Finding The Body ShapeThat’s Right For You (NAPSA)—Here’s news that may trim away some of the myths about body shaping. Noninvasive body shaping procedures may be an ideal option for women opposed to surgery andinjections as they do not present the risks of complications andsignificant downtime. Recently, there has been an increased demand for noninvasive proceduresfor both the face and body, and doctors are able to satisfy this demand with innovative technology. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), minimally invasive cosmetic procedures jumped 8 percent to more than 9.1 million procedures in 2006. The top five minimally invasive pro- cedures were Botox (4.1 million), chemical peel (1.1 million), laser hair removal (887,000), microder- mabrasion (817,000) and hyaluronic acidfillers (778,000). Getting More Popular Body shaping procedures are among the fastest-growing procedures and are predicted to grow at an annualrate of 17.6 percent to almost 32 million by 2010, according to a 2006 report by Medical Insight. In 2005, 69 percent of these procedures were attributed to liposuction treatments; however, there is a strong desire for noninvasive options. For patients preferring not to undergo invasive, costly and sometimes traumatic cosmetic surgery treatments, there is an array of alternative noninvasive body treatments. One of the most obvious benefits is that these procedures have minimalto no downtime. Lasts For Years Exercise and a healthy diet can only do so much for patients with sagging skin. Advances in noninvasive body shaping treatments can give patients the extra tool they shaping procedures instead of undergoing major invasive surgery Noninvasive body shaping proce- dures may be an ideal option for women opposed to surgery and injections. need to tighten loose skin and enhance their appearance. Ideal candidates for body shaping are women who aren’t significantly overweight and want a noninvasive option for deep tightening of loose skin and reduction of unwanted bulges. The results improve over time and last for years, depending on age and skin condition. The length of the procedure depends on the size of the treatment area and can take from aslittle as 30 minutes to as much as 2 hours. The procedures are safe, and patients rarely exhibit any serious side effects. Getting Rid Of Love Handles There are many points in time when women may choose to undergo a noninvasive body shaping procedure, such as the Body Shape procedure by Thermage. Womengive birth later, return to their careers sooner and find shaping procedures an ideal option to return to pre-pregnancy shape. Peo- ple who workout on a regular basis but find it difficult to tone their abdomens, arms, thighs or “love handles” often turn to noninvasive like a tummytuckorliposuction. The procedure by Thermageis an excellent option for women seeking improvement in their appearance butare hesitant to go under the knife. “Manyof our patients see a decrease in abdominal girth, reduction in surface irregularity and improvement in skin texture and tightening,” said Gordon H. Sasaki, M.D., director of the Sasaki Advanced Aesthetic Medical Center (Pasadena, Calif., U.S.). While the results are not as significant as surgery, Thermageis a safe, noninvasive procedure that helps smooth, tighten and contour skin for a naturally younger-looking appearance without surgery or injections and little to no downtime. Donein a Doctor’s Office These procedures are administered in a doctor’s office. Patients can usually return to normalactivities immediately following the procedure. Thermage procedures for the face and body are complemen- tary to other common cosmetic pro- cedures such as, Botox, fillers, photofacials, liposuction and plastic surgery. Ultimately, the doctor will determineif a combination of therapies is appropriate, based on the patient’s needs andgoals. For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with a physician who performs the Body Shape procedure by Thermage, log on to www.bodyshape.thermage.com or call (877) 782-2286. Thermage is FDA cleared for the noninvasive treatment of wrinkle and rhytids, including the upper and lower eyelids and the temporary improvement in the appearance of cellulite. Not FDA cleared in the U.S. for body shaping.
