What’s trending in body shaping?

Shriyal Sethumadhavan connects with dermatologists and delves into non-invasive body contouring treatments that are expected to be on a rise in the New Year 2022.

T he COVID-19 pandemic led to the work from home culture, with which, many individuals experienced weight gain at the onset of the lockdown period in 2020. This led to an increased focus on weight loss during 2021 as the months of working at home allowed for healthier eating and more focus on self-care.

Now that the lifestyle seems to be bouncing back to the pre-COVID times and with several of them wanting to show off the recently shed pounds, it is highly likely that surgical and non-surgical body contouring will become a popular trend in 2022. The effort is expected to be more towards toning and streamlining bodies and improving contour and definition. In fact, experts in the industry predict that body contouring treatments will become a booming $1.1 billion industry by 2022.

Depending on the individual, body contouring may also be achieved without surgery, by means of advanced technologies such as fat freezing, ultrasound therapy, radiofrequency and/or High-Intensity Focused Electro-Magnetic (HIFEM) energy.

TREATMENTS SET TO BE ON A RISE AND TRENDING IN 2022

Several non-invasive body contouring treatments are set to take over in the New Year 2022.

Dr Rickson Pereira, MD (Dermatology, Venereology & Leprology), Consultant Dermatologist & Head, Dr Rickson’s Dermatherapie Clinic, says, “In India, Coolsculpting is set to be on a rise as more and more people desire a well-shaped body. The treatment is non-invasive, safe, effective, and offers surgery like results without any scars or marks. The results are long lasting to permanent and is a treatment of choice for those with low BMIs and bulges of fat in whom surgery may be drastic. EMS technology is another technology, which gives good fat reduction by intense repeated muscle contractions. The treatment is safe and effective with the added advantage of preserving and increasing muscle mass.”

According to Dr Shefali Trasi Nerurkar, MBBS, MD (Dermatology), Consultant Dermatologist, Dr Trasi clinic and La Piel skin clinic, “In 2022, Electric muscle stimulation (EMS) will be one of the leading technologies in the market for body contouring. The world has seen and benefitted from the amazing results of temperature-based treatments such as cryolipolysis over the last few years. Now that we have a solution for removing the extra pockets of fat, we need something to work on the lax skin and give it the desired tighter look. During an EMS treatment, the targeted muscle site is subjected to electric stimulation. As a result, blood circulation and metabolism in those muscles are increased. Fat melting can be observed after a few sessions and the saggy underused muscles become toned and healthy. This treatment mimics an exercise routine of a gym. The two applicators are placed on the target areas such as the abdomen, thighs, arms and buttocks. Intense electromagnetic pulses are passed through them causing involuntary muscle contractions. Such rigorous contractions lead to fat breakdown and toning up of the muscle.”

Alive Wellness Clinic, shares:

• “Fat reduction treatment: Cryolipolysis is an FDAapproved device that uses controlled cooling to permanently freeze fat cells that are resistant to diet and exercise, like on the inner thighs, upper arms, and stomach. The CoolSculpting treatment delivers precisely controlled cold to skin and underlying muscle tissue. While the procedure may effectively freeze away as much as 20 per cent of fat cells in the treatment area, it is virtually painless. Over the coming weeks, these destroyed fat cells will melt away naturally as your body naturally eliminates them, and the results of your CoolSculpting treatment will appear gradually, much like natural weight loss.

As Dr Chiranjiv Chhabra, Dermatologist, Director,

• Skin-tightening treatments: The two original pioneering skin-tightening devices, Thermage and Ulthera, have been replaced by a new powerhouse procedure, Exilis, which harnesses both of their modalities (radio frequency, and ultrasound, respectively) to tighten skin and build collagen.

• Muscle-enhancement treatments: Emsculpt is the revolutionary muscle-building procedure – ‘the new frontier of body contouring’. It uses electromagnetic energy to contract muscles. Emsculpt NEO, which has emerged as a great way for individuals to sculpt their bodies quickly while building muscle mass and improving muscle tone and definition. Emsculpt NEO uses high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy (HIFEM) to produce thousands of intensely powerful muscle contractions during one 30-minute session, which equates to someone doing more than 20,000 manual crunches or squats in a gym. Emsculpt NEO also contracts 90 per cent of your muscles, in contrast to the 20 per cent or 30 per cent that you can contract on your own while working out at the gym. Emsculpt NEO lets you build up strength in your muscles without weightlifting or intense workouts. You can expect up to a 25 per cent increase in muscle mass and a 30 per cent reduction in fat for about two to four weeks after completing your treatment series.

• Cellulite reduction treatments: Emtone is the first and currently the only non-invasive treatment approved by the FDA to simultaneously tighten the skin, contour the body, and reduce the appearance of cellulite. Emtone’s delivers both thermal and radiofrequency energy to the treatment area using a unique delivery system that combines monopolar radiofrequency and targeted pressure energy. The treatment effectively tones lax muscles, eliminates fatty deposits, and tightens sagging skin, effectively treating the causes of cellulite while providing body contouring benefits. In clinical studies, Emtone treatments produced an increase in elastin production of 64 per cent, an increase of 59 per cent in collagen production, and an increase of 44 per cent in the skin’s thickness. Emtone treatments are most effective on the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, back, and upper arms. The treatments are painless and take about 20 minutes to perform. The treatment is typically described as a sensation similar to a hot stone massage combined with intense pulsing vibrations. There is no downtime, so one may resume normal activities immediately following the treatment. Most treatment series consist of four sessions scheduled once or twice weekly over a period of two to four weeks.”

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR PATIENTS

Communication between the dermatologist and the patient is key while offering any treatment. We asked the dermatologists to share one to two key facts about non-invasive body contouring treatments which, in their opinion, the patient should be informed about?

Dr Nerurkar, shares, “Body contouring treatments are useful for small targeted bulges. They work well if the right treatment is carried out. Also body contouring goes hand in hand with some dietary changes and minimal routine exercise to maintain the results of these treatments. Once the result is attained, generally the effects last long.”

Dr Pereira says, “Those with BMI of 30 or less will see great results. The benefits may be limited or they may require additional treatment sessions to get desirable results.

A lifestyle composed of healthy eating habits and moderate physical activity is important to maintaining results in the long term.”

As Dr Chhabra lists as the most important facts that a patient should be informed:

• “Body sculpting treatments are not weight loss treatments. The treatments only enhance the shape and don’t show any change on the weighing scale.

• For weight loss, diet, life style modification and exercise has no substitute.

• Body contouring treatments are used to mobilise stubborn fat, these treatments are fat breakdown facilitators not weight loss modalities.

• Body contouring treatments work best in patients who follow diet, exercise and are in the healthy BMI bracket.

• The results can vary with body types.

• There can be non-responders also.

• The result achieved with treatments can be lost with weight gain.”

CHALLENGES INVOLVED

Certainly challenges are involved for a dermatologists while offering the client a body contouring treatment. What are these, and how can they be overcome?

As Dr Chhabra points out to challenges as:

• No result: Patient feels that he has spent money and has got no results. The best way to overcome is good documentation. Documentation prior to procedure should be done thoroughly. Pre-procedure body composition, photographs, weight should be recorded. Counsel in detail the results that are expected. Keep the patient in constant follow up.

• Gauge patient expectation prior to procedure. Unrealistic expectations should be contained.

Dr Nerurkar, says, “The concept of body contouring is still not fully clear in some people’s minds. It does not indicate full body weight loss but only points towards targeted areas of fat. Reduction of that bulge or tightening of that particular area is the end result of the treatment. Loss of overall weight is not included in body contouring.”

Dr Pereira says, “India is a price sensitive market and cost of treatment is usually a reason for delaying or not taking up the treatment. Patients do not have much information about brands and FDA approvals. The doctor can overcome this by making the patient aware that they are about to undergo a treatment, which will improve the way they fit into their clothes and it will improve their body confidence. And investing in a treatment that has published medical data or necessary approvals is important in terms of safety and efficacy of treatment results.”