ClinicalTrials.gg
Not yet recruitingNCT07689344Updated Jul 8, 2026

Poly-L-lactic Acid (PLLA) Injection for Neck Skin Laxity: A Pilot Study

An interventional study of Poly-L-Lactic Acid (Sculptra) injection in Skin Aging and Wrinkles, sponsored by Institute of Dermatology, Thailand. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Thailand. Open to participants aged 30 Years to 60 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-08.

Sponsored by Institute of Dermatology, Thailand · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Aug 2026, 3 months ago, but the record still lists the study as not yet recruiting.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
10
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
30 Years to 60 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Skin aging of the neck commonly leads to wrinkles and skin laxity due to the gradual loss of collagen and structural support in the skin. Although several treatments are available, effective non-surgical options for improving neck skin laxity remain limited. This pilot study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Poly-L-Lactic acid (PLLA) injections for improving neck skin laxity.

Read the detailed description

This study is a prospective pilot interventional study designed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Poly-L-Lactic acid (PLLA) injections for the treatment of neck skin laxity. Eligible Thai male and female participants aged 30 to 60 years with neck skin laxity grades 1 to 4 according to the Neck Skin Laxity Scale (NSL scale) will be enrolled. Participants will receive a single treatment session of PLLA injection to the neck using a cannula technique in the subcutaneous plane with a linear retrograde fanning method through lateral entry points. Approximately 8 mL of PLLA solution will be injected on each side of the neck, for a total volume of 16 mL per participant. Clinical outcomes will be evaluated at baseline and during follow-up visits at weeks 8, 16, and 24. Outcome measures include improvement in neck skin laxity assessed using the NSL scale, changes in skin elasticity measured by using the Cutometer® Dual MPA 580, participant satisfaction, and treatment-related adverse events. Outcome assessment will be performed by comparing follow-up measurements with baseline values.

02

Conditions studied

  • Skin Aging
  • Wrinkles

Keywords

  • Poly-L-Lactic acid
  • PLLA
  • Neck rejuvenation
  • Skin laxity
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Institute of Dermatology, Thailand is the lead sponsor of 10 studies on the registry; 4 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
30 Years to 60 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Thai male or female participants aged 30-60 years
  • Individuals who wish to improve neck skin laxity
  • Presence of neck skin laxity grade 1-4 according to the Neck Skin Laxity Scale (NSL scale)

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women
  • History of allergy or to local anesthetics or components of collagen-stimulating substances
  • Active disease requiring systemic treatment
  • History of cosmetic procedures in the neck area, including laser treatment, radiofrequency, or ultrasound-based devices within 6 months prior to treatment
  • History of dermal filler injection in the neck area
  • History of botulinum toxin injection in the neck area within 6 months prior to treatment
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

Autoimmune disease

A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.

Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
10 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    PLLA Injection

    Participants will receive a single treatment session of Poly-L-Lactic acid (PLLA) injection for the treatment of neck skin laxity. PLLA will be administered to the neck using a cannula technique in the subcutaneous plane. Approximately 16 mL of PLLA solution will be injected per participants. Clinical outcomes will be evaluated at baseline and during follow-up visits at Weeks 8, 16, and 24.

    Drug: Poly-L-Lactic Acid (Sculptra) injection

Interventions

  • Poly-L-Lactic acid (PLLA) is used as a collagen-stimulating injectable for the treatment of neck skin laxity. The PLLA solution is prepared by reconstituting PLLA with sterile water and lidocaine to a total volume of 16 mL. Participants will receive a single treatment session of PLLA injection to the neck using a cannula technique. The injection is performed in the subcutaneous plane using a linear retrograde fanning technique through lateral entry points of the neck. Approximately 8 mL of PLLA solution will be injected on each side of the neck (total 16 mL per participant). Clinical outcomes will be assessed at weeks 8, 16, and 24.

    Also known as: PLLA, Sculptra

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Neck Skin Laxity Scale (NSL scale) Score

    Neck skin laxity will be evaluated using standardized clinical photographs captured with the VECTRA® image system. Blinded dermatologists will assess neck skin laxity using NSL Scale at baseline (Week0), Week 8, Week 16, and Week 24. The NSL Scale is a 5-point ordinal scale ranging from 0 to 4, where : 0 = Absent : No visible neck skin laxity. 1. = Mild : Minimal skin laxity with slight loss of firmness and subtle horizontal lines. 2. = Moderate : Noticeable skin laxity with visible horizontal lines and mild skin redundancy. 3. = Advanced : Marked skin laxity with prominent folds, visible skin redundancy, and moderate loss of neck contour. 4. = Severe : Severe skin laxity characterized by extensive redundant skin, deep folds, wrinkles, and substantial loss of neck contour. Higher scores indicate greater neck skin laxity and a worse aesthetic appearance, while lower scores indicate less neck skin laxity and improvement in neck appearance.

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Week 8, Week 16, and Week 24

Secondary outcomes

  1. Participant-Reported Neck Appearance Satisfaction Score Assessed Using the 5-Point Neck Appearance Satisfaction Scale

    Participant-reported satisfaction with neck appearance following PLLA treatment will be assessed at baseline (Week 0), Week 8, Week 16 and Week 24 using a 5-point Neck Appearance Satisfaction Scale. The scale ranges from 1 to 5, where : 1. = Very dissatisfied 2. = Dissatisfied 3. = Neutral 4. = Satisfied 5. = Very satisfied Higher scores indicate greater participant satisfaction with neck appearance following treatment.

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Week 8, Week 16, and Week 24

  2. Change in skin Firmness and Elasticity Assessed by Cutometer® Dual MPA 580

    Skin firmness and elasticity will be assessed using the Cutometer® Dual MPA 580 at baseline (Week 0), Week 8, Week 16, and Week 24. The Cutometer® Dual MPA 580 is a non-invasive device used to evaluate the biomechanical properties of the skin, including skin firmness and elasticity. Changes in skin biomechanical properties from baseline to Week 24 will be evaluated.

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Week 8, Week 16, and Week 24

  3. Incidence of Treatment-Related Adverse Events

    Treatment-related adverse events will be assessed immediately after PLLA injection (Week 0) and at Week 8, Week 16, and Week 24 through participant interviews and clinical examinations. Adverse events including pain, swelling ( edema), bruising (ecchymosis), palpable nodules, granuloma formation, infection, hypersensitivity reactions, and any other treatment-related adverse events will be recorded. Pain will be managed with analgesics as clinically indicated. Early swelling and bruising will be managed with cold compresses, while delayed nodules due to product accumulation may be treated with massage and normal saline injection. Persistent nodules suspected to be granulomas may undergo biopsy for confirmation, followed by intralesional triamcinolone injection if clinically indicated. The outcome measure will be the number and proportion of participants experiencing treatment-related adverse events.

    Time frame: Immediately after PLLA injection (Week 0), Week 8, Week 16, and Week 24

07

Study locations

1 site
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Christen MO. Collagen Stimulators in Body Applications: A Review Focused on Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA). Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2022 Jun 21;15:997-1019. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S359813. eCollection 2022. PubMed 35761856 ↗
  • Tateo A, Siquier-Dameto G, Artzi O, Humzah D, Molina B, Jain R, Lanzarotti A, Laouedj M, Dapis N, Bellia G. Development and Validation of IBSA Photographic Scale for the Assessment of Neck Laxity. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2021 Apr 7;14:349-354. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S302860. eCollection 2021. PubMed 33854352 ↗
  • Nikolis A, Avelar LE, Enright KM. Evaluation of Cannula Safety in Injection of Poly-L-Lactic Acid. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2021 Jun 10;14:615-622. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S305479. eCollection 2021. PubMed 34140793 ↗
  • Mazzuco R, Hexsel D. Poly-L-lactic acid for neck and chest rejuvenation. Dermatol Surg. 2009 Aug;35(8):1228-37. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2009.01217.x. Epub 2009 May 12. PubMed 19438668 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 8, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07689344
Lead sponsor
Institute of Dermatology, Thailand
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jul 8, 2026
Start date
Jul 1, 2026 (estimated)
Primary completion
Aug 1, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Sep 1, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Jul 8, 2026

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jul 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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Studies of the drug tested here: poly(lactide)

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