Whether you choose to freeze fat or heat it, there’s a device that works for every practice
With growing numbers of non-surgical techniques and technologies available to aid in body contouring, how does a dermatologist choose the right one for his or her practice?
According to Heidi A. Waldorf, MD, an expert dermatologist in New York who already had Thermage CPT (Solta) in her office, her choice came down to CoolSculpting (Zeltiq) or Liposonix (Solta). That’s according to a recent article published in the March 2013 issue of trade magazine Dermatology Times.
Dr. Waldorf spoke about the issue of knowing making a choice among the growing availability of non-surgical body contouring options from the podium at Dr. Joel Schlessinger’s annual Cosmetic Surgery Forum (CSF) Meeting, Las Vegas, 2012. “Here’s my conundrum: We know liposuction works, but I don’t want to add liposuction to my practice,” she told the CSF audience. However, she pointed out, her patients are looking for non-surgical options. The best way to choose? To look at the details, reports the news source:
- If you have investment advisors, request they research the company, advises Dr. Waldorf, especially for long-term support with disposable elements.
- Examine the pros and cons for pain, body are treatment scope, patient treatment time, and staff treatment time.
Differentiate & Decide
In order to make a decision between CoolSculpting and Liposonix, Dr. Waldorf first examined each of the technologies and determined the following differences: the former can cause post-procedure pain; the latter is more likely to cause pain during treatment. While CoolSculpting suctions frozen fat at a rate of about a cup per hour, Liposonix heat fat prior to removal using ultrasonic energy. This roughly equates to a 4-hour treatment for full abdominal plus flank treatment for CoolSculpting compared with a 1-hour treatment using Liposonix in the same area. On the flip side, CoolSculpting may take longer, but only requires only a small portion of hands-on staff oversight while Liposonix requires staff to be hands-on for the entire treatment period.
Given this assessment in the context of Dr. Waldorf’s practice, she determined that Liposonix was the better choice. Specifically, her practice has few treatment rooms, which demand high turnover, making the treatment time for CoolSculpting an issue. At the same time, she has enough staff to dedicate to the operation of Liposonix. Plus, she pointed out, she already has another Solta device. “From a financial point of view, I already have a program where I get my tips and other disposables at a discounted price. Finances are always a consideration when you’re evaluating a machine,” DT quotes Dr. Waldorf as saying.
How Liposonix Works
Liposonix shoots ultraound energy into the subcutaneous fat layer to heat tissue and kill fat. In addition, patients can expect skin tightening as a side effect. This 2-in-1 treatment offers Dr. Waldorf’s patients a valued benefit, DT reports. Patients can generally expect to see results within about 3 months after treatment with Liposonix. Dr. Waldorf described one patient who slimmed down by 8 cm on her waist and 9.5 cm on her hips by that 3-month mark. “From her perspective, when she put her pants on, she had less of an overhang, and she felt less wiggly,” Dr. Waldorf told DT.
Realistically, who is this treatment good for? The number 1 rule is, you must be able to pinch an inch. The fat, says Dr. Waldorf, must be “external,” not organ fat. Furthermore, Liposonix is best for those stubborn areas that don’t respond to diet and exercise. It’s always best for any patients undergoing surgical or non-surgical body contouring treatments to already be committed to a lifestyle that incorporates regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet.
Read the original story here.