Types of Radiofrequency Body Treatment

There are two different types of delivery systems utilised in radiofrequency (RF) devices for cosmetic body treatments. The first is known as monopolar or unipolar and the second is known as bipolar. This just refers to the number of poles or electrodes the device has. A unipolar device has just one pole or electrode and so a ‘grounding pad’ or ‘return pad’ is needed to stop the current flowing through the rest of the body. Bipolar devices have two poles or electrodes and therefore do not need this ‘grounding pad’ There are a number of different radiofrequency treatments available on the market here is a summary of the most commonly used.

Accent

Accent uses two separate hand-pieces to deliver different types of RF energy into the deep tissue lasers (2mm to 6mm depth under the skin). Its biopolar hand-piece is designed to tighten the skin while its monopolar hand-piece reduces cellulite and fat. Patients have described the treatment as feeling like a ‘warm massage’. The treatment takes less than an hour and requires no recovery time.

Your practitioner will gently apply the hand-piece to the area to be treated. The RF technology precisely heats the inner layers of skin. The treatment works by using controlled heating of the tissue to break down cellulite; releasing and flushing away toxins and fatty deposits; draining excess fluid; and boosting collagen production to improve the skin’s appearance. It targets key areas of fat that are resistant to diet and exercise, while simultaneously improving the texture and tone of the skin. Little or no discomfort should be felt.

Results are immediately obvious, with fat and cellulite reduced, and skin appearance improved. You may notice a slight redness in the treated area, which typically disappears in less than 24 hours. You may go back to work and resume normal daily activities immediately after your treatment. Three to six Accent treatments are normally needed to obtain optimal results, which are long-lasting. Side effects and risks are minimal, and though while the majority of patients experience slight redness and swelling, this disappears after a day or two.

Good candidates for the Accent treatment may be people who:

* Have stubborn pockets of fat or cellulite that are resistant to diet and exercise

* Want a safe and effective solution to get rid of these problem areas without surgery

The Accent treatment is not a weight loss solution, but is a series of treatments to contour and imporve the shape of the body. A good nutrition and exercise program should also be followed to optimise results. The Accent treatment has been cleared by the FDA and risks are extremely low.

Thermacool

Thermacool is a monopolar RF device that stimulates deep collagen production to tighten the skin. Deveopled by the makers of Thermage, it is a non-invasive procedure that can help tighten, firm and shape the body without the need for surgery and little or no downtime. It is used to treat sagging abdominal skin, to lift arms, thighs and the buttocks and to improve the appearance of skin aged by your environment, diet, smoking, or sun damage.

The procedure typically lasts for 30 to 90 minutes depending on the size of the area being treated. Radiofrequency energy is directed through the tip of a hand held device to just below the surface of the skin to heat the collagen below with no surgery, injections, or incisions. During the treatment, a cooling spray is also used to make the procedure more comfortable and to protect your skin. You may also have pain medication to help to reduce any discomfort.

The results after the treatment are immediate, because the radiofrequency energy contracts the collagen beneath the skin, resulting in smoother tighter skin. The skin continues to improve over the next three months to one year as it slowly starts to produce more collagen, filling in the lines in your skin, renewing skin contours and achieving a younger appearance. Treatments result in a tightening and lifting effect, a reduction in girth (circumference of the treated area), and flatter, smoother skin. Results are long lasting depending on your skin condition and the aging process. Results can be improved and prolonged by following a good nutrition and exercise programme in conjunction with and after treatment. The procedure is an entirely non-invasive, generally safe treatment that should however only be performed in a doctor’s office by trained medical professionals.

Velashape

Velashape combines radiofrequency energy and infrared light to heat localised fatty tissue, while a vacuum and mechanical massage manipulates and smoothes and tautens the skin. Velashape can reduce unsightly cellulite and take inches off of your thighs, buttocks, arms, love handles and the abdomen. The combination of infrared and RF energies is delivered through a hand held device, which passes over the skin using rollers and a vacuum action. The mechanical rollers and vacuum suction ‘pull up’ the skin so there is gentle stretching of the skin surface as the applicator is passed over the area. A cooling spray is applied to the treatment area to protect your skin. The Velashape device precisely heats the underlying tissue within the targeted treatment area. This heat causes shrinkage and tightening of the fat cells and increased lymphatic drainage, resulting in a reduction of the dimpled appearance of cellulite, smoothing of the skin’s surface and a reshaping and firming of the treated area.

The Velashape procedure takes around 40 minutes to one hour, with little or no downtime. Some patients report that the Velashape treatment feels like a warm deep tissue massage. You may notice some tightening in the treated area immediately after your Velashape procedure. The treated area may appear flushed or pink from the heat for a short while, and may feel warm for several hours after treatment. Most Velashape patients can resume normal activities immediately. Four to six initial Velashape treatments are recommended performed at one week intervals. Velashape procedures are then required at six monthly intervals.

Velashape is generally considered safe, but as with any medical procedure there are some risks involved. These may include:

Temporary skin damage

* Swelling
* Redness
* Bumps
* Blisters

These normally resolve in a few days or weeks.

TriPollar

The TriPollar device combines monoploar and bipolar energy in one hand-piece to induce fat and cellulite reduction and skin tightening simultaneously. TriPollar energy is delivered simultaneously into the deep and shallow layers of the skin protecting the surface layer. Collagen is heated and stimulated, creating an immediate contraction, followed by remodeling of the deep skin layers by promoting new collagen growth, which produces tighter, more youthful skin.

TriPollar focuses the energy right where it’s needed so less power is necessary. During treatment, a mild heating sensation can be felt. Immediately after treatment, some redness and warmth can be seen and felt on the skin. Both should disappear within an hour or so following the treatment. Immediate results are seen in almost all patients during the first treatment.

A typical treatment course consists of six to eight sessions. Each session takes approximately 45 minutes (depending on the area being treated). The option of maintenance treatments (once every four to eight weeks) is available to those seeking prolonged enhanced results. The treatment is virtually painless.

TriPollar treatments have been clinically proven to tighten and re-contour the skin on the arms, legs buttocks, and tummy, leaving skin looking firmer and younger. Anyone treated with TriPollar can expect collagen contraction, with results varying from person to person; some people attain a circumference reduction of up to 7cm in the thigh area.