Cosmetic Surgery and Beauty Magazine #66

ody
Most non-surgical body contouring
treatments harness some form of
energy – be it radiofrequency or
ultrasound – to penetrate the skin
and break down underlying fat
Ultrasonic body contouring
Ultrasonic body contouring treatments use targeted ultrasound frequencies to
break down fat, particularly on the abdomen, hips, thighs and ‘love handles’.
The best candidates are close to their ideal weight but have stubborn areas of
localised fatty deposits that do not respond to changes in diet and exercise.
The focused ultrasound waves are delivered in short bursts of energy, or
pulses, to destroy fat cells while leaving surrounding tissue, nerves and blood
vessels unaffected. The ultrasound waves create a cavitation effect in the
target fat cells – a process where the fat cell membranes are damaged with
each pulse of energy so that the contents of the fat cells (triglycerides) are
dispersed and processed by the body. The fat cell contents are then flushed
out by the body’s lymphatic system.
Generally, a series of treatments per area achieves noticeable, measurable
results, although some patients note a circumferential reduction in the area
after the first treatment. It can take around four weeks for final results to be
visible as the body gradually eliminates the fatty debris.
Cryolipolysis
Cryolipolysis uses almost-freezing temperatures to kill fat cells without
traumatising the surrounding tissues or harming the skin. The treatment is
most suited to patients of average weight with pockets of fat which don’t
respond to diet or exercise.
A gel drape is placed onto the target area to protect the skin before
the applicator head is placed onto the fat pocket, where it remains for
approximately one hour. The applicator acts like a vacuum to suck the area
into position and direct the cold temperature to the target fat cells under
the skin.
Patients experience a gradual cooling sensation, similar to placing the
area in iced water, but this subsides as the body gets used to the change.
The initial suction may be uncomfortable depending on the laxity of the skin,
but any discomfort usually subsides about 10 minutes into treatment. Post
treatment, the target area feels stiff and cold, appearing squarish as if still
moulded to the inside of the applicator. This can look strange immediately
after the treatment, but it subsides after about 30 minutes as the skin and
underlying tissues soften back to room temperature.
Generally, at least two to three treatments are recommended. The results
of cryolipolysis take at least a couple of months to appear, depending on the
size of the area treated. csbm
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