BODY SCULPTING
In order to 'sculpt' areas of the human body, volume of tissue and tightness of skin has to be changed. This allows us to make certain areas smaller (reduce volume) and 'lift' others up (tighten skin). Volume reduction is accomplished via Mesotherapy (Meso = Latin for fat or adipose) and skin is tightened via heating up and thus shrinking Elastin fibers in the skin (eg Accent Radio Frequency).
Mesotherapy
History....
Mesotherapy as we know it, was first used in the 1950s in France by Dr Pistor. At Dr Pistor's Institute in Paris, upward of 200 people are injected with Mesotherpay daily. For Physicians in Europe, Mesotherapy is taught as part of medical school curriculum and is widely used. In North America, it is an additional training after medical school for Physicians who are interested in this field of practice. Over time different Physicians have substituted some of the original ingredients or they attempt only 1 session of injections instead of the proven 3 to 4. Often this is done to save cost, but the end results are not optimal. Homeopathic combinations are also used, but does not have the potency of Pharmaceutical grade medications and thus not the same dramatic end result either. The tried and tested technique that has proved itself over time is the original recipe from Dr Pistor. Buyer beware of imitations.
How Does it Work?
Pharmaceutical grade medications (normally used in hospitals and ICU to prevent fat embolism after accidents), are combined and injected into the fatty tissue. Humans are born with a specific amount of fat cells and that number stays constant throughout our lives. As we gain and loose weight, these fat cells enlarge or shrink depending on how much fat they have to store, but the number of cells does not change*. When fat cells are removed (surgery) or destroyed (mesotherapy) it is therefore a permanent effect in the treated area. We cannot re-grow fat cells in an area where it has been removed, so the fat cell loss is permanent. The mixture of medications is injected in to the fatty tissue. The cell walls of fat cells disintegrate and the fat is cleared up by the lymphatic system and excreted via bowel and bladder. The area of unwanted proportions, can be 'sculpted' by slowly carving away the unwanted fatty tissue through a series of injections that destroy the fat cells. This is done slowly over a series of treatments, so the injector can adjust the injections/treatment each time for a symmetrical and even looking end result.
What Area can be Treated?
Common areas are hips (muffin top), tummy, saddlebags, inner thigh, back fat, bulges above bra, under the chin and cellulite anywhere. Often clients can be helped with asymmetry after surgery (after liposuction, breast reconstruction, tummy tucks etc. It cannot be used for lipomas.
Accent (TM) Skin Tightening
How does it work?
Our skin gets its strength and structure from collagen and elastin fibers. Collagen gives strength, elastin lets skin stretch. Over time Elastin fibers lose their elasticity, the same as a rubber band that has been stretched out too many times. Conditions like pregnancy, weight gain and loss and ageing all contribute to loss of elasticity, which we see as saggy, crepey, loose skin. When there is fat under the skin the result is cellulite. Genetic factors such as being female and family history makes some people more susceptible to having cellulite. Environmental factors like high sugar/carbohydrate diet, smoking, tanning, preservatives in food etc also exacerbates cellulite. Accent(TM) uses Radio Frequency waves to create heat in the skin.
When elastin fibers are heated up to therapeutic levels, there is shrinkage of these fibres and thus skin tightening. Thermage is also Radio Frequency technology, the difference being a single, very expensive treatment with Thermage and multiple less expensive treatments with Accent. Thermage has fallen by the wayside due to the huge cost involved and if there is no effect, which can happen in some instances, it is a huge disappointment.
Myths...
Collagen in a bottle
Collagen and Elastin fibres cannot be applied to the skin in a product. These are live fibers that have to be created by the human body itself. The body will grow collagen in response to an 'injury' like a penetrating laser beam, a knife cut, a wound etc, it cannot be grown just because we want it to. A live fiber cannot be put into skin in the correct alignment with other skin structures from the outside. Think of putting a spider web in its correct display into a bowl of jello. Be careful of products containing 'collagen', it is a myth.
Detoxifying to Treat Cellulite
Cellulite is a specific fat deposit in a specific skin structure. It cannot be sweated out, massaged out, detoxified out of your skin. Very few machines can permanently destroy fat cells, and the cost for these treatments are huge. The fat has to be removed (diet, liposuction, mesotherapy) and the skin texture and strength improved.
* There is evidence that when a person's BMI goes above 32, fat cells can duplicate and become more, but that number then stays constant as well. Bottom line, do not go above a BMI of 32 if you can help it.an area where it has been removed, so the fat cell loss is permanent.
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