LA Magazine / Vaser

Vaser Shape: Non-Surgical,Non-Invasive Fat Removal

June 21, 2012

For patients considering cosmetic improvements, Vaser Shape makes it easier and more convenient than ever by removing the surgical aspect altogether. If you’re scared of the scalpel, Vaser has the answer: non-invasive, non-surgical treatments to improve your appearance. In place of the surgeon’s knife, Vaser deploys state-of-the-art ultrasound or massage therapy for your shaping or cellulite relief needs. The bottom line: You’ll look and feel better after your Vaser appointment, all without the usual risks and worries that come with traditional plastic surgery techniques.

Vaser Shape: Before & After stomach

We all have those problem areas that won’t go away, no matter how much we exercise or diet. Vaser Shape can help you with those trouble spots, such as those little dimples on your thighs or bottom. With a combination of ultrasonic therapy and massage, Vaser Shape smoothes, firms, and sculpts the body by temporarily minimizing the look of cellulite. In addition, Vaser can boost your body’s metabolism as it promotes greater blood circulation in the areas of focus. The treatment is also a great complement for those seeking to temper the pain and swelling that comes from liposuction and other surgical procedures.

Vaser Treatment on back, Before & After

Vaser Shape offers a combination of ultrasound therapy and zonal lymphatic massage for cellulite relief. The physician will work with you to determine a treatment schedule, based on your goals and needs.

The Vaser package: Ultrasound therapy plus zonal massage

The first phase of Vaser Shape treatment is ultrasound therapy, which uses double beams of ultrasound energy to heat and treat fatty deposits under the skin. This makes the fat cells more mobile and encourages the body metabolize, drain, or reabsorb extra fluids. The therapist delivers the ultrasound energy via a unique concave handpiece, following the patient’s silhouette and focusing on fatty tissue located at a certain depth beneath the surface of the skin. Patients can expect to feel their skin being gently warmed, along with a sensation similar to a deep tissue massage.

Vaser Shape Treatment Before & After

Vaser Shape patients are urged to follow up their ultrasound sessions with zonal lymphatic massage. This treatment helps open the lymph nodes, drain excess toxins and fats from the body, and increase blood circulation to the area of concentration. Zonal massage is so gentle, it can also be applied after liposuction for faster recovery times.

Your treatment will vary, depending on your body type and your procedure. A specific timetable will be determined by your doctor, but you can expect one combined ultrasound and massage treatment per week (20 to 30 minutes per body area) and one zonal massage session per week, over the course of three to five weeks in total. Many patients report significant improvement following the first session, and after the procedure, patients can take up everyday tasks and movement without pain or downtime.

The science behind ultrasound

You may be wondering how Vaser Shape can help you achieve your results without surgery. Vaser does it through ultrasound diathermy, in which high-frequency sound waves are used to generate heat spots underneath the skin. Yielding a specialized handpiece and moving it across the body, the physician delivers two beams of ultrasound energy to the body and treats the tissue layer sitting one to five centimeters below the dermis. The targeted fat cells undergo a “micromassage” effect, where fat is redistributed and blood circulation is encouraged. This results in the reduced appearance of cellulite and a smoother shape in the desired areas.

Vaser Shape Treatment on thighs, Before & After

The toxins, excess fluids, and waste dislodged by the ultrasound treatment are removed by the body’s lymphatic system, and this is where zonal massage comes in. As the next step in the Vaser Shape system, zonal massage awakens the lymphatic system for more efficient draining of toxins and fats. At the end of this double-pronged plan, you’ll not only be rid of undesirable cellulite, but also the unwanted substances that comprise those deposits.

Compare and contrast

To be fair, Vaser Shape isn’t the only option for cellulite relief, but it compares favorably to the alternatives and even comes out on top. For example, treatments such as UltraShape and LipoSonix also apply ultrasound to disrupt fat cells. However, they are not cleared for use in the United States, and their reach on the body is not as deep, going only 0.7 to 1.5 cm under the skin and in relatively small areas. VelaShape, Zerona, and SmoothShapes target surface-level fat with laser energy, but treatments must be limited to prevent skin discomfort and damage. In addition, results are inconsistent. Thermage and Accent draw heat from radio frequency energy; again, results are not predictable.

Vaser Shape Treatment, Before & After on back of legs.

On the other extreme, Cryolipolysis works via cooling panels to freeze fat cells, which then slowly die and are removed from the body. However, patients say the treatment and recovery can be painful, and results vary.

Finally, LipoDissolve uses mesotherapy, in which pharmaceutical and homeopathic medications, plant extracts, and vitamins are injected into the tissue layer to disrupt the fatty cells. However, there is no medical data to back up these claims, and the FDA has not approved the technique.

What you need to know

Prospective patients will and should have questions for Vaser and the Vaser Shape program. They may be curious about the basics, such as the meaning of “non-invasive.” Simply, “non-invasive” means there are no cuts, no incisions, no surgery, and no anesthesia. You will not go under the knife, and typically, you can look forward to a short recovery period and few side effects, if any at all. The treatment themselves are performed in an office setting with a physician or trained practitioner.

Vaser Shape treatment on stomach, Before & After

Vaser Shape can be used to target several areas of the body, including the abdomen, back, arms, love handles, hips, buttocks, and thighs. The appearance of cellulite will be temporarily reduced in these zones, for a smoother, more natural look. Optimal results are typically reached after a series of three to five sessions. While Vaser Shape can work for a wide cross-section of the population, patients are advised to seek the guidance of their physician before seeking treatment. In addition, the overall cost will vary, based on how many areas undergo treatment and the number of sessions needed to reach the desired results.

Original Source Here