Want a Slimmer Shape? Why Surgery May be What You Need!
Monday, October 15, 2018
Many people express a desire for a slimmer, shapelier body. This is no secret because body contouring treatments are some of the leading procedures in aesthetic medicine. Body-shaping has been around for years in the form of liposuction surgery. More recently, a number of non-surgical protocols have been developed. You may have heard of at least a few of them. Currently, CoolSculpting is one of the most recognizable non-surgical body contouring treatments. But is it right for you? Here, we look at the primary differences between this non-surgical method and surgical liposuction.
Non-surgical Body Sculpting
Non-invasive fat reducing devices all work about the same, even if their general technology is different. For example, CoolSculpting freezes the liquid inside of fat cells while other devices use heat to “damage” fat cells. Whether through freezing temperatures or heat, the body observes targeted fat cells as unnecessary, and it eliminates them through the lymphatic system. This elimination process takes about three months for results to be at their peak.
Where CoolSculpting is concerned, the manufacturer states that fat reduction in the treatment area can reach up to 23%. However, what we must look at is the size of that treatment area. Also per manufacturer documentation, the amount of tissue that can be held by the CoolSculpting panels resembles a stick of butter. This is why CoolSculpting usually focuses on the lower abdomen. Envisioning the average stick of butter and observing that 23% reduction in fatty tissue, we now see that the reduction is not very substantial; it equates to a few ounces of fat.
Sculpting with Liposuction
Dr. Berschof performs tumescent liposuction on many different parts of the body. The tumescent technique can be conducted under general anesthesia or using a local anesthetic and IV sedation. The tumescent liquid that is introduced into the treatment area expands the surgical site, causing fat to spread out. It also numbs tissue and causes blood vessels to constrict so bleeding is kept to a minimum during surgery.
In addition to being versatile in the areas it can treat, liposuction is also more efficient than non-surgical fat reduction treatments. On average, a liposuction procedure can eliminate up to 2.5 liters of fat. This is a few dozen times the amount that can be reduced without surgery.
If you are interested in a slimmer, shapelier body, it is essential to assess your motivation for choosing a surgical or non-surgical procedure. We are happy to provide you with details about liposuction and what it can do for you. To schedule your visit, call our Denver office at 303-399-7662.