WHAT TREATMENTS CAN BE USED?
1-Muscular Electrotherapy
Hypotrophy of a muscle group, including gluteus, or arms, frequently determines or exacerbates unaesthetisms due to muscle flaccidness (tegumentary) resulting in the so called false cellulite.
Hypertrophying muscle electrotherapy is based on the utilisation of devices that achieve involuntary contraction of the muscle. Electrodes are applied that come into contact with the skin. When placed at the motor points, these electrodes transmit current to the muscle bundle, producing recruitment and training of fibres and subsequent contraction.
Sessions last approximately 30 minutes (2/3 times per week for three months, depending on the progress).
This type of therapy does not substitute active exercise. However, since it is difficult for the patient to selectively obtain the contraction of a given muscle group, the use of this therapy is justified when it is included as part of a therapeutic association with other methodologies.
2-Mesotherapy
Mesotherapy consists in the intradermal or subcutaneous administration of different homeopathic substances at small doses by way of multiple injections (by means of a gun or manual injection) applied in the area to be treated.
According to the substance injected, different effects will be achieved, namely: activation of circulation, stimulation of lipolysis, and reaffirming of the treated tissues. The main therapeutic effects of mesotherapy in cellulite are:
An average of ten sessions are required (1 weekly session of about 15 minutes, depending on the area to be treated) followed by regular boosters or touch up sessions, usually once a month. Complications are rare (excepting post-administration marks on the injection sites and occasionally small haematomas that will fade away spontaneously). On occasions, some of the substances injected can cause a minimal allergic local reaction that improves a few days after with adequate treatment.
3-Subdermal Therapy Or Endermology
This technique employs a high technology device, through an aspiration system and two rollers that apply a deep massage on the kin and subcutaneous tissue. Depending on the type of rollers used and the fold made on the tissue, it improves cellulite and tightens tissues restoring the natural smoothness, tone and firmness to the skin.
4-Transcutaneous Mesodermal Therapy:
It is a new non-invasive technique based on the principle of electroporation and electrophoresis, whereby substances penetrate the skin. Electromagnetic substances are transferred through a roll-on that produces a pleasant sensation as it slides over the skin. This technology allows anticellulitic and toning active ingredients to penetrate into the skin. About 15 to 20 sessions are necessary, administered twice a week, followed by monthly maintenance sessions.
5- Radiofrequency
Radiofrequency energy produces a controlled heating of the dermis and fat tissue, preserving the epidermis from thermal damage.
This heating is due to a rotational movement of the water molecules in alternating electromagnetic fields and the corresponding electromagnetic wave and the resistance of the tissue to the conduction current. Water molecules produce a mechanical effect (friction) that changes into heat. This prompts a thermal tightening of fibrous septa, vasodilatation, drainage of the fat reservoirs into the lymphatic system and heat-induced cell death.
After a controlled thermal session with tissue retraction, there is an inflammatory response accompanied by migration of the fibroblasts, which reinforces the collagen structure even further, resulting in an improvement of the condition due to decreased protrusion of subdermal fat achievable in a second stage and subsequent toning of the tissues.
During the procedure, the patient can experience a sensation of heat or small discomfort that is usually mild and disappears within minutes. There is slight reddening of the area that fades away in a few hours. Burns are extremely rare.
The number of sessions depends on the patient’s condition, but about 6 are normally necessary.
6- Conjonctyl + Biostimulation
Silicium is one of the most important active principles in refirming creams currently available in the market. The great news is that after being used in Europe for years, the Spanish Drug Regulatory Agency has just approved organic sicilium injections for use in aesthetic medicine. Because it has long been prohibited, sicilium has not been given the importance it deserves, as it constitutes an excellent treatment to fight flaccidness. IML conducted a rigorous study on this material, which concluded that organic sicilium, in combination with platelet rich plasma, greatly improves the results. Both these elements work in synergy to maintain the correct structure of the dermis.
How Silicium Works
After oxygen, sicilium is the most abundant element in the Earth’s cortex. However, modern agricultural methods impoverish its existence and today’s foods tend to lack the right amounts of this mineral. Sicilium is also present in a number f skin tissues such as bone, muscle or skin. Moreover, with age, the amount of sicilium in the body decreases and so does the ability of the body to assimilate oligoelements, and with it its capacity to absorb sicilium from foods is more and more diminished. Reality is that a lack of sicilium can cause osteoporosis or even be the cause of a fragile dermis.
Conjunctive tissue is made of:
Silicium And The Skin
Regarding the benefits it provides to the skin, silicium is responsible for glycosaminoglycans and polyuronides. That is, it bridges these two substances together determining the structural formation of connective tissue. There are 500 sicilium atoms for each molecule of hyaluronic acid and 3 atoms for each collagen fiber. In one word, sicilium is vital for the presence of hyaluronic acid and also for the existence of collagen fibers. Because of this, it is an indispensable for the structure of the dermis, being capable to restore the thickness, elasticity and smoothness of the skin.
Silicium And Flaccid Cellulite
As you probably know, cellulite is an inflammation of subcutaneous adipose tissue of an unknown origin. This condition affects women mainly and is mostly located in the legs, gluteus, hips, arms and occasionally breast and cervical area. More specifically, flaccid cellulite usually affects women over the age of 40 who do not exercise and have been on strict diets to loose weight. The skin in these cases appears spongy and flaccid. This is a type of cellulite with degeneration of the conjunctive tissue in the dermis, which is accompanied by flaccidness. Silicium acts on damaged elastic and collagenous fiber by rearranging the structure of the dermis with remarkable improvement of the orange peel look.
Application Techniques
Treatment with organic silicium (Conjonctyl®) is carried out by means of the two typical mesotherapy techniques for body contouring::
The multi-punch retrotracing technique consists in the introduction of the mesotherapy needle in parallel to the dermis and pressing the embolus down at the same time that the needle is slowly removed. This technique allows delivery of the substance drop by drop in a lineal fashion perpendicularly to the skin. This technique requires more shots but it is equally effective.
At IML this technique is being combined with platelet-rich plasma as one agent complements the action of the other, obtaining even better results:
Silicium helps maintain the structure of:
Platelet-rich plasma stimulates fibroblasts, which in turn increase production of amount of collagen fibers and hyaluronic acid.
RESULTS
Thanks to the combination of these two techniques, collagen fibers and hyaluronic acid are newly generated with a solid and adequate structure. Consequently, the ideal composition of connective tissue is regained resulting in a smoother, firmer, more hydrated skin with improved turgence. The effects of the treatment last for about 3 months and thus, maintenance sessions are recommended every 6 to 8 weeks.
Recommended Sessions
7- LUX DEEP IR
How does it work?
Lux Deep IR is a Fractional Infrared Light system. Its headpiece delivers 3 mm wide micro columns of heat, with a wavelength of 850 nm to 1350 nm, penetrating at different depths, creating high energy deposits in the reticular dermis, dermo-hypodermic junction and hypodermis (fat tissue), without altering the skin surface.
The sapphire tip of the Lux Deep IR handpiece maintains the epidermis under 32ยบ C, whether penetrability requires more or less pulses per second, due to its triple cooling system.
• Pre-cooling: the handpiece is positioned on the skin and pressure applied to cool the area before triggering.
• Simultaneous cooling: the handpiece has a contact sensor that detects the skin pressure and allows the energy delivery to keep cooling the sapphire.
• Post-cooling: the handpiece is maintained pressured on the skin for a few seconds after triggering, absorbing the residual heat.
In this way, the skin surface remains cool at all times, without suffering annoying heat peaks.
What are the results achieved?
Thermal energy applied with Lux Deep IR achieves immediate and medium term effects:
- Immediate effects:
• Skin tensing, through immediate coagulation of existing collagen.
• Activation of microcirculation, which aids in combating cellulite.
- Medium term effects:
• Reduction of adipocytes by photo thermal induction
• Modification of the fibrous structures that hold the fat lobes in the hypodermis
• Generation of new collagen in 3 to 6 months with the production of new fibres in perfect state
Due to the immediate contraction of the collagen in the tissue, an improvement in the flaccidity takes place immediately, which increase as treatment progresses and reaches its maximum level at 6 months. This is the time the fibroblasts need to induce inversion of the structural fibres that return part of the turgidity to the whole of the dermis.
What are its applications?
• Cellulite, flaccid or evolved on the abdomen, inside and back of thighs.
• Fine tissue without adipose panniculus: abdominal flaccidity, thin and striated skin, areas of fine dermis such as the inside area of thin arms and the inside thigh region.
• Mid and lower thirds of the face and neck.
The number of sessions is variable and should be established by the IML practitioner. Application is recommended in 4 sessions, spaced fortnightly and 6 to 8 sessions every fortnight in acute cases.
Lux Deep IR is a therapeutic tools that can be applied as adjuvant to combat flaccidity and striae by combining it with Striae Repair, an exclusive Instituto Medico Laser treatment.