Which Non-surgical Body Contouring Treatment is Right for Me?
May 02, 2022
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Adrienne Stewart MD
Adrienne Stewart MD
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It’s frustrating to hit all of your diet and exercise goals and still not be satisfied with your figure. Your body may be holding onto pockets of stubborn fat that seem entirely immune to weight loss efforts.
Aesthetic Surgery and Dermatology of Cherry Creek’s Adrienne Stewart, MD, and the rest of our team know how important it is to see the results of all of your hard work. That’s why we offer the latest in non-surgical body contouring treatments.
So what is non-surgical body contouring, and how can it reshape your figure? With so many options to target fat loss and achieve your ideal shape, it’s hard to decide which choice is right for you. Below, we’ll discuss many of our non-surgical body contouring methods and options.
It’s important to note that non-surgical body contouring is not a weight loss solution. Instead, it’s a treatment that targets stubborn fat pockets and is ideal for people close to their desired weight. Many body contouring treatments require patients to have a BMI of less than 30 to qualify.
Non-surgical body contouring treatments aim to achieve a more shapely, toned body. The procedures dissolve fat and may tighten skin without surgery. Many patients who struggle with areas where fat hangs on despite their best efforts turn to non-surgical body contouring to target those spots specifically.
Non-surgical body contouring treatments target fat cells in designated areas and destroy them. However, each treatment works differently to accomplish that goal. Whether the cells are frozen, heated, or mechanically destroyed depends on your chosen method.
CoolSculpting and CoolSculpting Elite use cryolipolysis to break down fat cells. Since fat cells freeze at a higher temperature than other cells, CoolSculpting treatments cool the fat cells to the point where they crystallize.
Once the fat cells freeze, their cell membranes rupture and die. The body naturally removes the dead cells through the lymphatic system. The cells are gone forever. Since fat cells are more sensitive to cold than other tissues, the surrounding skin remains unharmed.
Non-surgical body contouring methods like Vanquish use radiofrequency energy to destroy fat. As the energy passes through the skin, it heats the targeted area’s fat to 120°F, while the skin’s temperature only reaches 101°F.
As the fat cells heat up, they break down and die. Over time, the lymphatic system flushes out these cells, just like they do with frozen fat cells, and the targeted area becomes slimmer.
UltraShape uses non-thermal ultrasound technology to target fat cells mechanically, without heating or freezing them. Instead, UltraShape’s transducer delivers focused ultrasound energy that stresses the membranes of fat cells, causing them to rupture.
Like with other methods, the lymphatic system then flushes out the dead cells.
Emsculpt and Emsculpt Neo are different from many other body contouring treatments because they burn fat and build muscle through contractions.
The Emsculpt devices contract muscles beyond what is possible with exercise, enhancing fat reduction and creating muscle tone. These contractions reconstruct the muscles and eliminate fat in the treated area.
Emsculpt delivers focused electromagnetic energy to the targeted area, forcing 100% of the muscle fibers to contract and holding that contraction for six seconds. In contrast, the average person can only contract their muscles at 30%-35% capacity for one second.
Emsculpt Neo uses the same technology as Emsculpt but then adds radiofrequency energy to burn through fat stores.
Each non-surgical body contouring treatment is FDA-approved for specific treatment areas. As a whole, body contouring treatments can target fat in the following areas:
Due to their unique methodology, Emsculpt and Emsculpt Neo are the only treatments that target the calves and buttocks.
Non-surgical body contouring treatments encompass many procedures and offer different results based on their methodology. Some factors to consider when choosing a body contouring treatment include:
When the FDA approves body contouring treatments, it specifies the approved treatment areas. Therefore, choosing the proper body contouring treatment will depend significantly on where your stubborn pockets of fat are. CoolSculpting offers the most versatility, as it’s the only body contouring treatment approved for nine different areas.
However, Emsculpt and Emsculpt Neo are the only treatments that lift and sculpt the buttocks and calves.
Vanquish is only approved for the abdomen and flanks, but it is the most effective treatment for those areas.
Most body contouring treatments require a BMI of 30 or less to provide effective results. However, patients with a BMI of up to 35 may qualify for CoolSculpting.
Body contouring treatments are not the same as weight reduction treatments, and patients who are close to their desired weight see the best results.
All non-surgical body contouring treatments require multiple sessions to achieve desired results. However, the number of treatments and the length of each session varies considerably.
Emsculpt and Emsculpt Neo recommend up to eight treatments, while other therapies generally require three or four. In contrast, those eight Emsculpt treatments are 30 minutes long, while the others range in length depending on the treatment area and can last up to an hour.
The best way to determine which non-surgical body contouring method will be most effective for you is to meet with board-certified physician Dr. Adrienne Stewart at Aesthetic Surgery and Dermatology of Cherry Creek.
Dr. Stewart will provide input on which treatment best targets your goals, fits your lifestyle, and provides the best results for your body. To reveal your optimal figure through non-surgical body contouring, call or book an appointment online with us today!