CoolSculpting is an FDA-approved procedure from Zeltiq that delivers controlled cooling energy to freeze fat cells via a process called cryolipolysis. A suction-based applicator draws both the skin and underlying subcutaneous (fat) tissue into the handpiece, delivering cooling energy which over the course of the treatment freezes and crystallizes the fat cells. Since suction is used to draw the adipose tissue into the applicator, you must have pinchable fat in order to benefit from the treatment. Someone with a very small problem area may not be a candidate for this procedure.
Following treatment, which takes approximately 1 hour per area, the applicator is removed, leaving what is often referred to as a “stick of butter” as the area has taken the shape of the applicator. The area is then massaged to break and fragment the crystallized fat cells. The damaged fat cells are filtered and eliminated from the body over the course of the following few months. Many people ask us how CoolSculpting is able to freeze the fat cells and without damaging the skin? This is because fat is more sensitive to temperature than skin, so the fat cells freeze before the skin freezes. CoolSculpting is a non-invasive procedure that offers permanent results.
There is some mild discomfort associated with this procedure. Patients have reported discomfort with the suction applicator and during the freezing process, but most report that the area becomes numb a few minutes into the treatment. After the procedure has been completed, it is common to have soreness and bruising. You may also experience tingling or a burning sensation in the area once the nerves in the treated area awaken. Recovery really depends on the person, but it is marketed as a no down-time procedure. The need for several treatments is common with most non-invasive fat reduction procedures, including CoolSculpting. It is important to remember that results are not instant and it can take weeks or even months to see any change.
Cynosure’s SculpSure is an FDA-approved non-invasive, laser lipolysis treatment to reduce fat. It is the latest and most advanced non-invasive fat reduction method available in the United States. This technology uses precise hyperthermic energy, or in layman’s terms- heat- to target and eliminate fat cells using a 1060nm Diode laser. Once heated, the injured fat cells are ejected from the adipose tissue. These ejected and damaged fat cells are filtered out by the body over the course of several weeks and months. During treatment, the skin is cooled for protection and comfort.
The fact that fat heats up faster than it freezes allows the SculpSure treatment to take a fraction of the time than that of CoolSculpting. The SculpSure device has four laser applicators that lay flat on the skin, so there is no uncomfortable suction involved.
Additionally, because the applicators lay flat on the skin, SculpSure can treat smaller problem areas (you don’t have to have pinchable fat to be treated). These applicators can also treat a larger surface area. It takes twenty-five minutes, versus 45 minutes to an hour, to utilize the four applicators. The number of applicators needed will depend on the areas you are having treated. Patients have reported feeling sensations of warmth, tingling or mild cramping during treatment. Overall, the SculpSure procedure is well tolerated by patients and the abbreviated treatment time is significant.
Following SculpSure treatment you may have some mild tenderness in the area, but no pain or bruising has been reported. You are able to return to normal activity immediately. Several treatments may be necessary to achieve the best results. Similar to CoolSculpting, results with SculpSure are not instant and it does take weeks or even months to see a reduction in the treated area. The results are permanent. Cynosure’s SculpSure reports up to a 24% fat reduction in the treatment area per treatment. In addition, a benefit of SculpSure is that it boasts skin tightening as an added bonus, which is unique to laser therapies and cannot be achieved via cryolipolysis or CoolSculpting.
Both treatments are considered to be viable options for non-invasive fat reduction, offering significant, long-term effects. It is always recommended for you to research the available treatment option in order to choose which procedure is right for you. If you’re truly interested in a non-invasive procedure to help reduce fat, choose Paragon Plastic Surgery and Med Spa in Mansfield, TX as a partner in reaching your body contouring goals.
To request a personal consultation with Dr. Mark Bishara, call us at Paragon Plastic Surgery & Medspa at (817) 473-2120 or complete our online contact form today.
Posts
Is a facelift too invasive for you but you would still like to experience dramatic results that you thought only a fountain of youth could acheive? Here at The Paragon Plastic Surgery & Medspa, you can receive a combination of Ultherapy and injectable wrinkle/filler treatments, such as Botox, Radiesse, or Juvederm, to create a fresh, vibrant new you. These treatments all offer a different course of action in providing a more youthful look for our patients, but when combined, they work synergistically to create a harmonious result that both works on a soft tissue and muscular level.
Botox, for example, combats wrinkles on a muscular level by minimizing muscle contraction and relaxing hyperactive muscles. Alternately, filler is used to add volume to designated areas on the face while Ultherapy works on a tissue-level to stimulate collagen, lifting and tightening the skin as a result. As you can see, this combination of preventing the muscle contraction that causes wrinkles with Botox, adding volume with Filler, and tightening the skin with Ultherapy, have the power to create a balanced and complete look that would not be achieved from just doing one treatment by itself.
How long you should wait in between each treatment, and in what order they should be done, is an opinion that varies from doctor to doctor. At our own Paragon Plastic Surgery & Medspa, Dr. Mark Bishara recommends waiting about two weeks after Ultherapy to receive any injections. This short wait time will give any swelling that may happen as a result of Ultherapy time to settle so that how much filler/Botox needs to be used can be determined. This incredible combination of treatments yields fabulous results that can be yours! Call us now to schedule a consultation with Dr. Mark Bishara to discuss this as an option for you.
To request a personal consultation with Dr. Mark Bishara, call us at Paragon Plastic Surgery & Medspa at (817) 473-2120 or complete our online contact form today.
If you are looking to tighten the skin on your neck, under your chin, or around the eyebrow, but surgery is too extreme of an option for you, look no further than Ultherapy! This non-invasive procedure is the only one that is FDA-cleared to lift and tighten the skin naturally- without surgery or downtime- in addition to improving the appearance of lines and wrinkles on the décolletage. From your brow to your chest, Ultherapy can help you achieve a fresher, more youthful look!
Harnessing the power of ultrasound energy, Ultherapy transforms problem areas with sagging skin by stimulating collagen production. It does this by delivering focused ultrasound energy to the skin’s foundational layer typically addressed in cosmetic surgery- without cutting or disrupting the surface of the skin. In addition to the ultrasound therapy, which delivers it’s collagen-boosting treatment, Ultherapy incorporates ultrasound imaging, which allows practitioners to see the layers of tissue they are treating, ensuring the treatment energy is delivered to where it will be most beneficial.
Here at Paragon Plastic Surgery & Med Spa, we are excited to offer this treatment to people who want to see incredible transformations to the elasticity and tightness of their skin but are not ready to do something as extreme as go under the knife. During a consultation with Dr. Mark Bishara at either our office in Mansfield or our office in Southlake, you will discuss your concerns, have your skin assessed, and the two of you will be able to determine if you are a candidate for this treatment. There are no special preparations or skin regimens that are required prior to your treatment and although the length of time for Ultherapy varies, a face and neck procedure usually takes 60-90 minutes, while a chest treatment takes approximately 30 minutes.This quick and easy procedure is done by one of our skilled aestheticians in-office. After cleansing the skin and identifying the specific areas to be treated, your aesthetician will apply the ultrasound gel and place the smooth treatment applicator against your skin. Next, she will use Ultherapy’s ultrasound imaging to first see deep within the skin to determine optimal placement of the treatment energy, and then deliver the focused ultrasound energy beneath the skin’s surface. During the treatment, you will feel tiny amounts of energy being deposited to precise depths, indicating that the collagen-building process has been initiated.
The great thing about Ultherapy is that there is no downtime! You can immediately return to your normal activities after your procedure without any post-treatment restrictions or requirements. Although your skin may appear slightly flushed at first, the redness should disappear within a few hours. You may see some initial effect, but the ultimate results will take place over 2-3 months, as your body naturally regenerates collagen. This incredibly effective treatment is only one consultation away! We’d love to help your skincare dreams come true with Ultherapy so call us now to schedule an appointment!
To request a personal consultation with Dr. Mark Bishara, call us at Paragon Plastic Surgery & Medspa at (817) 473-2120 or complete our online contact form today.
We have Dieter Manstein, MD and R. Rox Anderson, MD to thank for a study done decades ago who observed children that consumed a lot of popsicles were freezing and removing fat cells within their cheeks creating dimples. Today that same technology has been recreated by Zeltiq the makers of Coolsculpting. We’ve all heard the name, whether on TV, radio or on magazines. But what exactly is Coolsculpting?
Cool sculpting is the ONLY FDA cleared, non invasive, fat eliminating procedure. This means no cutting, no needles, and no down time. The best part, it removes fat cells permanently.
So how does this work and am I candidate? Let’s start who this is not for…
This is not for someone who is looking at this as removing 5 lbs of fat in one session. Or a cure for poor dieting or lack of exercise, rather this is for people who can’t get rid of that stubborn belly fat that diet and exercise fail to reduce. The love handles that crunches won’t cure and the annoying fat on the back of the arms a million push ups just won’t fix. You and your consultant will discuss areas of concern, about the treatment, cost, and number of treatments needed for your desired results. Practitioners note that most patients have 20%-25% percent reduction of fat cells in the treated area after ONE treatment.
Areas of interest from potential patients include the chin, upper and lower abdomen, flanks (sides), love handles, inner and outer thighs and thanks to popsicles in that earlier study we know that fat cells have been proven to not survive extreme cold temperatures.
Treatment time is approximately one hour, you will rest comfortably while a technician drapes a cool membrane barrier against the treatment area. This protects the skin from the coldness. The device is placed over the membrane and the device will pull the area of concern in by a vacuum mechanism. This should pose little discomfort and numbing to be in full effect after approximately 10 mins. Once the device is pulled away from the treated area the skin will have taken on a form, almost like a stick of butter. This is what you should expect! The technician will then massage the area until flat again.
Recovery after CoolSculpting is truly a no downtime process. The treated area will be numb and you may experience a little swelling or discomfort, nothing an Ibuprofen cant handle. However you may resume your day to day activities immediately.
So what happens to those fat cells? Where do they go? The expired fat cells will naturally be metabolized and expelled from the body. Result are seen as in little as 3 weeks, but best by month 2 and 3.
How much is this going to cost me? The price for CoolSculpting varies on a few factors, areas of concern, how many treatments you may need and what is your end goal. With that said, most treatments start at $600 a session.
What is the difference between fat reduction and weight loss?
Fat reduction is permanently reducing the number of fat cells within a given area. Those cells will never come back. Weight loss allows the fat cells to reduce in size however, does not eliminate them permanently from the body.
The traditional method is Liposuction and is a preferred method for those seeking larger amounts of reduction in one session. However, will be performed by a surgeon, under anesthesia with some recovery time. CoolSculpting offers us the same technology for treating a smaller area over one or several sessions. Speaking to your plastic surgeon is the best way to find out which procedure might be better suited for you.
For More information about liposuction please contact Dr Mark Bishara 817-473-2120 or appointments@markbisharamd.com
ARLINGTON TEXAS