ASCP Skin Deep

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021

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Listen to the ASCP Esty Talk podcast at ascpskincare.com/podcasts 41 Body Contouring Modalities by Maggie Staszcuk IT CAN BE ARGUED THAT BODY contouring and skin tightening are the fastest-growing noninvasive esthetic procedures on the market and are emerging as the go-to gold standard for clients who want to look good without surgery. Here, we review a variety of treatments to slenderize and reduce unwanted fat. RADIO FREQUENCY Radio frequency is one type of energy often used for toning and tightening the skin. It does not affect melanin, so it can be used on all Fitzpatrick skin types. It can also be used on areas of the body that are difficult to target with other body slimming devices. Radio frequency microneedling can be used on the knees, upper arms, upper back (bra bulge), and other parts of the body where slack skin and fat pockets occur. Radio frequency uses alternating currents of radio waves—a thermal-based energy that noninvasively penetrates the skin. This thermal energy works to encourage new collagen formation (the protein that prevents laxity) by heating the outer layers of the skin to boost the collagen and elastin fibers. 1 Radio frequency is often combined with microneedling for enhanced tightening of the face. This treatment is ideal for clients with slightly loose skin and will take up to three months or more to see improvement. Unlike surgical procedures, which are one-and- done, this treatment may require a series to get the best results. ULTRASOUND An alternative to radio frequency skin tightening and fat reduction is focused ultrasound. Depending on the type of ultrasound device you use, this energy type can tone and tighten the skin through the use of heat or pressure. High-intensity focused ultrasound and microfocused ultrasound treatments heat the cells responsible for the production of collagen and elastin fibers. And, similar to a magnifying glass focusing sunlight, ADVANCED MODALITIES ultrasound works by rapidly heating the targeted tissue to 65–70 degrees Celsius, 2 and focuses this heat to a depth of 1.5 mm–5 mm within the reticular layer of the dermis where fibroblasts—the cells responsible for collagen and elastin production—are found. 3 The above papillary and epidermal layers are spared. Ultrasound cavitation is the destruction of fat cells through the use of focused, pulsed ultrasound energy. This treatment destroys the walls of fat cells by causing them to implode and turn into a fatty acid. This fatty acid is filtered through the liver and eliminated by the body over time. 4 CRYOLIPOLYSIS Cryolipolysis (or fat freezing) is a noninvasive procedure that involves the cooling of body fat to break down fat cells. And since adipose tissue is more responsive to temperature changes than skin, the frozen fat cells break down and leave the skin unharmed.

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