As men and women age their body shape and contours change. For the most part, these changes are predictable. Influencing these changes is our hormone levels, environmental exposures, activity, diet, heredity, and stress. Some of these factors can be controlled or modified while others cannot. For those patients that have made a concerted effort to make positive life changes but have not achieved the results they want, surgical and nonsurgical procedures, such as body contouring, are available that can help.
The body contouring gold standard is liposuction. Liposuction is a surgical procedure whereby cannulas are used to suction superficial fat cells from unwanted deposits such as the tummy, love handles, arms, and thighs. Liposuction can be done in an outpatient or hospital setting, depending on the degree of liposuction needed. For the most part, small volume liposuction (less than 4 liters), can be done in an outpatient setting. Liposuction has evolved with the advent of tumescent anesthesia and the development of various techniques using lasers, ultrasound, and high-pressure water jet devices. As such, surgeons are better able to meet patient expectations with less downtime and lower operative risk than with conventional liposuction.
Over that last 15 years, numerous aesthetic companies have developed nonoperative devices to help with body contouring. These devices irreversibly destroy fat cells using either radiofrequency, ultrasound, cryotherapy, or lasers. Once the cell is destroyed the body naturally removes the debris over a period of months. The result is a reduction in the size of the targeted fat pad. These devices can be used on any part of the body that has excess subcutaneous fat.
In our clinic, patients with a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or less and unwanted body fat or skin laxity, are treated with TightSculpting by Fotona. Fotona TightSculpting® is a unique dual-wavelength, non-invasive laser treatment for sculpting and skin tightening on all body areas. The exclusive dual delivery modes are used in concert for hyperthermic fat cell destruction and collagen remodeling and skin tightening with exceptional results. The multisession procedure is a fast, safe and effective non-invasive alternative to liposuction, with no downtime.
Learn more about TightSculpting or contact us for a consultation.