While many patients request an initial consultation for liposuction from my Denver practice, I still hear the occasional question about some of the “trendier” body sculpting procedures that are now available. Are these really viable alternatives to liposuction, or are people getting taken in by all the hype?
New Alternatives
The latest alternatives to liposuction are based on the idea of targeting fat cells directly, yet without breaking the skin. One method uses extreme cold to crystallize fat cells, while the other uses ultrasound waves to heat them up instead. Both treatments claim to take about an hour, and both advertise zero recovery time.
The idea is that after the fat cells are either ruptured by freezing or melted by heat, your body will gradually eliminate the dead cells naturally from the body. That means it will be a few months before you see the end results, but the selling point claims you won’t have any scarring because the surface of the skin isn’t broken.
Reviews of these treatments are mixed, but most patients and doctors can agree on one thing: neither of these new technologies produce the tried and true body sculpting results that can be achieved through liposuction.*
The Gold Standard
Liposuction remains the only body sculpting technique that can deliver predictable results time and again.* While it would be great if there were a less invasive option with equal results, right now there simply isn’t. If you already practice healthy eating habits and enjoy an active lifestyle, yet have a few awkward fat deposits that stubbornly remain, then body sculpting through liposuction may be able to help.*
*This information is for education only, and is not meant as a guarantee of results. Your results may vary.