The quest for the ideal body has been a long held mission of many people of all ages across the world. Frustrated with exercise and diet, which often require strict and almost obsessive rigidity, people frequently end up looking into other options to reduce areas of stubborn fat and cellulite. Over the past few decades, multiple treatment modalities have been developed in an attempt to cater to those looking to shift these stubborn inches. Public awareness of health problems associated with obesity, combined with popular trends towards achieving physical beauty, has given rise to a demand for fat reduction and body contouring treatments that are effective, safe, affordable and have minimal downtime.
In the past, this would almost invariably mean a visit to a plastic surgeon for either excisional body contouring surgery (such as abdominoplasty, brachioplasty and others) or traditional liposuction. Nowadays, there is a plethora of new devices and techniques for non surgical face and body contouring which offer a favourable alternative to surgery , both in terms of morbidity and financially.
What is fat and How do we define OBESITY
- OBESITY is defined as excessive or abnormal body fat accumulation which is measured by BMI. Above and greater than 30 in BMI index is considered as obese.
Obesity is not just about external looks and physique but it has been linked to a number of health complications, some of which can be life threatening if not treated like:
type 2 diabetes, heart disease , high blood pressure , certain cancers (breast, colon, and endometrial) , stroke , gallbladder disease , fatty liver disease , high cholesterol , sleep apnea and other breathing problems , arthritis , Infertility , depression.
Common specific causes of obesity include:
GENETICS – can affect how your body processes food into energy and how fat is stored.
AGE AND SLOW METABOLISM-can lead to less muscle mass and a slower metabolic rate, making it easier to gain weight
LIFESTYLE -INSOMNIA OR NOT SLEEPING ENOUGH – can lead to hormonal changes that make you feel hungrier and crave certain high-calorie foods
PREGNANCY – as weight gained during pregnancy may be difficult to lose and might eventually lead to obesity
LEPTIN RESISTANCE – Leptin resistance, in which your body does not respond to this hormone leptin which is often referrred to as “satiety hormone “ or “starvation hormone”, When your brain doesn’t receive the leptin signal, it erroneously thinks that your body is starving — even though it has more than enough energy stored and hence encourages you to eat more and In an effort to conserve energy, your brain decreases you energy levels and makes you burn fewer calories at rest.
Certain health conditions can also lead to obesity.
POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME(PCOS), PRADER WILLI SYNDROME, CUSHING SYNDROME, HYPOTHYROIDISM,OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA) to name a few.
Non-surgical treatments can be a great option to reduce stubborn pockets of diet and exercise resistant fat, without surgery, and with little to no downtime. However, it is important to have realistic expectations about what results a non-surgical treatment can achieve. Non surgical non invasive fat reduction treatments do give better results in combinatioin with diet and life style modifacation.
Benefits of non-surgical fat reduction
- Little to no downtime is required
- No general anesthesia, incisions or scars
- Side effects are minimal for most patients
- Gradual onset of results allows patients to be discreet about treatments
- Results can last as long as a patient maintains his or her weight
In this article, I will outline some of the newer treatment options available in the world of body contouring, the approach to patients seeking these treatments, expected outcomes and potential adverse effects that may be experienced if any.
Non-invasive fat reduction
. Non-invasive therapies- The most commonly used non-invasive treatments for fat reduction include: cryolipolysis, low level laser therapy (LLLT), radiofrequency (RF), high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and injection lipolysis.
- FAT ELIMINATING CRYOLIPOLYSIS –
CoolSculpting, a noninvasive, fat-eliminating , FDA-approved device that uses controlled cooling to permanently freeze fat cells that are resistant to diet and exercise, like on the inner thighs, upper arms, and stomach.
