SLIMMING & SHAPING
Not only does
radiofrequency help with fat
reduction; it's also proven
to help treat cellulite.
months," says Dr. Gutowski, who adds that longterm results are not yet well published so repeat
treatments may be needed.
Not only does radiofrequency help with fat
reduction; it's also proven to help treat cellulite. A
2012 study published in the Journal of the European
Academy of Dermatology and Venereology found that
classical and high frequency RF reduced cellulite in
nearly 90% of the 28 women who received the
treatment. Post-treatment observations included a
decrease in the thickness of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue, an increase in collagen fibers,
decreased subcutaneous tissue growing into bands
in the dermis and reduction of edema. No significant
changes occurred in the placebo group.
Typically with these treatments, patients see very
little downtime with 10-20 minutes of initial redness
that quickly dissipates.
UPSIDE
Allows you to selectively
target the depth of treatment to reduce fat from
the subcutaneous layer
or tighten collagen at the
dermal layer.
DOWNSIDE
These procedures require
multiple sessions of up to
six to eight treatments.
Noninvasive body contouring treatments typically
take about an hour to administer, though session
duration can be longer for the patient who wants
to treat multiple areas. While you could treat one
patient's love handles, abdomen and thighs for four
hours, some physicians will double up with technicians using multiple machines to speed up the session.
It's important that patients understand that none
of these noninvasive and minimally invasive fat reduction and cellulite-smoothing devices replace maintenance diet and exercise, nor will they produce the
dramatic results of liposuction or surgery.
"It is not a facelift or a tummy tuck. You are not
going to get surgery results. You have to have realistic expectations," says Dr. Gutowski.
Andrea Sercu is a skincare writer located in the San
Francisco Bay Area. Contact her at asercu@gmail.com.
38 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 | MedEsthetics