Overview | Why body sculpting required | Body parts undergo this treatment | Ideal candidates | Expectations during consultation | Treatment options | Questions for the doctor | Costing

Losing weight by any means surely is satisfying, be it undergoing a fat-reducing surgery or following a strict diet and exercising regularly. However, sometimes, weight loss leaves behind loose skin and fat deposits, which can ruin your overall appearance. If you are struggling with the same then it is time to consider body contouring treatments. The Johns Hopkins Medicine website says the treatment is a medical procedure that helps to improve how your skin and underlying tissues look after significant weight loss.

There are various kinds of non-invasive procedures used by the dermatologists to achieve the desired result. Hence, there is no reason to worry about the sagging skin or pockets of stubborn fat deposits that are difficult to get rid of even after losing weight or maintaining a healthy diet, as they can be easily fixed by an experienced doctor.  

Why is body sculpting required?

Major weight loss often leads to loose skin around different sections of your body. This can be disheartening but it can be fixed using non-surgical medical procedures without much hassle. The body sculpting methods offered in our clinic have some great benefits, which make the entire process effective and satisfying for you. Firstly, these procedures are used to ensure that you can achieve the best result within weeks and they practically have no downtime. In addition to that, the non-invasive techniques ensure no risk of any infection and provide satisfactory results.

Body parts that can undergo this treatment

The body sculpting treatments are used to fix the loose skin and fat pockets around different parts of your body to provide them with a firmer and toned appearance. The areas that are commonly treated with these methods are chin, neck, hips, abdomen, knees, butt, arms, thighs, back, saddlebags, and love handles. You can opt for multiple body sculpting procedures to improve your overall appearance. To achieve the best result, it is important that you find a skilled, experienced, and trustworthy dermatologist. They need to be able to understand your needs and help you set realistic goals. 

Ideal candidate for this treatment

If you have recently lost a significant amount of weight and have excess skin hanging loosely around different parts of your body then you are the right candidate for body sculpting. Another thing that makes you the perfect candidate for the treatment is a healthy lifestyle. If you are someone who exercises regularly, eats healthy, and are committed to maintaining your weight, then you can most benefit from the procedures. You also must have realistic goals from the treatment. If you expect that it will make you more athletic then you may be disappointed. Realize that body sculpting is designed only to improve your overall appearance. 

Various treatment options

In our clinic, we offer a variety of body sculpting treatments to meet your contouring needs. 

  1. Laser Lipo – This method uses laser technology to melt the fat deposits under your skin. If you want to improve the shape of your body and are in good health, then the treatment can help you. Your doctor will numb the targeted areas with anesthesia and use the laser device on the fat pockets first and then use a cannula, which is a tiny tube, to suction out the melted fat. The procedure can take approximately a little more than an hour per body part, and you will notice a significant change in your body within six weeks. The chances of any side-effect are minimal, which makes it a safe procedure.
  2. Accusculpt procedure – The Accusculpt is a body sculpting device, which is used for both skin tightening and fat melting. The equipment releases a 1444nm laser wavelength, which has the ability to melt the fatty tissues located under your skin. It also improves collagen production, which results in healthier and tighter skin. If you want to improve your facial contours, then this treatment is ideal for you. The device uses fine laser beams, which makes sure of not damaging any surrounding tissue, thereby making it a safe solution. The results of the treatment are immediately noticeable and long-lasting.
  3. CoolSculpting – If you want to remove fat residues from under your skin then the CoolSculpting body contouring method can surely help. At The Bombay Skin Clinic, this procedure works through fat-freezing with the use of controlled cooling, which freezes the stubborn fat cells that are eliminated naturally. It is an innovative fat-reduction technology for body sculpting and a great alternative to surgery with little or no downtime.
    To perform this procedure, the doctor uses a medical cooling device that freezes and destroys the fat located under the skin. This is a non-invasive method, which works best for people who only want to get rid of small fat deposits, which could not be removed by exercise. The procedure is safe and has almost no side-effects. Your body can take up to four months to filter out the destroyed fat cells and the best results will be visible after that. More than 5 million CoolSculpting treatment cycles performed to date stand as a testament to its success.
  4. SculpSure (heat treatment) – It is a non-invasive laser therapy that can effectively reduce fat. If you want to get rid of fat deposits located under your abdomen and flanks then this procedure can be helpful. The laser device is wrapped around the targeted area of the body and it destroys the fat deposits by heating them up. You can expect some bruising and soreness after the treatment, but these subside within a few weeks. The procedure takes about half an hour and you can notice the result after around six weeks once your body processes the destroyed fat cells.
  5. Radiofrequency lipolysis – If you have stubborn localized fat deposits that exercise and diet cannot reduce then radiofrequency lipolysis will do the job. This process works by heating the fat cells under the skin. The radiofrequency waves are sent into your skin on the targeted areas and they destroy the fat cells by heat. It is a non-invasive procedure, which is practically risk-free. However, some patients have reported mild erythema. It may require up to four sessions for the treatment to work effectively. Once your body filters the fat cells out, you can notice the final result.
  6. Injection lipolysis – The deoxycholic acid has shown potential in killing fat cells. Injecting it under your chin can help reduce ‘double chin’ permanently. It requires the candidates to have a good amount of skin elasticity for the treatment to work. For this treatment, the targeted area is first numbed using local anesthesia and then the deoxycholic acid is injected under the skin. It is a minimally invasive procedure, but the treatment can result in bruising, swelling, tenderness, and fullness. These can last up to two to three weeks. It is slightly painful and works best for small pockets of fat, like the double chin area. However, for larger areas, the treatment can be difficult and painful. The best thing about this treatment is that the results can be long-lasting. It can take up to six sessions to complete the treatment.
  7. EMSculpt – If you want rounder buttocks and tighter abs, then this electromagnetic treatment procedure is the best for you. The procedure is performed using a machine that produces electromagnetic pulses that can burn unwanted fat and tighten your muscles. You will require four sessions over a period of two weeks to complete the treatment. The best results can be noticed after about three months and the same can still improve after that.
  8. Skin tightening via HiFu and RF – While eradicating unwanted fat can make you appear slimmer, you also require to get rid of excess skin for the body sculpting treatment to be effective. HiFu and RF are two methods that have shown great results in tightening the skin. HiFu, which is the High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound, is a treatment that can go deeper into your skin and improve the firmness. It protects the skin surface by penetrating at deeper depths and higher temperatures by treating areas beyond the dermis and foundation layers. It also regenerates collagen production to make your skin healthier. The procedure is quick with no downtime and completely safe.
    With HiFu, you can treat conditions such as, loose and sagging skin, skin folds, fine lines and wrinkles, signs of aging, decrease in skin elasticity, and skin contouring. The RF treatment procedure can help you tighten the skin as well as reduce wrinkles and sags. At The Bombay Skin Clinic, this technology applies a ‘cavitation’ principle that uses ultrasound energy to make intense vibration, which causes an inner explosion in the fat tissues and thus gets rid of lipocyte.
    RF can effectively break down the stubborn and deep fat and decrease the quantity and size of lipocyte. In this procedure, the diathermy effect of the ultrasound machine removes the fatty acid, toxins, and waste through the lymphatic system.  In this treatment, the RF waves are applied on the skin through a probe, which enters the skin. Then, the skin impedance generates strong resonance and the friction produces heat. This increase the temperature of the skin wherein the dermal heating produces energy that makes the collagen to tighten and stimulate and increase the skin collagen.
    We, at The Bombay Skin Clinic, use three technologies for the entire procedure. These technologies include 8 polar vacuum cavitation, 3 polar RF energy, and M38 high-frequency ultrasonic energy. These three technologies together help in the cavitation of rupture and the fat cells. The treatment has no side-effects or downtime, and it is ideal for you if you have sagging skin, wrinkles, loose skin, and fat on any body area.

Who shouldn’t consider this procedure?

The body sculpting treatments are not designed for a significant fat reduction. It can slim down certain parts of the body, but if you have excessive fat deposits then you should first consider losing more weight before opting for body sculpting. You also must not consider this treatment option if you do not have a fit body and cannot commit to a healthy lifestyle. If you are unsure about whether you are a good candidate or not, you must consult a dermatologist, who will guide you further.

What can you expect during a doctor’s consultation?

When you meet the doctor for a consultation body sculpting, you will need to provide certain information regarding your medical history. The doctor must know if you ever had any other surgery, if you use to take any particular medication regularly, whether or not you are a smoker, and if you have any medical condition. The doctor can then take measurements and examine your body to determine if you are suitable for the treatment. 

What questions to ask the doctor before treatment

Below are a few questions you must ask your doctors before opting for the body contouring procedures.

  • Is it safe?
  • How many sessions will I need?
  • When can I expect to see the result?
  • How much experience do you have?
  • How much can my appearance improve?
  • What happens to the excess fat? 
  • Is there any alternative?
  • What should I do for post-treatment care? 

Risks with the procedure

In our clinic, we make sure to offer you a safe environment and that you are treated by the most experienced professionals. Still, like any medical procedure, body sculpting has a few risks too. You can experience some bruising and aching on the treated areas. These can last for a couple of weeks. In rare cases, the treatment may result in paradoxical adipose hyperplasia wherein the fat cells become larger. 

Results to expect

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the new technologies in fat-reduction have made body sculpting treatments more advanced in the last ten years. Hence, you can expect the best results from the procedures. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the results show gradually in the case of non-surgical treatments. It takes three to four months for the destroyed fat cells to naturally leave your body, and you can notice the final result after that. These treatments destroy the targeted fat cells and tighten the loose skin permanently, so the result will be long-lasting. However, the result may vary from patient to patient. 

Number of sessions required

There are a few different methods used for body sculpting. The required number of sessions depends on the procedure used for your treatment. Generally, it takes multiple sessions to achieve the best results. 

Body sculpting vs. weight loss treatments

The non-surgical body sculpting and weight loss surgeries have entirely different goals. The weight-loss surgeries help you lose weight; however, they do not particularly improve your appearance or help you get rid of the excess skin. This is when body sculpting treatments come in the picture. However, unlike weight loss surgeries, these treatments cannot help you to lose a significant amount of fat.

Costing

The cost of body sculpting depends on a variety of things. Depending on the particular procedure used, the targeted areas, the location of the clinic, and the number of sessions required, the cost can be approximately INR 40,000 or higher. 

Future care

After the body contouring treatment, it is important that you take special care of the treated areas. You must wear comfortable clothing and stay active to avoid any inflammation. If you experience any serious side-effects, you must immediately contact your doctor. For a long- term care, you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and the trimness of your body. 

Closing paragraph

If you have recently lost a significant amount of weight then it might have left behind some stubborn fat deposits and excess skin on your body parts. To get rid of them and achieve a more toned appearance, you must consider body sculpting. This procedure can help you effectively with a permanent solution. 

References

  1. Johns Hopkins Medicine : https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/body-contouring
  2. National Center for Biotechnology Information: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26910703/
  3. American Academy of Dermatology: https://www.aad.org/public/cosmetic/fat-removal/non-invasive-what-to-expect