It seems that everyone is enamored with nonsurgical cosmetic surgery. Over the last 3 years was seen the growth of devices that freezes fat and dissolve it. Melting fat chemically, tightening your skin with ultrasound fat blasting, tightening your skin with needles and radiofrequency energy, and hundreds of lasers which do the same. While these non-surgical procedures are touted by the surgeons and non surgeons alike, very few actually achieve results like those that can be achieved with a surgical intervention. With that said, surgeons have to adapt and adopt those technologies which appeared to give the best results so we can offer a good value in the nonsurgical arena as well.
The recent introduction of an injectable fat dissolving agent by Allergan called Kybella® represents one of these advancements which I have adopted. Whereas liposuction can take care of the chin pooch in one short procedure, this can also be dealt with a series of injections one month apart for over 3-6 months. The results are quite impressive and lasting since we are actually killing the fat cells in this area.* The skin seems to shrink wrap around it quite well. For those that have skin as the major problem in the neck, we really have liked the introduction of "injectable radiofrequency" underneath the skin with a device called ThermiTight®. As opposed to the injectable Kybella®, this is a one-time treatment that uses local anesthetic and energy/heat based device with skin temperature monitoring using internal probes and an infrared camera. Final results for both of these are seen around 6 months to a year.* They can be combined with other procedures for the best results.
Recently introduced a non-invasive lipolysis laser called Sculpsure® offers no touch fat reduction with the laser that focuses heat energy underneath the skin and "hovers" over the areas being treated. This device treatment has been getting relatively good reviews. Everyone has heard of the fat freezing technology called Zeltiq (CoolSculpting®). It seems that there is a machine freezing year fat on every corner and most major Metropolitan areas. The technology has gotten better and results have become more and more aesthetic with these devices. Another recent entry combines the needles and radiofrequency as with ThermiTight® but at a more superficial layer and needed to uses skin temperature monitoring to achieve the desired goal. This device is the Profound platform manufactured by Syneron an Candela. this reminds me of the combination of technology offered by ThermiTight® and Fractora™ which we have been using for quite some time.
Anyway, the era of nonsurgical anesthetic surgery has arrived and it is up to us, the surgeons, to be the learned intermediary and provider patient's with the very best possible options for non-surgical rejuvenation.
*Individual results may vary. Consult with Dr. Peña to see if you are a candidate.
