MedEsthetics magazines offers business education and in-depth coverage of the latest noninvasive cosmetic procedures for physicians and practice managers working in the medical aesthetics industry.
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NEXT GENERATION NON-INVASIVE BODY SHAPING PLATFORM CLINICAL PRACTICE For more information, visit syneron.com and patients typically need a course of three or more treatments to tighten the collagen in the skin. Very often, in the same patient who wants color improvement or to reduce wrinkles with Sublative, we can incorporate the Sublime to tighten up the lower face," said Dr. Mezrow. For just treating brown spots or skin discoloration, he will use the skin rejuvenation with IPL applicator. VelaShape ® III builds on the success of the original VelaShape technology, which pioneered the non-invasive body shaping and cellulite reduction category. It is effective for cellulite treatment as well as circumferential reduction of the abdomen, arms, thighs, buttocks and other areas. The main advantages of this platform are its higher power radiofrequency that delivers faster treatment outcomes, and real time feedback mechanisms for consistent RF delivery independent of tissue variations for greater predictability of treatments. According to Vince Afsahi, M.D. South Coast Dermatology Institute, Newport Beach, CA, "The new sleek form of the Velashape ™ III is ergonomically designed for comfort for both the patient and the practitioner. By reaching the temperature endpoint quicker, practitioners can maintain the necessary temperature to effectively complete the treatment in a much shorter session. The new system is faster and more powerful, allowing patients to reach their goals in fewer sessions with little downtime." According to Dr. Mezrow, "VelaShape ® has gone through several generations, and the VelaShape III is the most powerful and effective to date. The new device can smooth out the skin and reduce the circumference of the area and deliver better skin quality. We are using it on all areas of the body, including the thighs, abdomen and the back, as well as under the chin. A single treatment may achieve a 2.5cm circumferential reduction that can be seen within two weeks. For treating cellulite, the protocol is three treatments spaced every other week for optimal results." Several new enhancements to Velashape III include additional tips for treating smaller and larger areas. The VSmooth ™ is a new applicator for temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite. Also introduced is a smaller tip for the VContour ™ applicator designed for the effective treatment of smaller body areas. Lastly, a large Flat Electrode uniform heating tip is now available that enables signifcant circumferential reduction in a single treatment. The range of tip confgurations make the VelaShape even more versatile so it can be customized for multiple body areas, as well as to reduce circumferential fat. The time it takes to perform a treatment, and the number of treatments required, while increasing effciency and effcacy. "In my practice, the most popular areas we treat are the abdomen, thighs, love handles, and upper arms. Patients love the convenience of the new VelaShape III treatment, and how easily it can integrate into a diet and exercise program. And they are seeing excellent results as they return for more treatments and for maintenance," said Dr. Afsahi. "People who live close by may come in every week, whereas those from out of state may come every month. For each individual patient, we see where they plateau. If they are getting good results at four or six treatments, we may have them come back to do more and keep going. If they plateau in three treatments, they may just come back once per quarter for maintenance," said Dr. Mezrow. VelaShape also plays a role post liposuction and other body contouring procedures. A ccording to Dr. Mezrow, "I think there is a very good window for tightening the skin after liposuction by using VelaShape. There is often some laxity after body contouring and VelaShape can be used to improve skin quality." He typically waits about three weeks post liposuction to start the patient on a course of VelaShape treatments. There is a natural synergy between Velashape and the elos plus multiplatform, which makes this a powerful combination for an aesthetics practice. As Dr. Mezrow said, "elos plus works well with VelaShape because these are both multiple treatment modalities. So patients can have laser hair removal, for example, at the same time as VelaShape, since treatments can be done at similar intervals." An added advantage is that both of these systems can be delegated to physician extenders. "I choose all of the settings for patients, but the technology is very safe and there is great built-in feedback so I am comfortable delegating the treatments to my medical aestheticians who are well trained," added Dr. Mezrow. "It is wonderful to have advanced modalities that are developed so that even a relative novice will be able to choose the appropriate range of settings for a wide range of patients." The real time tissue surface temperature sensor in the new VelaShape III was designed to offer enhanced patient safety. Dr. Mezrow believes that the best way to use these practice-building platforms in tandem is to tailor treatments to the individual. "I don't do anything cookie cutter; we can achieve optimal results for each patient by treating the whole individual. If I do a facelift but the patient has sun damaged hands, or chest and arms, we can treat the sun damage too. I view these systems as an adjunct to my surgical practice and they offer tremendous benefts to the patients." This approach serves the dual purpose of keeping patients in the practice and discouraging them from seeking skin rejuvenation treatments elsewhere. S y n e r o n M E D 5 p 2 8 - 2 9 . i n d d 2 9 SyneronMED5p28-29.indd 29 4 / 1 7 / 1 4 1 0 : 4 2 A M 4/17/14 10:42 AM