The effectiveness of using heat or freezing to destroy fat cells is well documented. While these devices are not suitable for bulk reduction of fat, they are ideal for non invasive body sculpting, reducing areas of subcutaneous fat (as opposed to deep visceral around the guts) without significant down time.
Unlike older devices which destroy fat cells by freezing, Sculpsure uses laser technology to selectively heat fat cells to temperature of between 42-47 degrees to trigger a process of programmed cell death.
I set out personally to find out what having one’s body fat heated to that temperature range feels like.
The Sculpsure device has 4 treatment applicators which can be applied to different parts of the abdomen, trunk and flanks in different permutations. The treatment cycle takes 25 minutes. Depending on the total area to be treated, treatment time ranges typically from 25-75 minutes.
The application of the treatment pads is very straight forward and some gel is used to ensure good contact. The device provides surface cooling to both protect the skin and to ensure that the treatment is comfortable (in relative terms)
The initial sensation is one of the coolness, followed by waves of an increasingly deeper ache, alternating with cooling. I would describe the feeling as a colicky/cramp-like discomfort, not quite amounting to pain. Others have compared it with the early stages of labor and I can only take their words for it.
As the treatment only takes 25 minutes and the discomfort intermittent, I think most people would find it entirely tolerable.
The skin feels surprisingly cold to the touch right after the treatment and there are no visible redness or bruising. One can literally carry on with normal routine following the treatment.
On the days after treatment, the area is slightly tender with no changes in external appearance. to recap, treatment with Sculpsure takes as little as 25 minutes during which there is intermittent discomfort and the downtime is literally zero.
The treatment protocol calls for a second treatment 6 weeks later and optimum results are seen at 8-12 weeks. 20-25% of fat loss has been seen in most patients.
Blog by Dr HS Kat, Aesthetic Doctor and Clinic Manager, CC Kat Aesthetics
Mrs CC Kat is a leading Midlands
Consultant Plastic Surgeon specializing in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.
She is a full member of both British Association ofAesthetic Plastic Surgeons
(BAAPS) and British Association of Aesthetic , Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgeons (BAPRAS) as well as several international aesthetic surgery
associations. She worked as a Consultant Plastic Surgeon at the Heart of
England NHS Foundation Trust but now runs her private practice, CC Kat
Aesthetics – Birmingham Laser, Skin and Cosmetic Surgery Clinic, full time. For
more information, visit www.cckat.com or
call 08453731818.
