Can You Freeze That Fat?

Not all fat is created equally, and some types of body fat are more stubborn than others. I perform CoolSculpting® in Los Angeles to freeze fat cells, but the location of stubborn fat varies by individual. So many patients ask, “Can you freeze that fat?”

Each patient needs a personalized treatment plan depending on her or his exact needs, but we commonly use CoolSculpting to treat areas such as:

• Hips
• Flanks
• Abdomen
• Inner thighs
• Outer thighs

Aside from the treatment area, the effectiveness of CoolSculpting depends on factors such as fat and skin thickness. On average, most patients start noticing improvements about 3 weeks after treatment and a 20 to 25% reduction of treated fat. I typically recommend 2 to 3 sessions.

If you’re considering CoolSculpting or a surgical option such as liposuction or a tummy tuck, seek out the advice of an experienced body contouring specialist. He or she will be able to explain the benefits and drawbacks of each procedure and what’s appropriate for the areas you want to treat.

Tags: coolsculpting los angeles
Posted in CoolSculpting

A Procedure So Cool, Even the Doctor is Getting It Done!

As cosmetic procedures become more popular, people tend to share their experiences. I enjoy speaking with people about treatments I’ve undergone, so right after my first CoolSculpting® by ZELTIQ® session in Los Angeles, I started sharing the experience.

Like many plastic surgery patients, I’m generally satisfied with my physical appearance, but there are certain areas that would benefit from cosmetic enhancement. I decided to try CoolSculpting for my pesky love handles because I know how this effective treatment can eliminate small pockets of fat without the downtime associated with surgery.

Turns out, the rumors are true: CoolSculpting is an effective and comfortable body contouring treatment. I was able to read during my hour-long cycles, and I returned to my daily activities immediately after the procedure. I’m thrilled with the results, and I’m looking forward to seeing how my next session will provide more dramatic results.

CoolSculpting is an excellent treatment, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to connect with my patients who are interested in it.

Tags: zeltiq los angeles
Posted in CoolSculpting,Featured,Lasers & Injectables

3 Ways You Can Benefit from CoolSculpting®

I recently published an article on plasticsurgerypractice.com that focused on the benefits of CoolSculpting for aesthetic practices. The article focused on the perks of CoolSculpting from a practitioner’s perspective. For the patients, the benefits include:

Affordability

The non-invasive CoolSculpting treatment requires no anesthetic and, therefore, no anesthesiologist. It also requires less of the practitioner’s time, which translates to savings for you. You also don’t have to sign up for multiple sessions or take time off work for recovery, all of which makes this procedure a great value.

Satisfaction

With a few CoolSculpting pioneers (like me) developing innovative, customized treatment plans, we are able to achieve greater fat reduction and increased patient satisfaction. Also, with multiple CoolSculpting stations and applicators, we are able to address multiple areas at once, achieving more comprehensive results faster. I count myself among the hundreds of thousands of satisfied CoolSculpting patients.

Safety

Most people are aware that with surgery comes certain risks. With CoolSculpting, there are none of the risks associated with surgery, such as anesthesia side effects, infection, bleeding, etc. And since the treatment doesn’t damage surrounding tissue or nerves – it kills only fat cells in the treated area – it is considered extremely safe and low-risk.

Sometimes surgery is the best solution for correcting cosmetic concerns of the body. But for those who are eligible for CoolSculpting, it’s a truly extraordinary solution for reducing stubborn fat in a relatively short time.

Tags: coolsculpting
Posted in CoolSculpting

Cellulite Treatment From the Inside With Cellulaze™

If you’re looking for cellulite treatment in Los Angeles, it’s about time you gave Cellulaze a try. This cellulite treatment has a proven success rate. In one study, in fact, 93% of Cellulaze patients said they were still satisfied with their results after a year.

Cellulite isn’t caused by fat alone; it’s a persistent issue that may be deeply rooted in your genes. With Cellulaze, however, we can restore smooth, elastic skin where you once saw cellulite’s “cottage cheese” effect.

Addressing Cellulite at its Roots

Although overfilled fat cells are partly to blame for the visual evidence of cellulite, these cells aren’t the only culprits. Tightening bands of connective tissue around those fat cells contribute to the dimpled appearance we all dread. Factors such as hormonal changes, heredity and weight loss can cause this tissue to become rigid as the fat cells swell. As a result, the fat cells are pushed outward. Voilà – cellulite!

Attacking cellulite effectively means going at it from both fronts – the connective tissue and the fat cells. When I perform Cellulaze treatments, I use a specially designed laser to smooth out the bumpy fat cells, release the underlying fibrous bands, and heat the undersurface of the skin to promote collagen formation.

The laser energy also promotes the production of collagen, which adds elasticity and thickness to your skin to keep it smooth and healthy. Results are long lasting, and many patients see extraordinary gains in skin strength and pliability at the treatment site.

I look forward to making Cellulaze work for you as it has worked for many of my other patients.

Tags: cellulite los angeles, cellulite treatment los angeles
Posted in Body Contouring

Cellulaze™: YES, It Really Works!

Many people in Los Angeles considering liposuction are thrilled about Cellulaze, a breakthrough procedure that creates long-lasting improvement in the appearance of cellulite.

Cellulaze is revolutionary in its approach to cellulite reduction. It not only helps liquefy lumpy fat but also improves the skin by making it thicker and more elastic. Skin has been shown to remain smooth and cellulite-free for 2 years or longer after just 1 Cellulaze session. With results this encouraging, it’s safe to say that the battle against cellulite is finally over!

And, It Lasts!

Cellulaze is a one-of-a-kind, highly effective treatment with long-lasting results that may even be permanent. I have seen this procedure work wonders for my patients who struggled with cellulite, and most are still enjoying the benefits of their Cellulaze procedures today.

Cellulaze is an extremely rewarding method of treatment. It’s minimally invasive, which means that little downtime is needed after the procedure, and the side-effects are minor. The results are substantial, but they appear gradually during the 3 to 12 months following treatment.

The improvement is usually quite visible at about 6 months. At this point, my patients are much more confident about showing their skin and feel free to wear shorts, skirts and swimsuits without embarrassment.

Tags: los angeles liposuction
Posted in Body Contouring,Liposuction

A New Way to Shrink Fat

I’m always looking for innovative procedures to add to my practice. Recently, Marina Plastic Surgery began offering truSculpt™, a new, temporary, non-invasive cellulite treatment in Los Angeles , which also shrinks fat and slims areas such the thighs, stomach, hips and buttocks. This non-surgical body contouring procedure is simple, quick and highly effective. truSculpt can be used to complement the results of a surgical procedure such as liposuction, or it can be used alone for healthy individuals who want a smoother, more sculpted skin surface.

The Technology

Radiofrequency energy is what allows truSculpt to shrink fat cells and reduce fat tissue, thereby creating smoother contours. Although radiofrequency energy is not particularly “new” for non-surgical body contouring, truSculpt offers many new features, including:

• Volumetric deep-tissue heating: truSculpt technology enables radiofrequency energy to reach deep into subcutaneous tissues where fat is stored.
• Real-time temperature monitoring and feedback: This allows for better temperature control on the skin’s surface, which results in a more comfortable treatment with little or no downtime. No anesthetic or pain medication is necessary.
• Uniform heating at therapeutic temperatures: Because heat is evenly distributed, results are more predictable.

Results

Most people need only 1 or 2 truSculpt sessions to achieve the improvement they want. The results are gradual and appear over the course of 4 to 12 weeks following treatment. My patients have reported smoother skin with a temporary reduction in the look of cellulite as well as thinner body contours.

Tags: cellulite treatment los angeles
Posted in Body Contouring

The Limit on Thinness

“You can never be too rich or too thin.” Is that really true? Patients often have questions regarding the perfect body weight and the best treatment for fat removal.

During consultations, I openly discuss how various procedures can help contour the body. This is also the ideal time to learn how thin the person would like to be. There is a limit on thinness, so it’s important to set realistic goals. Also, each patient’s body type and cosmetic goals determine which treatment will be most effective for creating an ideal body contour.

Recently, more people have been turning to non-surgical treatments for stubborn pockets of fat. Two of the most popular are:

• CoolSculpting® – By freezing fat cells, CoolSculpting removes the need for incisions, anesthesia and extended recovery periods. The body gradually eliminates the dead fat cells during the weeks that follow treatment.
• Liposonix® – Also a non-invasive treatment, Liposonix uses high-intensity ultrasound to destroy fat tissue beneath the skin. Each treatment takes about 1 hour, and most patients can expect to lose an about 1 inch around the waistline.

Both methods are excellent solutions for people who exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet but are unable to lose that last bit of fat.

Tags: freezing fat
Posted in CoolSculpting,Body Contouring

New Uses for Liposuction

People in Los Angeles undergo liposuction to sculpt leaner bodies, to reduce areas of unwanted fat and to feel more confident. But now, liposuction holds new hope for breast reconstruction patients who have undergone mastectomies as treatment for breast cancer.

A common point of concern for many breast reconstruction patients is how breast implants might affect their health in the future. A recent study explored how fat grafting could reduce complications for breast reconstruction with implants.

During the procedure, liposuction is used to collect fat from other areas of the body. The fat is then purified and used to augment the breast that is being reconstructed. The study found that for a select group of patients, fat grafting combined with a breast implant could be a beneficial option.

Liposuction patients in Los Angeles may not immediately think of these less-common uses. This study is just one example of how advances in surgical techniques are helping to create safe and long-lasting results.

Tags: los angeles liposuction, liposuction los angeles
Posted in Body Contouring,Liposuction

Is Your Body Image Realistic?

Before performing a body contouring procedure such as CoolSculpting® in Los Angeles, I always make sure my patients have realistic expectations. Although CoolSculpting, liposuction and other procedures can help achieve many people’s cosmetic goals, I want to make sure my patients are both physically and emotionally good candidates for the treatments.

As part of my consultation with new patients, I talk with them about their perceptions of their appearance and what they want to change. The reason: I want to make sure they do not suffer from body dysmorphic disorder. This chronic mental condition causes its sufferers to worry excessively about what they see as a flaw in their appearance. In some cases, they become so focused on that flaw that they devote hours to obsessing over how they look. They may be eager to have cosmetic surgery, but in my opinion, plastic surgery should not be performed on these individuals.

If you have a realistic body image, CoolSculpting or liposuction can be an excellent choice if you:

• Are at or near your target weight. Neither procedure is designed for weight loss.
• Follow a healthy diet and fitness program.
• Want to reduce specific, small regions of fat, such as the love handles, in which case CoolSculpting may be the best solution.
• Want to lose fat from other areas, such as the upper arms, thighs, midsection or neck, in which case you may be a good candidate for liposuction.

Tags: coolsculpting los angeles
Posted in Body Contouring,CoolSculpting

More to Love?

Anyone who has struggled with obesity can tell you the battle is a challenging one to win. For that very reason, one of the most satisfying procedures I perform in Los Angeles is liposuction. For many men and women, liposuction is the final step in a long and dedicated weight-loss journey. It achieves the sculpted body they envisioned when they first made the decision to shed their excess pounds.

It’s important to understand that liposuction is not a way to help you lose weight. You’re a good candidate for the procedure only if you have reached your weight goal but still have small, stubborn pockets of fat that don’t respond to diet or exercise. Once you’ve reached that point, liposuction can put the icing on the cake of your weight-loss transformation.

As a result of advancements in liposuction technology, many different techniques are now available. This means liposuction can now be even more effective for body sculpting.

In the past, skin elasticity has been a key factor in determining whether liposuction is the right body contouring solution for you. Now, Smartlipo™, one of the newest liposuction options, includes the ability to tighten skin, making it a good choice for those whose skin has less elasticity.

What do you think? I invite you to share your thoughts with us as to how liposuction can complete your transformative journey.

Tags: los angeles liposuction
Posted in Body Contouring,Liposuction