Non Invasive Body Contouring- Fat Destruction
If you have an area of fat that diet and exercise won’t budge, you may want to consider non-invasive fat removal. Non-invasive fat removal can be used on just about any area of the body. The belly, flanks (love handles), thighs, chin, neck, back, upper arms, and knees are THE MOST COmmonly treated zones.
QUICK
Treatment times typically take 30 minutes
or less per treatment zone
Convenient
There is typically no 'downtime' with these procedures- you can go right back to usual daily activity
Comfortable
Today's modern devices have been designed to reduce discomfort during these procedures.
How does non-invasive fat destruction work?
The FDA has approved several different types of handheld devices to destroy unwanted fat
All of the devices are placed on the skin and work by exposing the fat cells to extremes of cold (Cool Sculpting) or heat (Venus Bliss, TruSculpt, and many others). The devices are designed to do so without injuring skin, nerves. or other organs. Because these treatments kill or dissolve a certain number of the fat cells in the treatment zone, the results are technically "permanent" in that the destroyed cells are not able to "grow back".
We are born with a certain number of fat cells- when we gain weight those fat cells expand. When we lose weight those fat cells shrink. Non-invasive fat cell destruction permanently removes some of those fat cells so that they are no longer there to hold triglycerides (the main constituent of fat cells)- those cells are gone forever.
However, it is important to understand that not ALL of the fat cells in an area are removed. That would be impossible not to mention undesireable. So, with poor diet and exercise, you can gain weight in the remaining fat cells.
Alternatively, if your weight remains stable then your treatment result will remain stable as well.


"Why don't you offer CoolSculpting?"
Since we first introduced permanent non-invasive fat destruction back in 2013, we have opted to go with "heat based" systems such as Venus Bliss (which uses laser energy for fat destruction) and TruSculpt iD (which uses radiofrequency energy for fat destruction).
Looking at the clinical studies, the percentage of fat cell destruction comparing cold and heat based devices did not differ significantly, so efficacy per se was not a deciding factor.
The reasons were fairly simple and boiled down to these three points:
Heat also Tightens, and does not leave surface deformities
Cold can destroy fat cells, but it does not tighten the residual skin. Most clients need both fat cell destruction and tightening straight off, but even those who do not have significant loose skin initially could be bothered by loose skin after an area of fat has been removed using only a cold based method. Why go for one benefit when you can get two?
Furthermore, patients who undergo CoolSculpting may also be left with "dents" in their tissue where the treatment has been done- sometimes referred to as 'shelves' or 'shark bite deformities'. These complications have not been seen with our heat based devices likely because there is a gradual disspipation of the heat from the corners of the applicators (versus the 'sharp cut off' of the cold treatment zone).
Less Post Procedure Pain and Swelling
Many CoolSculpting clients had told us that they experienced significant pain not only during their treatment session but for a prolonged time afterwards.
Post CoolSculpting clients are generally advised:
Pain and soreness can occur after CoolSculpting, and it can start between 3-5 days after treatment and last around 14 days. The pain is often described as a sharp, stabbing, numbing or squirming sensation, and can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Other possible recovery symptoms include temporary redness, soreness, itching, bruising, and numbness at the area that was treated.
** Our post- Venus Bliss and TruSculpt iD clients are not expected to experience any of these symptoms.**
Safety- NO incidence of Paroxysmal Adipose Hyperplasia (PAH) with Heat Based Devices
A recent review of over 2000 patients published in 2021 in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal found an incidence of PAH in CoolSculpting patients of between 0.05% and 0.39%, which is higher than what the manufacturer claims the risk is.
It can appear within a few weeks or as long as 6 months post CoolSculpting. Recently, PAH has received more attention because of the famous supermodel Linda Evangelista who has spoken out (in 2022) about how she has been permanently disfigured by PAH after CoolSculpting treatments.
With PAH, the fat in the treated area expands and hardens into an unnaturally shaped lump in response to the extreme cold. Once PAH happens, it typically needs to be surgically corrected with power-assisted liposuction +/- abdominoplasty, after a waiting period of 6 to 9 months. It does not resolve spontaneously.
Questions?
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Good candidates for non-invasive fat removal have localized stubborn bulge of fat that remains despite appropriate diet and exercise. They are at an overall healthy and stable weight (Body Mass Index 35 or less).
We are all born with a certain number of fat cells. No matter how much weight we gain or lose, we still have the same number of fat cells. When we gain weight, we are simply expanding the size of the fat cells e have. When we lose weight, we shrink the fat cell size but the number of cells stays the same.
Because non-invasive fat removal kills some fat cells, these targeted cells are gone forever and thus not “available” to store fat. Remember though, you can STILL gain weight in your remaining fat cells and thus interfere with your result if your weight is not stable post procedure.
You may notice some changes as early as 3 weeks. Most people see the full effect between 3 and 6 months after the last treatment.
Non invasive fat destruction is not measured in ‘pounds lost’. We will weigh you before treatment only to document where your weight was at the time of the procedure. If six months post procedure you are feeling that you do not see improvement, and the scale says you gained ten pounds, then we know what the issue is ;}
The best preparation is to be well hydrated! this helps the tissue heat up more efficiently. Do not apply any lotions or creams on the area you’re having treated immediately before your session. Also, if you are planning to lose a significant amount of weight (10 pounds or more) we suggest you do that first. It is best to be at a stable/comfortable weight before doing this type of “fine tuning” body contouring.
Yes, these treatments do not sensitize you to the sun significantly, and can be performed on tanned skin. However, we will not perform this treatment over sun burned skin.
- Pregnancy
- Metal implants directly underneath the treatment area
- Pacemaker or cardiac defibrillator (for radiofrequency based TruSculpt iD)
- Wounds, lesions or tumors in the treatment area
- Poor general health, poor wound healing, immunocompromised
- Patients whose fat is more Visceral (in the abdominal cavity, around the organs) than Superficial (under the skin).
TruSculpt iD can be performed over tattoos. Venus Bliss, as it involves laser, could theoretically affect tattoo ink though this may be a rare occurrence.
Yes, both TruSculpt iD and Venus Bliss can be performed on clients regardless of their skin color.
Sessions involving one cycle of treatment take 30 minutes or less. Sometimes clients opt to treat more than one area though, so multiply that by the number of areas you plan to treat. A better estimate can be arrived at with a free consultation.
We generally recommend 2 to 3 sessions, though some clients do only need one session. Sessions will be spaced 6 to 12 weeks apart.
We see similar resuls with both of these devices, however the size and location of the planned treatment zones may dictate one over the other. For example, on the back of the arms we will more often suggest TruSculpt iD because the treatment PODS are of a smaller size than the Venus Bliss and so they fit that region better. With TruSculpt iD we can also treat the area under the chin, which is not possible with Venus Bliss. The 4 Venus Bliss PODS cover a slightly larger area than the 6 smaller TruSculpt iD PODS, so someone with a larger area to treat may benefit more from the added coverage.
No, they are not. Liposuction physically removes a larger quantity of fat cells than is affected by non-invasive fat cell destruction. If you are considering Liposuction, see the information on our webpage for SmartLipo.
Emsculpt is a device which works primarily on Muscle, though some shrinkage of fat cell size can also be seen for some clients.
It delivers high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy (HIFEM) pulses into the muscle tissue, creating supramaximal muscle contractions that activate more muscle fibers than what you can achieve through exercise alone.
This nonsurgical treatment can tighten, tone, and strengthen the large muscle groups of the abdomen and buttocks as well as of smaller body areas, including the upper arms, thighs, and calves. The result is increased muscle definition.
Emsculpt does not permanently destroy fat cells but it may shrink their size. When we use Emsculpt on the buttocks, we have a special setting so as not to reduce fat cell size in this region.
Before & After Photos
We have several options available for Non-Invasive Body Contouring. Allow our experienced clinicians to guide your choice! We offer Free “No Pressure” Consultations.
Disclaimer: Individual results will vary by person and are based upon patient variables (such as genetics, age and lifestyle), the severity of the condition before the procedure, the procedure(s) chosen, and compliance with any recommended aftercare program. No one can guarantee an exact outcome for any aesthetic procedure.
The content of this website is intended to be general information- it should not be used to diagnose or treat a medical condition, and is in no way meant to be a substitute for seeking appropriate medical care.