Body contouring

Body contouring is a shelf of different devices. Here, we mean treatment through the skin without surgery.

• Fat freezing: Cold is used to destroy some fat cells.
• Radiofrequency: Electrical energy heats tissue beneath the skin.
• Ultrasound: Sound waves target fat cells beneath the skin.
• Laser: Some devices heat fat cells. Others use low-level light without heat.
• Muscle stimulation: Magnetic fields or electrical pulses make muscles contract.

These are cleared devices, not approved drugs. FDA clearance covers the named device and its stated uses. Those include specific body areas. It usually rests on comparison with a legally marketed device.

Published results for one device do not transfer to another.

A small pocket of fat that stays put despite diet and exercise. The usual candidate is near a stable, healthy weight.

Common cleared areas include the belly, love handles and thighs. Some devices also cover the upper arms or under the chin. The list belongs to the device.

Muscle stimulation targets muscle tone. It does not automatically include fat reduction. Fat reduction does not establish a skin-tightening claim either.

This is not a treatment for being overweight. If your goal is weight loss, start with our GLP-1 weight loss guide.

The applicator is the part of the machine placed against your body. The timetable depends on which machine it belongs to.

• Fat freezing: Suction holds a fold of fat. Cold and tugging can give way to numbness. Some CoolSculpting Elite applicators run for 35 minutes. Repeat visits depend on the plan.
• Radiofrequency: An applicator heats the area. You feel warmth. For example, truSculpt has a 15-minute treatment. Other RF devices use different schedules.
• Ultrasound: A handpiece contacts the skin. Treatment can feel hot or painful. Liposonix treatment takes about an hour. The American Academy of Dermatology describes one to three treatments, depending on the device.
• Laser: Heating devices use applicators against the skin. Heat can be uncomfortable. SculpSure takes 25 minutes. Further treatments may be needed.
• Muscle stimulation: Pads sit over the muscles. You feel strong contractions. Emsculpt Neo also adds heat. Its usual course is four 30-minute sessions.

Ask for the full appointment length, including setup and every applicator placement. A machine's treatment time is not your entire visit.

Fat cells destroyed by treatment are removed by the body. Remaining fat cells can enlarge with weight gain. Your shape can change again.

A published fat-freezing report followed two people for six and nine years. The reduction persisted in those people. That small report cannot tell you how long your own change will last.

Some devices are cleared only for temporary changes. Muscle treatments may need repeat visits to maintain their effect.

Most people having nonsurgical fat removal return to daily activities immediately. That does not mean the area feels normal.

• Fat freezing: Bruising, swelling and tenderness can follow. Numbness can last several weeks.
• RF, heating lasers and ultrasound: Redness, swelling and discomfort can follow.
• Muscle stimulation: Muscles can feel sore or cramp.

More serious risks include burns from heating devices and nerve injury from ultrasound. Fat freezing can also cause severe cold burns.

Rarely, the treated fat grows into a firm bulge instead of shrinking. This is paradoxical adipose hyperplasia, or PAH. The FDA describes reported cases appearing two to five months after fat freezing. It does not resolve on its own. Surgery may be needed. Surgery may not fully correct it.

Ask who will examine you if a new bulge or persistent pain develops.

The exclusions belong to the device. A medical history and an examination come before a treatment plan.

Pregnancy rules vary. Some devices exclude pregnant patients. Others have not been studied during pregnancy. Tell your provider if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Fat freezing should not be performed in or near a hernia or a structurally weak area, such as a surgical scar or separation of the abdominal muscles. Some ultrasound devices also exclude a hernia in the treatment area.

Pacemakers and metal implants can rule out RF, ultrasound or magnetic muscle treatments. Disclose an IUD as well.

Fat freezing excludes certain cold-related blood disorders. These include cryoglobulinemia, cold agglutinin disease and paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria. FDA guidance also excludes Raynaud's disease, cold-triggered hives and poor circulation in the treatment area.

For laser, disclose medicines that make you sensitive to light and recent tanning.

• What is the device's exact name, and what is it FDA-cleared to do in this area?
• Who will operate it, and what license and device training do they hold?
• How many sessions and applicator placements are included in the written quote?
• Who handles complications, and what follow-up care is included?
• What happens if nothing changes, including any further charges?

The device, treatment area, applicator count and session count determine the quote.

If a clinic offers a prepaid course, get the session count, expiration date, cancellation rules and refund terms in writing before paying.

Have the quote spell out whether both sides are included. Reviews, repeat treatments and maintenance can cost extra.

When comparing Scottsdale med spas, compare the same device and the same treatment plan. A session price alone is not enough.

This is a guide, not medical advice. Whether a treatment is right for you is a decision for a licensed provider who has examined you.