By Caley Breese
Just because summer is coming to an end (say it isn’t so!), doesn’t mean we don’t want to look or feel our best during the chillier months. Maybe you have a little bit of stubborn fat that just won’t go away no matter how many crunches you do. While body-contouring treatments that offer fat reduction are not necessarily new, there is another procedure called Vanquish that eliminates fat cells non-invasively.
Vanquish ME (Maximum Energy) is a non-invasive radio frequency fat reduction treatment that uses deep thermal heating to destroy unwanted fat. These fat cells go through what is called apoptosis, or natural cell death. These cells are then flushed out of the body through the patient’s urine. It has been cleared and approved by the FDA for non-invasive body contouring.
Vanquish ME uses radio frequency to heat the fat cell to the temperature required for apoptosis while leaving the skin and underlying tissue at a comfortable temperature.
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Apoptosis: the normal process by which cells die in multicellular organisms
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How It Works
Vanquish is administered through an appliance that does not touch the body during treatment; it simply hovers over the targeted area, making for a comfortable and pain-free experience. The sensation is often described as “a warm heating blanket or hot stone massage.” Vanquish ME targets areas such as the stomach, buttocks, thighs, and upper arms.
“The abdomen has been the most popular treatment area because it seems to be the most stubborn area to shed fat in both men and women, even with a healthy diet and exercise,” Tori Harris, an esthetician at MD Dermatology & Laser Center, explains.
The Vanquish ME procedure is usually completed in four-to-six 45-minute sessions, typically spaced out about a week apart, and requires no downtime after treatment. Side effects associated with this procedure such as soreness, uising, tenderness, are said to be negligible to nil, but you will need to be mildly active during and after the treatment course for maximum benefit.
Patients are encouraged to partake in some physical activity such as walking or light exercise to assist in flushing out the dead fat cells destroyed during treatment.
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According to the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, Vanquish ME has up to a 92% patient satisfaction rating.
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Is Vanquish Right for You?
This procedure is an ideal non-invasive fat reduction treatment option for men and women who are looking to lose between two and four inches of fat. This is usually the stubborn type of fat that does not respond well enough to a decreased calorie diet or enhanced exercise routine, as we most notably see above the belt buckle or with underarm flab.
If interested in receiving a Vanquish ME treatment, it is ideal that you have a healthy diet and exercise routine, as well as an appropriate amount of daily water intake. To determine if you’re a good candidate for this procedure, a medical expert will assess factors such as health, medical history, and cosmetic goals. It is important to note, however, that patients that have had metal implants in or around the targeted treatment area would not qualify for this procedure, but instead would be referred to other fat-loss treatments, such as SculpSure.
Physicians advise that the best outcomes occur for patients who are already regularly physically active and are not just looking for the quick-fix aspect of the procedure. While those fat cells may be gone for good, you will need to remember to maintain a healthy diet and a sound exercise routine to keep new cells from forming in other areas of the body.
Although this procedure was first available in limited markets in 2013, research data is not yet available when it comes to long-term effectiveness. When it comes to short-term satisfaction, the numbers associated with Vanquish are very positive, starting with the application process itself as it provides for a larger surface area to be treated. This allows for a smoother and more seamless result than we have seen previously with fat melting treatments.
Finally, results can start to be seen between two and four weeks from the onset of treatment. If you’re interested in learning more about non-invasive fat-reduction, talk to your doctor to determine which treatment method is best for you.
