By Lisa J. Gotto
With everyone wanting to look younger and thinner these days, it’s no wonder the cosmetic and plastic surgeons’ offices are stocked with patients looking for the latest, greatest, and definitely the least painless options to achieve their desired results.
About a decade ago liposuction was the most prevalent procedure performed to arrive at just such a result. Liposuction did, and still does, in many cases, do what all the dieting and extra exercise in the world cannot: take off those last stubborn inches or pounds of fat that never seem to want to go away.
The invasive nature of the procedure and its associated downtime, however, has prompted the development of alternative methods to address this “love handle”-related lament. Enter the advent of the radiofrequency era in weight loss. (Not to be confused with laser or ultra-sound delivered fat loss procedures, which we will not discuss here.)
You're Getting Warmer…
One of the first ways to attack fat with the use of radiofrequency waves actually froze the fat cells, eventually eliminating them from the body through the science of Cryolipolysis®. You have probably heard of it referred to as its treatment name “CoolSculpting®.” (Note, most if not all, procedures of this nature are named or anded in a marketing type vein so consumers can more easily identify what the procedure is supposed to address.) So CoolSculpting then would be considered the technique or treatment name and Cryolipolysis is the science behind it.
Recently, the development of radiofrequency-based techniques has been literally turning up the heat on non-surgical fat loss. There are two modalities Dr. Lee Kleiman of Severn ENT has been using to treat patients with for the last three years, TruSculpt® and Viora®, that use heated energy to melt fat cells from the body. There is a difference between the two procedures in the sense that both TruSculpt and Viora can eliminate excess body fat; Viora adds a skin-tightening component to the procedure, as well.
Dr. Kleiman, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, cautions that while both offer modest results without surgery and no down time, neither is intended to provide the equivalent of surgical results.
He says ideal patients for the TruSculpt procedure, which delivers deep-heat to targeted areas of the body, have achieved their ideal body weight, but still experience a muffin top-type affect when trying on certain articles of clothing. He describes a potential candidate for Viora as a…”person with modest skin laxity and body fat.”
Both of these procedures are delivered in a series of visits for optimal results. With TruSculpt you can expect three treatments per area delivered eight weeks apart. Viora can range anywhere from six to nine treatments scheduled one to two weeks apart. You may experience some localized redness in the treatment area for several hours afterward, but you can go right back to work and on with your normal activity immediately after either procedure.
Weighty Decisions
Another important note on these particular procedures is that patients tend to see results over time rather than immediately. So, if you are an impatient person, fat-melting treatments may not be the right option for you.
The practice of fat melting and/or blasting is a huge trend in the plastic and cosmetic surgery arenas right now—and there are various means by which fat can be neutralized. These include modalities like the ones mentioned above and fat blasters delivered via injection.
The real key to success in this area may very well be you, the patient—and knowing all your options prior to making any “weighty” decisions.
