Body contouring remains one of the most popular fields in cosmetic surgery.
There are several non-surgical options for reducing fat volume, removing stubborn pockets of fatty tissue and streamlining your overall body shape.
Over time, minimally invasive devices have been introduced to the market to target fat reduction. Here, we guide you through the essentials in body contouring and outline the most popular procedures to create a slimmer, more balanced silhouette.
While liposuction surgery offers a predictable method of removing fat deposits, non-surgical body contouring provides an option for those who don’t want invasive surgery and its associated risks and recovery time.
Although non-surgical body contouring devices offer an effective means for achieving a more streamlined body shape – commonly targeting treatment areas such as the abdomen and thighs – it’s worth remembering that no non-surgical device can achieve the level of fat removal possible with liposuction.
A key difference between liposuction and non-surgical body contouring devices is the number of procedures required. Most non-surgical devices require a minimum of three treatments in order to achieve optimal results, and often it can take longer before those results are seen, as the fat cells take time to be flushed out through the body’s usual metabolic processes.
Usually, anaesthesia isn’t required for non-surgical body contouring and treatments are performed in an in-office setting. There is normally no downtime, minimal patient discomfort, and complications are rare. In conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise regime, results should be long lasting because, just as with liposuction, when fat cells are permanently destroyed they will not return.
As developments in non-surgical body contouring continue, it’s easy to become confused by the wide range of devices and technologies on offer. Most devices harness some form of energy – be it radiofrequency, ultrasound or freezing temperatures – to penetrate the skin and break down underlying fat. Here, we summarise the main technologies that underpin the most popular non-surgical body contouring devices available in Australia.
Radiofrequency body contouring
This non-surgical treatment uses radiofrequency (RF) energy to reduce pockets of fat. The energy is emitted via an applicator through the skin without damaging the outer layers, only targeting the underlying fat and tissues.
Treatment typically takes about one hour and patients generally experience a warm to hot sensation around the target area during the procedure. The heat generated from the RF energy causes microscopic changes to tissues and collagen fibres, with further collagen remodelling occurring over the subsequent months following the procedure. The broken down fat cells are drained via the lymphatic system and then excreted as urine.
Localised fatty deposits such as on the abdomen, hips and thighs are most suited to RF body contouring treatments, with patients also noting a reduction in the appearance of cellulite. Temporary side effects may include temporary swelling, redness or bruising around the treated area, which normally disappear after a week or so.
Depending on the device being used, results can be observed after a single treatment, although a series of treatments is usually recommended for significant results. The patient will gradually notice changes such as circumferential reduction of the treated area, a reduction in cellulite and a more streamlined body shape.
Ultrasonic body contouring
Ultrasonic body contouring treatments use targeted ultrasound frequencies to break down fat, particularly on the abdomen, hips, thighs and ‘love handles’. The best candidates are close to their ideal weight but have stubborn areas of localised fatty deposits that do not respond to changes in diet and exercise.
The focused ultrasound waves are delivered in short bursts of energy, or pulses, to destroy fat cells while leaving surrounding tissue, nerves and blood vessels unaffected. The ultrasound waves create a cavitation effect in the target fat cells – a process where the fat cell membranes are damaged with each pulse of energy so that the contents of the fat cells (triglycerides) are dispersed and processed by the body. The fat cell contents are then flushed out by the body’s lymphatic system.
Generally, a series of treatments per area achieves noticeable, measurable results, although some patients note a circumferential reduction in the area after the first treatment. It can take around four weeks for final results to be visible as the body gradually eliminates the fatty debris.
Cryolipolysis
Cryolipolysis uses almost-freezing temperatures to kill fat cells without traumatising the surrounding tissues or harming the skin. The treatment is most suited to patients of average weight with pockets of fat which don’t respond to diet or exercise.
A gel drape is placed onto the target area to protect the skin before the applicator head is placed onto the fat pocket, where it remains for approximately one hour. The applicator acts like a vacuum to suck the area into position and direct the cold temperature to the target fat cells under the skin.
Patients experience a gradual cooling sensation, similar to placing the area in iced water, but this subsides as the body gets used to the change. The initial suction may be uncomfortable depending on the laxity of the skin, but any discomfort usually subsides about 10 minutes into treatment. Post treatment, the target area feels stiff and cold, appearing squarish as if still moulded to the inside of the applicator. This can look strange immediately after the treatment, but it subsides after about 30 minutes as the skin and underlying tissues soften back to room temperature.
Generally, at least two to three treatments are recommended. The results of cryolipolysis take at least a couple of months to appear, depending on the size of the area treated.
