How Does A Fat Transfer Work?
From American Health & Beauty-original article
Fat is a combination of loose connective tissue and adipocytes, also known as adipose tissue. While it's main function is to store energy, when we don't burn that energy and continue to add to the fat storage, fat can accumulate in places that are not so desirable. It can be removed during liposuction and previously, this fat was discarded as waste but now, with improved techniques of fat transfer, that fat can be harvested and grafted elsewhere with greater success.
Actual Fat Transfer To Face Before and After Results of Dr. Grant Stevens
"Historically we抳e done liposuction and thrown the fat in the waste basket," says Marina Del Rey Fat Transfer provider Dr. Grant Stevens, "Fat is now a valuable resource and we can reposition it into areas we抎 like to see enlarged." Fat transfer or fat grafting has been around for quite some time but several issues, mainly the transferred fat not surviving in the new site, made the procedure for the most part, unsuccessful. Recently however, new technology and techniques have emerged to increase transferred fat survival and patients now have the option of using their own fat in a Breast Augmentation, Buttock Augmentation, or in place of synthetic facial fillers in the face.
"Since 1983, when I performed my first liposuction case, women have been asking me, 'Can't you just take it from here, and put it here?' after their procedure," says Dr. Stevens. "And now, 27 years later, we've done thousands of cases where we take fat and reposition it on the body." According to Dr. Stevens, 3 of the most popular places patients request fat to be transferred to are the buttocks, breasts, and face.
While new techniques include better liposuction devices that leave more fat cells intact for transfer, a new fact has come to light the last few years. Fat cells, it appears, are already rich in stem and regenerative cells and when harvested properly, may increase the survival of the transferred stem cells. Whether or not an increase of additional stem cells actually do increase the efficacy of fat transfers remains to be seen.
Actual Fat Transfer To Buttocks (Brazilian Butt Lift) Before and After Results of Dr. Grant Stevens
"We know that adipose-derived stem cells are in the fat that we're transferring," says Dr. Stevens, "There are certain companies that are trying to concentrate the adipose-derived stem cells, notably Cytori. And while we're very interested in working along those lines, it's all experimental at this point. It should be made perfectly clear that all adipose injections we're doing contain an abundance of very active stem cells."
A key topic at the annual meeting of The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), a joint task force between the ASAPS and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), released their statement on the use of stem cells in aesthetic surgery. The task force's recognized that while there was great potential for the use of stem cells, the field is still lacking in scientific evidence to proclaim an increased efficacy in fat transfers.
Zeltiq-Coolsculpting
What is Zeltiq?
Zeltiq is an FDA approved technology that uses cold therapy to freeze and destroy fat cells, with no surgery required. It is also called cryolipolysis and is a pain free method to rid yourself of fat in specific areas.
How does Zeltiq work?
Zeltiq uses precisely controlled, targeted cold therapy in a treatment that lasts about one hour per treatment area. The skin to be treated is suctioned between two cooling plates which modify the fat's temperature to just above freezing. Energy is extracted from the fat cell by the cold, causing it to die. Though it is referred to as cryolipolysis, it is not actually "freezing" the fat or the surrounding tissues. Rather, it crystallizes the lipids in fat cells causing the slow collapse of cells as they die. The procedure targets only fat cells and only those in the superficial fat layer close to the skin. The body then carries off the dead cells over the course of two to three months for a more gradual, natural result.
What are the risks?
Coolsculpting by Zeltiq received FDA clearance for the non-invasive reduction of fat in September of 2010. The results appear to be long lasting and testing has shown no increase in blood lipids or blood cholesterol. It takes several weeks for the fat to be expelled.
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Cynosure Signs Agreement with Unilever to Develop Light-Based Devices for Home Use
Partnership Combines Unilever's Consumer Goods Expertise with Cynosure's Strength as a Leading Developer of Light-Based Technology
WESTFORD, Mass., July 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cynosure, Inc. (Nasdaq: CYNO), a leading developer and manufacturer of a broad array of light-based aesthetic treatment systems, today announced that it has signed a multi-year, funded cooperative agreement with Unilever Ltd. to develop and commercialize light-based devices targeting the home use personal care market. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
"One of our long-term corporate objectives has been to enter the emerging home use market, and Unilever represents an ideal partner for us," said President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Davin. "We view this agreement as a first step in forming a meaningful long-term strategic relationship with Unilever and an attractive business opportunity for Cynosure. Unilever is a recognized leader in skin care products, including a broad array of established consumer brands such as Dove, Pond's and Vaseline. Its world-class distribution, marketing and branding capabilities for home skin care products are second to none. With its global footprint, Unilever has the scale to successfully launch and distribute light-based products into the consumer market."
"Together with Unilever, we intend to target multiple benefit areas within the home use segment," Davin said. "The initial focus of this funded development agreement will be on the skin rejuvenation component of the marketplace, which includes wrinkles, lines and texture. We hope our current light-based technology for skin rejuvenation will translate well into the over-the-counter device market."
Genevieve Berger, Unilever's Chief Research and Development Officer, commented, "We believe the emerging consumer market for light-based devices is a promising long-term opportunity for Unilever. We selected Cynosure as our development partner because of the company's ability to develop and bring leading-edge technology into the marketplace and its demonstrated success as an innovator in the physician based aesthetic market. Cynosure has proven that it can develop products that not only deliver outstanding clinical results but also emphasize safety, which is a critical element for the consumer marketplace. We look forward to working with the Cynosure team in the years ahead."
Intense Pulsed Light for home use
IPL(Intense Pulsed Light) has been being very popular for several years. However,considering the safety and effects,very few IPL machines can be used at home.
1. Fair-for very light skin
(Fitzpatrick I) at 10 J/cm2 and a single pulse of 25 ms
2. Medium-for average skin
(Fitzpatrick II) at 10 J/cm2 with a double pulse of 40 ms
3. Dark-for olive skin
(Fitzpatrick III) at 7 J/cm2 with a double pulse of 60 ms
The wavelengths delivered are 530 nm to 1200 nm.
iPulse™ Personal is typically used for 6 - 12 weekly treatments depending on the body area being treated. Use on the dark setting may require more applications. Designed primarily for safety, the applicator head uses a four-point skin capacitance safety system all of which need to be against skin to trigger light from the iPulse™ Personal.
The iPulse™ Personal does not require the use of safety goggles as ocular exposure has been restricted to less than the new published British Standard for intense light retinal exposure limits*. This has been measured and confirmed at the UK's National Physical Laboratory.
Although it has been tested that iPulse is an effective product,It's better to get IPL treatments from clinics and beauty salons.This is not only because of safety issues,but also the attendance after treatments.Of course,clients who are aware of relative attendance,can use iPulse at home freely.I believe more and more personal devices will appear soon.
For more information about iPulse Personal,click here.
Fat Reduction Market in Europe to Soar Despite Economic Downturn
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Growing patient desire for noninvasive procedures will fuel expansion in transdermal ultrasound and laser-assisted liposuction markets, according to Millennium Research Group
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WALTHAM, Mass., July 16 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Millennium Research Group (MRG), the global authority on medical technology market intelligence, the fat reduction device market will experience the highest growth of all body contouring devices in Europe through 2013. MRG's European Markets for Body Contouring Devices 2009 report finds that the fat reduction segment will be fueled by physician adoption of newer modalities like transdermal ultrasound and laser, light, and energy fat reduction devices, which offer patients less invasive solutions than traditional liposuction. Transdermal ultrasound and laser-assisted liposuction (LAL) procedures will experience particularly strong growth over the next five years, with patient desire for minimally invasive procedures fueling both segments. Transdermal ultrasound procedures can be performed in an hour and without any incisions, allowing patients to return to their normal routine afterwards. Until recently, the market for transdermal ultrasound was dominated by UltraShape; however, the competitive landscape has changed with the launch of Medicis' LipoSonix in mid-2008, and it will continue to shift over the next five years as new firms enter the market in an attempt to capitalize on the rapid growth. "The LAL market is undergoing similar competitive changes. As LAL continues to stimulate patient demand, physicians will purchase new LAL devices and new competitors will emerge in order to capitalize on the market's tremendous potential," says Kevin Flewwelling, Manager of the Aesthetics division at MRG. "DEKA's SmartLipo device was one of the first LAL devices available in the European market; however, many competitors have since launched LAL devices, including Cynosure, Eleme Medical, Sciton, Syneron, and others." MRG's European Markets for Body Contouring Devices 2009 report covers the markets for cellulite reduction, skin tightening, fat reduction, and gastric bands in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK. The report provides full breakdowns of body contouring procedures by type as well as device unit sales by subtype, including five-year forecasts, up-to-date market shares, and in-depth qualitative insights. About Millennium Research Group Millennium Research Group (www.MRG.net), a Decision Resources, Inc. company (www.DecisionResourcesInc.com), is the global authority on medical technology market intelligence and the leading provider of strategic information to the health care sector. The company provides specialized industry expertise through multiclient market research, ongoing Marketrack(TM) projects, customer loyalty tracking, facility-level procedure forecasting, and customized solutions. About Decision Resources, Inc. Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information, and insights on important sectors of the health care industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources, Inc. at www.DecisionResourcesInc.com. |
Alma Lasers Announces FDA clearance of the UniForm Handpiece
Buffalo Grove, IL. (January 13, 2009) – Alma Lasers Ltd. ("Alma"), a leader in laser, light and radiofrequency-based aesthetic devices, announced today the FDA clearance and immediate availability of the UniForm handpiece. The UniForm is the fifth module available on the Accent™ XL radiofrequency device. The UniForm has received FDA clearance for "the temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite."
The UniForm handpiece is comprised of Alma's propriety UniPolar technology for the delivery of RF therapeutic heat into the dermal and subdermal tissue, accompanied by a mechanical massager component. The mechanical component increases circulation in the subcutaneous tissues producing superior results.
"We are extremely excited to announce the FDA's clearance of the UniForm handpiece as it offers patients a consistent way to reduce the appearance of cellulite with minimal downtime or discomfort," said Howard Kelly, CEO of Alma Lasers. "This most recent regulatory achievement allows us to continue offering innovative and effective solutions for all physicians while furthering Alma's success in the aesthetics industry."
The UniForm handpiece incorporates Alma Lasers' IN-Motion Technology that enhances the session's speed, comfort and ease of use. IN-Motion Technology gradually heats the layers of skin to the target therapeutic temperature, so there is minimal risk of injury to the patient and allowing the procedure to be virtually pain-free.
"We have been extremely happy with the Accent™ XL system. Our patients have been very satisfied with the consistent results they are seeing and the fact that the treatments are fast and comfortable is an added bonus," says Karen Harkaway, M.D., Board Certified Dermatologist. "Of all the RF systems on the market, I feel the Accent™ XL offers the widest breadth of treatment options and the most consistent results."
Recommended website
http://www.americanhealthandbeauty.com/
Introducing ELight(IPL+RF) Technology
飞梭雷射(二)
2007年初，Reliant公司将Fraxel技术再次升级，开发出FRAXELⅡ(Fraxel SR1500 laser)的机型。
根据统计，亚洲黄色皮肤人种，接受第一代飞梭治疗后，约有2-3成的机会，会因为术后严重的持续红肿、反黑，因而延迟或甚至中止治疗；特别是经过2-3次治疗后，会因为热能持续累积，有更高的风险出现并发症。
飞梭的磨皮效能比不上汽化雷射，热拉皮效果与一般光波拉皮机、冷触雷射类似，远比不上电波拉皮。 使用飞点：细微光点的雷射输出(小于1mm)，可以针对个别的凹洞做深度处理，因为减少皮肤组织损伤，复原期可以缩短到5天以内。减少磨皮后的复原期及副作用，局部磨皮变成可能。
所以，有医师提出
新的机种，很明显是增强热拉皮的效果，提升除皱的功用。
传统的汽化雷射，输出光点通常是2-5mm，用来做青春痘磨皮，往往会烧灼掉过多的表皮组织，造成术后泛红、反黑的风险，伤口复原期往往需要1-2周，色素复原期需要3-6个月。
飞梭雷射，整片输出细微光束，无法针对凹洞深浅做个别处理，对较深的凹洞无法重复琢磨，所以整体外观会因为皮肤紧致得到改善，但是对各凹洞效果有限
其实飞点雷射的开发，是因为眼科的雷射导引及琢磨技术，可以将各别凹洞作放射状切割(Radial Section)，大幅缩短伤口愈合期，也减少周边组织受损的机会。
飞梭镭射(一)
低侵袭性的雷射磨皮技术：Pixel Fractional Resurfacing
青春留下了痘疤的痕迹，是许多人挥之不去的的困扰，也因此自从有改善痘疤的技术后，机种、技术也是不断的推陈出新。不过真的都有效果吗?不一定，主要还是要看疤痕的种类，否则无法对症下药，再新型、恢复期再短、伤害再小的机种也是枉然。
常见可以改善痘疤的雷射治疗有：
1.汽化磨皮雷射：CO2雷射、铒雅各布雷射、Derma K、CO3、长脉冲铒雅铬、超(短)脉冲CO2
2.非汽化的热拉皮：冷触雷射、强力脉冲光、电波拉皮
3.浅层磨皮&热拉皮复合机：魔颜雷射(MicroLaserPeel)，但效果不彰，现已经不被推荐在痘疤磨皮；飞梭雷射(Fraxel laser)，是最近被强力期待的新机种。
可见，治疗痘疤凹洞的的雷射种类相当的多，效果也无法达到全面性的要求。大家需要注意的是，各种治疗的方式，效果、副作用、恢复期都有很大的不同。
分段磨皮雷射--Fractional Laser的革命
2001年美国哈佛大学Harvard，Wellman研究室的Rox Anderson博士在正式发表新的雷射磨皮观念，Fractional Photothermolysis(分段磨皮术)，这是一种侵袭性低的雷射磨皮技术，有「奈米磨皮术」之称。
飞梭雷射之所以风行的原因，主要还是因为强而有力的汽化磨皮雷射，虽然治疗效果佳、但并发症的风险也大大提高。凹疤是平了，却带来退不掉的红黑，甚至因为医师的医术失误，因而留下难以磨灭的疤痕，在国内、国外也有很多类似的医疗纠纷。所以，目前的医学潮流倾向于破坏性低、恢复期较短的治疗方式。
Fraxel最早的飞梭镭射机型从毫米(nm)缩小到微米(um)的磨皮方式：.以往的磨皮治疗，光点较大(0.2-0.5公分)，需要将整个皮肤的表层磨去，虽然效果较佳，但是也造成过度的伤害。Anderson博士的技术根据，是以极细微的激光束将皮肤穿孔汽化(光点缩小到0.0001公分)，所造成的伤害细微到显微镜下才能发现。
Pixel概念的革命：您知道什么是pixel吗？液晶屏幕所显现出来的文字、图画其实是由很多微小的点所构成的，这许多小点点就是所谓的pixel，我们把他翻译成像素。当计算机绘图工程师要修改一张图时，可以在不破坏原图案的状况下，将图案局部放大，再根据一个一个像素来修改，这样子的修改方式既精细又自然。
(左图)Fraxel就是利用pixel的概念，以细微点状的方式，一次修正一部份皮肤的状况。主要是采用分次治疗的概念 (Fractional resurfacing)，把一次要治疗的部位，分成多次治疗，一次约做20%左右的肌肤，其余部分是没有影响的。在多次的治疗之后，大部分的肌肤都受雷射光刺激而改善。(右图)汽化雷射(Ablative laser resurfacing)，一次汽化掉一整片的皮肤，来达到刺激胶原蛋白增生的效果。二氧化碳或铒雅铬等汽化雷射来去除皱纹是很有效的方法，但是东方人由于表皮的黑色素较多，往往会有色素沈淀的现象，因此并不适合用这个方法来治疗老化或皱纹。
飞梭雷射探头
探头滑过皮肤击发细如发丝的激光束
术后照顾：治疗深度比脉冲光、甚至磨皮雷射还要来得更深，但是又兼具恢复期比汽化雷射磨皮短得多的特性，兼具了汽化雷射与非汽化雷射的优点。术后可能会有稍微红肿持续的时间可能是几小时到1-2天，依能量设定与个人差异，少数人可能会持续3-5天。皮肤可能像日晒后的反应，感觉较干燥，但是并不会有疼痛感。并没有肉眼可见的伤口，因此并不需要任何特别的照顾术后可以洗脸，也可以上妆。