The contours of your body are the lines that an artist would use to outline your shape. When your contour is in proper alignment, the human eye reads it as more youthful, vital and energetic. However, even small pockets of fat can throw off your proportion, making you look and feel less than your ideal. While some are born with an excess of fat in certain areas such as the abdomen, for many, it is a condition that develops with age. Furthermore, even those who embrace a healthy diet and exercise routine can have unwanted fat bulges that will not go away on their own. We call this “fit fat”, and it’s very frustrating for patients. A body contouring procedure is such a powerful tool of rejuvenation as it can help restore proper proportion which, in turn, will boost your self-confidence, putting a spring back in your step. SculpSure® is an effective body contouring procedure that has the added benefit of being non-surgical.
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Sean Doherty, is an expert in all areas of body contouring. As Medical Director for Cynosure, the distributor of SculpSure®, since 2013, Dr. Doherty was a principal investigator in the initial studies and FDA approval for this cutting-edge technology. As such, he was one of the first in the Boston area to offer SculpSure® to his patients. This depth of experience means that he has a deep understanding of its subtle ins and outs. SculpSure® can be an extremely effective alternative to surgery. However, an exemplary result is always going to come down to proper patient selection. This is why it is critical that you schedule an in-person body contouring consultation to determine your best and safest options.
SculpSure® Consultation
Social media has revolutionized patient education when it comes to plastic surgery. Patients today have typically done their research into the procedure or procedures that they think will fit their needs. Knowledge is always a good thing. But a downside to the world wide web is that the information can be homogenous — not specific to you. Unfortunately, what worked for your favorite influencer or even a family member may not be the appropriate choice for your goals. In order to be effective, a treatment plan must be tailored to your unique:
- Anatomy
- Lifestyle
- Needs
Dr. Doherty begins every consultation by listening closely to what bothers you about your body. He then performs a thorough physical exam to assess your:
- Skin tone
- Texture of your skin
- Location and degree of excess fat
- Type of fat – visceral or “pinchable”
- Areas of loose skin, if any
Dr. Doherty will inquire into your medical history, family history, and any prior procedures, both surgical and non-surgical, that you have had done. Together, you will then discuss the best options for attaining your goals.
Ideal Candidate for Non-Surgical Body Contouring with SculpSure®
The ideal candidate for a non-surgical body contouring procedure is any man or woman who is in:
- Good overall health
- Within 10 lbs. of a maintainable goal weight
- Bothered by areas of unwanted fat
- Does not have a lot of loose skin
- Has appropriate expectations
These pockets of extra fat must also be “pinchable”, meaning that if you grab one, you can pull it away from your body. Visceral fat, which is the kind that wraps around your organs making your stomach extend, for example, can only be addressed through diet and exercise. This is an important distinction. Many patients think of a body contouring procedure as a weight loss tool. It is not. A procedure such as SculpSure® is about restoring proper proportion. It will not actually deliver a huge decline when you step on the scale. Additionally, it will not address moderate to severe skin laxity. In fact, removing the excess fat may further exacerbate poor skin tone.
*Each patient is unique and individual results may vary.
Benefits of SculpSure®
One of the benefits of SculpSure® is that it uses laser heat to reduce the excess fat cells. This may deliver a mild tightening effect to the skin in the treatment area and is actually one of the things that set it apart from other non-surgical body contouring procedures such as Coolsculpting®. Other benefits of SculpSure® include:
- No anesthesia
- No incisions
- Fast, only takes about 25 minutes
- No downtime
- Effective in the right patient
- No evidence of Paroxysmal Adipose Hypertrophy
Each SculpSure® treatment may result in up to a 24% reduction of the fat cells in the treatment area. While you will start to notice an improvement about 3-6 weeks after treatment, it may take a series of treatments, spaced about 8 weeks apart, to achieve your final result. It’s normal for patients to have 2-3 treatments in order to get the most robust SculpSure® result.
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What to Expect During Your SculpSure® Procedure & Recovery
SculpSure® is performed in the office as an out-patient procedure. The device works by sending targeted laser energy into the fat cells in the treatment area without affecting your skin’s surface. You will feel a mild tingling sensation and an increase in heat, but most patients find this completely tolerable. The heat from the laser raises the temperature of the fat cells which destroys their structural integrity. Over the next few weeks, these damaged fat cells are eliminated through your body’s lymphatic system.
One of the great things about a body contouring procedure is once the fat cells are gone, they are gone for good. You can expect to see an improvement at about 3-6 weeks although it generally takes 8-12 weeks for your optimum results. As discussed, depending on your anatomy, you may need more than one session. This is something that Dr. Doherty will go over with you in detail during your initial consultation. There is no real downtime associated with a SculpSure® procedure. You may experience some mild cramping or feel like you underwent a hard workout in the treatment area, but you can return to your normal routine immediately after your procedure.
While SculpSure® is FDA approved for treating the:
- Abdomen
- Waist
- Under the chin
Dr. Doherty safely uses it off-label to treat stubborn pockets of “pinchable” fat almost anywhere on the body. This includes the:
- Flanks
- Back
- Bra rolls
- Upper arms
- Buttocks
- Inner thighs
- Outer thighs
- Knees
So if your reflection is not as smooth and dynamic as it used to be, schedule an appointment to discuss whether or not SculpSure® can help. To find out more about SculpSure®, or any other surgical or non-surgical procedure with Dr. Sean Doherty at his Boston or Chestnut Hill office, contact us today or call (617) 450.0070 to schedule a consultation.
