up appointments.
Before and after polylactic acid treatment
How much does polylactic acid treatment cost?
In the Spanish market, a polylactic acid session ranges from €400 to €900 depending on the clinic, the product, the number of vials and the areas to be treated.
At Instituto de Benito, treatment starts at €450 per session for the facial presentation and €900 for the body presentation for larger areas. Treatment specifically with Sculptra®, the best-known PLLA brand, costs €550 per session. The initial medical consultation costs €50 and is deductible from your first treatment.
As the usual protocol involves 2 to 3 sessions, the approximate cost of the full treatment is between €900 and €1,350 for the facial presentation, and between €1,100 and €1,650 if you choose Sculptra®.
We prefer to give you these figures from the start. Comparing prices for a single session is misleading when the result depends on the full protocol, and knowing which product is being used is as relevant as knowing how much it costs.
The final price depends on the area or areas to be treated, the product used and the number of sessions the doctor recommends after the consultation. We offer financing for longer treatments, as well as session packages.
Are you a good candidate for a collagen-stimulating treatment?
- 01
Structural volume loss in the cheeks, temples and jawline
When deep support has been lost, not just at the surface.
- 02
Mild to moderate skin laxity of the face and neck
To firm the face and neck without surgery.
- 03
Skin quality on the décolletage, arms or buttocks
Body application with a specific presentation.
- 04
Patients who prefer a gradual, natural result
The change appears over 2-3 months, with no sudden effect.
- 05
A step before considering surgery
As an alternative or complement to a facelift.
- 06
Maintenance after a previous facelift
To prolong the result of surgery.
Disadvantages and limitations
Disadvantages and limitations of polylactic acid
- Polylactic acid is not the right option for every case. These are its real limitations:
- The result is not immediate. It starts to become noticeable at 4-6 weeks and is established at 2-3 months. If you have an event coming up soon, this is not the treatment for you.
- It is not reversible. Unlike hyaluronic acid, PLLA cannot be dissolved with hyaluronidase. That is why the right indication and injection technique are decisive.
- It requires several sessions, usually 2 to 3, spaced 4-6 weeks apart.
- There is a risk of subcutaneous nodules or papules. It is uncommon and is directly related to the dilution of the product, its resting time and compliance with the at-home massage.
- It requires commitment from the patient: the 5-5-5 massage during the five days after treatment is not optional.
- It is not indicated in cases of active infection in the area, a history of keloid scarring, pregnancy, breastfeeding or certain autoimmune diseases.
- It does not replace surgery. In advanced skin laxity, no biostimulator achieves what a facelift does. If that is your case, we will tell you so at your consultation.
Our facial aesthetic medicine medical team
An aesthetic doctor from the Instituto de Benito team assesses the loss of structural volume and decides whether the indication is polylactic acid, high-density hyaluronic acid or a combination with other treatments.
Meet the Instituto de Benito team that performs this treatment:
Maria Elechiguerra, aesthetic medicine specialist
Aesthetic medicine specialist in Madrid
View medical profile
Commitment to facial aesthetic medicine
Polylactic acid is a biostimulator with a gradual response over months; at Instituto de Benito we prescribe it only when the indication is clear (moderate to significant structural loss), never as a light touch-up.
Patient safety comes before any aesthetic goal. We work with audited clinical protocols, medical devices with medical CE marking and batch traceability, single-use instruments, dedicated aesthetic medicine rooms and personalized follow-up between sessions. We never delegate a medical-aesthetic procedure to non-medical staff.
Evidence and medical backing
Polylactic acid carries medical CE marking as a medical device and is recognized by the Spanish Society of Aesthetic Medicine (SEME) as one of the biostimulators with the longest documented duration (18-24 months) in the aesthetic medicine literature. It is a biocompatible, resorbable material that has been used for decades in surgery (resorbable sutures), with a very well-characterized safety profile.
Where can you have polylactic acid treatment?
Related treatments
Frequently asked questions about polylactic acid
What is polylactic acid?
Polylactic acid (PLLA) is a collagen biostimulator: a biocompatible, resorbable substance that, once injected, stimulates the body to produce its own collagen for months. It is not a filler: it does not add external volume, but improves the firmness and structure of the skin from within.
Is Sculptra the same as polylactic acid?
Sculptra® is a brand of poly-L-lactic acid, the best known on the market. Every Sculptra treatment is polylactic acid, but there are other presentations of the same active ingredient. At IdB, treatment starts at €450 per session and the Sculptra® presentation costs €550.
Why does Sculptra cost more than other polylactic acid products?
Because of the cost of the product, not the procedure. PLLA presentations differ in particle size, concentration and reconstitution protocol, which determines the cases each one is indicated for. The choice is made on clinical grounds during the consultation, not on price.
What are the disadvantages of polylactic acid?
The main ones are that the result is not immediate (4-6 weeks), that it requires 2 to 3 sessions and that it is not reversible: unlike hyaluronic acid, it cannot be dissolved with hyaluronidase. There is also a low risk of nodules, which is minimized with correct dilution and the prescribed massage.
How much does polylactic acid treatment cost?
From €450 per session for the facial presentation and €900 for the body presentation. Treatment with Sculptra® costs €550 per session. The full protocol of 2-3 sessions is between €900 and €1,650 depending on the product. The initial medical consultation is €50, deductible from your first treatment.
How many sessions do I need?
Between 2 and 3 sessions spaced 4-6 weeks apart, with maintenance every 12-24 months. The exact number depends on the degree of structural loss and on the collagen density measured with NESAI®, not on age.
How long does polylactic acid take to show results?
The improvement starts to become noticeable at 4-6 weeks and the result is established at 2-3 months. If you notice slight volume right after the session, it is due to the reconstitution solution and is reabsorbed within 24-72 hours.
Why do you have to massage the area after polylactic acid?
The massage distributes the product evenly through the tissue and reduces the risk of nodules forming. The schedule is 5 minutes, 5 times a day, for 5 days. It is the most important post-treatment instruction and it is not optional.
What is the difference between polylactic acid and hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a filler: it adds volume immediately and is reversible with hyaluronidase. Polylactic acid is a biostimulator: it does not fill, it prompts the skin to make its own collagen, with a gradual result, longer duration and no possibility of reversing it.
Are there different types of polylactic acid?
Yes. There is a facial presentation and a body presentation for larger areas such as the buttocks, arms or décolletage, with a different amount of product and price. We work with different PLLA brands, including Sculptra®.
When is polylactic acid not the best option?
When an immediate result is needed, when the goal is to augment a very defined area such as the lips, when skin laxity is advanced and requires surgery, or when the patient prefers a reversible treatment. In those cases we will suggest another alternative.
Average rating: 4.8 / 5
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Violexys Hernández
Googlehace 7 meses
Me opere el pecho con la doctora Marina García en octubre. Tenía mucho miedo de la recuperación y del resultado final. Ojalá se pudiera dar 10 estrellas en lugar de 5. Muchas gracias por el apoyo, me he sentido segura en todo momento , volvería a elegirla.
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Aura Motiska
Googlehace 8 meses
I had a deep plane facelift with upper and lower blepharoplasty by Dr. David Neagu, and I couldn’t be happier. The results are incredibly natural—I look refreshed and like myself, just better. Dr. Neagu and his entire team were kind, caring, and highly skilled from start to finish. I felt supported every step of the...
Marleny Cruz Martinez
Googlehace 9 meses
El trato de Eva en cabina es siempre inmejorable, tanto el tratamiento en sí como las recomendaciones que te hace para seguir tratamiento en casa.
Elena Martinez
Googlehace 10 meses
Llevaba mucho tiempo planteándome una operación de pecho por el miedo a que quedara poco natural y que se ajustara a mis expectativas. En cuanto conocí a la Dra. Marina, supe que era el momento y que sería ella quien me operara. No me equivoqué. Muchas gracias por todo.
Maru Ortega
Googlehace 11 meses
Podría poner 20* a mí querido cirujano David Neagu por los veinte años que me ha quitado de la cara. Haces magia Doc!!! Mil gracias al equipazo por cuidarme: Monika, Julia, Cris, Eva. Un beso y abrazo gigante para tod@s
Cristina Betancor
Googlehace 11 meses
Encantada con el resultado y con el trato recibido por la doctora Marina y todo su equipo. Muy profesionales, atentos y cercanos en todo momento.
Nora Haxha
Googlehace 1 año
Such a lovely team and experience! From my first visit to the online follow-ups, everyone has been so kind, caring, and professional. Dr. Neagu and Dr. García are truly exceptional I couldn’t feel in better hands. Thank you for everything! 🤍
Beatriz Perelló Gonzalo
Googlehace 1 año
La doctora Irene y su asistente Laura, me hicieron confiar desde el principio! Pero Los resultados superaron mis expectativas, me dejé llevar y ahora parezco 10 años menos, una piel increíble y me siento con mucha más confianza. 1000 recomendable! La doctora es un amor
Teresa Pacho
Googlehace 1 año
Trato profesional y cercano. Excelencia en la cirujana Marina Garcia y todo el equipo. Honestidad en la comunicación.
Dolores Peñalver
Googlehace 1 año
Mi experiencia en el Instituto de Benito ha sido excelente. Agradecer a la Doctora María Gijón y a todo su equipo por su gran profesionalidad y por ayudar a los clientes ante cualquier duda o aclaración
Marisa Canseco
Googlehace 1 año
El doctor Fernández y su enfermera Cristina son profesionales excelentes y dan un estupendo trato. Los recomiendo al 100%. Los resultados se ajustan totalmente a lo que se comprometen.
Sandra TB
Googlehace 1 año
Agradecer enormemente a la Doctora Marina por el trato durante todo el proceso y por el resultado final. Mi experiencia ha sido maravillosa. Agradecer también a Montse por hacer que esto sea posible.
julia juan fornes
Googlehace 1 año
La Dra Marina Garcia muy profesional y transmite muchísima confianza desde el primer momento.
Maragda L
Googlehace 8 meses
Mi experiencia ha sido de lo mejor, me he sentido totalmente cuidada en todo el proceso de mi operación desde Mónica siempre atenta a mis consultas, hasta las chicas de los masajes y cómo no, con el doctor Orestes Fernández con quién me he sentido acompañada en toda la operación y sobre todo recuperación. Sin duda...
Paula Roldan Martinez-checa
Googlehace 10 meses
La Doctora Marina Garcia es totalmente un acierto. Sinceridad desde el primer momento, te escucha y te aconseja conforme tu idea y de manera que quede lo más natural y bonito posible, siendo siempre realistas. El resultado totalmente bonito, más natural y mejor de lo que incluso yo me pensaba. Una recuperación súper...