Slimming Sans Scalpels or Scars
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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Roslyn, NY, – For many people, losing those unsightly bulges without going under the knife (or dressing entirely in spandex) seems like wishful thinking. Everyone—both doctors and patients—has been searching for a way to “spot reduce,” or get rid of extra inches that otherwise won’t
budge. Until now, that is.
“There are two procedures that just might be the answer to everybody’s
prayers,” says Joshua Fox, M.D., a leading dermatologist and medical
director of Advanced Dermatology of New York and New Jersey. “Right now,
doctors have access to two new procedures that can smooth away dimples in
the skin and actually eliminate fat deposits—something that before now
required surgery or liposuction.”
Both procedures are also unique in that they’re the only two non-invasive
fat-reduction methods to get clearance by the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA).
And while that might seem like a pipe dream, Dr. Fox explains that both
methods—each of which uses a futuristic device that looks like it’s straight
out of a sci-fi movie—actually rely on fairly simple science to achieve
their results.
The Big Chill with Zeltig
The first new procedure, Zeltiq, employs a space-age CoolSculpting device
that uses controlled cooling (something called selective cryolipolysis) to
essentially freeze fat cells in the area being treated. The cold causes the
fat inside the cells to crystallize, which kills the cells and allows them
to be reabsorbed into the body. Dr. Fox notes that fat cells, like all the
other types of cells in the body, die naturally on their own. “This just
speeds the process, creating a deficit of fat cells in the area being
treated and thereby reducing the overall mass of fat there.” After about
three or four months (the time it takes the cells to die and disappear),
you’ll see a slimmer bulge, he says. He notes that there’s significant
evidence that cold temperatures induce necrosis (death) in fat cells,
The Zeltiq device is about the size of a fat paperback novel; it’s attached
to a small hose that delivers suction. In a treatment, the doctor or cool
sculpting technician moves the device over the area to be treated, where it
pulls the bulge into place and administers a dose of fat-freezing cold; a
treatment lasts about an hour. “Most people say the treatments are
uneventful or only mildly uncomfortable,” says Dr. Fox. “You’ll feel a
slight tug and your skin getting cold, then going numb as the cells are
frozen.” Afterwards, you might see some redness or bruising, but most
patients say they don’t see any ill effects. Most areas need just one Zeltiq
treatment, but a bigger area might require two.
Lighten Up with Zerona
The second procedure, called Zerona, uses a low-energy laser that creates
tiny punctures in the fat-cell membranes, which causes the contents to ooze
out and leaves the cells looking like deflated balloons, says Dr. Fox.
Unlike the other lasers used in dermatology, which deliver high-energy beams
of light in tiny, ultraconcentrated doses, Zerona uses a four-armed device
that looks like a giant insect and is strapped to your body, where it emits
red light beams that slowly rotate around your hips, thighs and midsection.
The energy delivered by the Zerona device is much milder than that of a
traditional dermatological laser, he says, so you’ll hardly notice it. You
also won’t see any unpleasant after-effects, such as blistering, swelling,
or redness.
A Zerona procedure takes about 40 minutes (20 minutes on each side). Most
patients repeat the treatments three times a week for two weeks, and will
see results about two weeks after the last treatment. People are guaranteed
if they follow the protocol, to lose at least 3 inches collectively from the
waist, thighs and hips areas.
“Both of these treatments are great for someone who’s at or close to ideal
weight and are not designed for weight loss. If it’s your baby fat along the
waist, hips and thighs and it’s inches you want removed, rather than a
specific bulge, then the Zerona is probably the better choice. After a
treatment you may not be able to see a visual difference but your pants or
dress may feel loser. The Zeltiq is better for someone who is unhappy about
certain areas—the love handles, belly bulges, muffin tops, back fat—that
they just can’t eliminate with diet and exercise,” Dr. Fox says. “We’ve all
heard of ‘spot-reducing,’ but unfortunately, it’s impossible for most people
without medical intervention.” Before now, that intervention was
liposuction, which carries significant costs, discomfort, surgery and
recovery time. But with these options, most people see real results, without
the cost, expense and pain of surgery, he says.
About Dr. Fox: Joshua L. Fox, M.D., F.A.A.D., earned his medical degree
from the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York. He completed an
internship at Maimonides Hospital in Brooklyn, followed by a three-year
dermatology residency at the New York University School of Medicine. A
Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, Dr. Fox is a leading
authority in the field of dermatology, with an expertise in skin cancer,
cosmetic surgery and laser procedures. He is the founder and director of
Advanced Dermatology, P.C. of New York and New Jersey and the Center for
Laser and Cosmetic Surgery and is a spokesman for both the American Academy
of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery. He is the
director of a fellowship program in Laser & Cosmetic Surgery.
http://www.advanceddermatologypc.com/index.html
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