Ladybird february 2018

Page 23

Back in the days, solutions for these irritating concerns about the body figure meant paying a visit to the plastic surgeon for a surgical intervention for fat reduction such as liposuction.

workout after the procedure for the best outcomes. Again, multiple sessions maybe needed and the results are observed 3 - 4 months after.

LOW LEVEL LASER TREATMENTS: Today, science has a lot to offer to help melt that fat away. New modalities like Radio frequency, Cryotherapy and laser treatments have proven themselves to be reliable and efficient in treating excess fat with noninvasive, zero downtime procedures. How most of these different techniques work, depends on some basic facts about the fat under your skin or subcutaneous adipose tissue. Adipocytes, or fat cells, are temperature sensitive, at least more sensitive than all of the surrounding tissue. Targeting that specific layer of fat with an energy delivering device will result in visible fat loss. The energy delivered must be precise and controlled for the best results.

CRYOLYPOLYSIS: This technique relies on freezing the fat causing their destruction. The process involves having well selected applicators creating a vacuum for the fat freezing it for 30 to 60 minutes. It will feel cold in the beginning but after a while the area is numbed resulting in painless procedures. This must be followed by massaging the treated area and the patient is encouraged to massage at home. Patients will typically notice results after 3 months bearing in mind that multiple sessions may be needed.

“Applicator selection and placement is paramount to success” RADIOFREQUENCY: This energy modality has been used for many purposes over the last 75 years. Radiofrequency depends on heat to destroy the fat cells. Deeper penetrating devices will result in better fat loss. It has a very high safety profile and sessions can last anywhere between 15 minutes to 90 minutes. The procedure feels like a massage with intense heat and no pain should be felt. People continue their day normally. In our practice, we encourage a good

Lasers can also be used for fat reduction! Lasers rely on heat like radiofrequency to target the fat. Wavelengths of light between 532 nm and 635 nm have been shown to improve fat directly and indirectly by altering the expression of the appetite hormone, leptin. Multiple sessions might be needed and the results will show in a few months.

MESOTHERAPY: This is a controversial treatment modality largely because it is difficult to identify what is being injected. This technique involves having multiple injections into the problematic fat with the target of destroying the fat cells and/or rupture of the membrane. Approved injections contain the materials “Phosphatidylcholine” and “Deoxycholate” (PPC/DC). There might be some pain associated with the series of injections in the areas that need to be treated and multiple sessions are required.

There is no substitute to sensible eating and leading a healthy lifestyle. Noninvasive modalities typically require multiple treatment sessions and the final results will appear after 2 - 4 months. Side effects include redness of the area that can last a few hours at most, slight discomfort and uneven fat reduction. Always ask what is being injected in your body in cases of mesotherapy. People who have unrealistic expectations about the outcomes of these procedures are not good candidates for them, neither are patients who think that noninvasive fat reduction treatments are an alternative to a good diet. There is no “Best Treatment” when it comes to body contouring. People will invariably respond to different treatments in different time frames if at all. Have realistic expectations and talk to your certified doctor about which option works best for you!

FEBRUARY 2018 | 21


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