feature The nosweat way to shed fat! 62 www.cosbeauty.com.au
feature Have you done the hard yards with your diet and exercise but your tummy’s still more tubby than taut? There’s now a way to lose fat for good – without any surgery, needles or downtime. Welcome to the era of non-surgical body contouring. These are non-surgical procedures performed in-clinic in an hour or less, clinically proven to permanently destroy fatty deposits on the body. Most non-surgical body contouring devices harness some form of energy – be it radiofrequency, ultrasound, freezing temperatures or hyperthermic laser – to penetrate the skin and break down underlying fat. The destroyed fat cells are then eliminated naturally by the body’s normal metabolic process over the ensuing couple of months after treatment. One of the technologies making waves in this space is cryolipolysis. Clatuu is the latest fat-freezing device utilising cryolipolysis to eliminate those hard-to-get-rid-of pockets of fat. ‘Clatuu uses targeted freezing temperatures to kill fat cells which are then naturally metabolised by the body,’ says Dr Ritu Gupta, a leading dermatologist from Platinum Dermatology Skin Specialists in Sydney. Dr Gupta says just about any area with a pinchable inch of fat can be treated. ‘The most popular areas are under the arms, handlebars or love handles, saddlebags or area near the buttocks and the front of the abdomen or tummy area,’ she says. ‘Another advantage of Clatuu is that two areas can be treated at once.’ During treatment, 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 around 60 minutes. The applicator acts in a similar way to a vacuum, sucking the treatment area into position and directing the cold temperature to the target fat cells under the skin. A gradual cooling sensation is felt, 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, but any discomfort usually subsides about 10 minutes into treatment. There is no downtime after Clatuu but the area treated may sometimes be bruised and there may be some mild, transient numbness and itching that settles down over the following days. Fat cells in the treated area can be reduced by 30 percent ‘In our experience, typically only one treatment per area is required, which is an amazing advance in the area of body sculpting,’ says Dr Gupta. ‘Results are seen at three months, with further improvement at six months.’ Clatuu can also “sculpt” a more feminine (hourglass) or masculine (V-shaped) shape. ‘This is operator-dependent so specialist trained staff are important. Here at Platinum Dermatology Skin Specialists we assess the anatomy of the area to be treated, mark it out and then sculpt it using Clatuu,’ she explains. As with liposuction surgery, for optimal results you should be in good health with skin that has sufficient elasticity. The best candidates are usually those with small to medium localised fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise, rather than those seeking largevolume fat removal. ‘Clatuu is a great advance in the field of body contouring that I am delighted to be able to offer my patients,’ says Dr Gupta. ‘Rightly or wrongly, how we look and perceive our “problem” areas play a big role in how we feel about ourselves and our self-esteem. For the right patient, Clatuu is a great alternative to bigger procedures such as liposuction to remove excess fat’. And perhaps the best part of the treatment? The results are permanent. ‘In the treated area, the fat removal is permanent,’ says Dr Gupta. ‘If you do gain weight in the future, fat will still accumulate but not to the same extent in the treated areas because those fat cells have been permanently destroyed.’ ‘My patients are loving Clatuu treatment; they’re seeing results in areas that have previously been impervious to diet and exercise,’ she adds. ‘I’m looking forward to having a treatment myself – I haven’t worn sleeveless tops since I was 20 as I’ve always felt self-conscious about my arms. With Clatuu, now I too can aim for Michelle Obama arms!’ csbm Where to get it! Platinum Dermatology Skin Specialists Call 02 8014 6500 or email info@platinumdermatology.com.au www.cosbeauty.com.au 63