Lifted Spirits:  Face and Body Lifts Without the Downs of Surgery, Part 1

Many people are intimidated by the prospect of aesthetic surgery.  Will it be painful?  How long will it take to heal?  Will there be a difference?  Then, there’s the additional pressure of embarrassment when a patient goes out in public following a surgery—what to say when friends ask about the bandages, or how to handle appraising looks from strangers.  With new medical technology, however, non-invasive procedures offer patients a viable alternative. Accent The AccentTM (by MSq-Alma) is a state of the art RF-heating device designed to safely and effectively address cellulite and fat reduction, post-liposuction treatment, and lipoma.  This system boasts a dual function:  fat reduction and cellulite treatment using deep penetrating unipolar radio-frequency (RF) energy and skin tightening and rejuvenation via RF bipolar energy.  The latter is similar in principle to the technology used in Thermage treatments.  It is the former that sets the Accent apart. With the combination of unipolar and bipolar radio-frequency (RF), the Accent treatment dispenses heat into the deeper layers of the skin, where collagen is produced and fat is stored.  After applying a thin layer of oil, a therapeutic temperature range is reached and maintained within the skin layers in a number of passes performed over the treatment area.  This RF energy harnessed by the Accent treats cellulite and fat tissue by three main pathways.  First, by heating the deeper layers of the skin, Accent causes a tightening of tissues in that area by stimulating the production of collagen.  Second, the treatment increases blood flow to the area while facilitating drainage of fat deposits.  Finally, the heat administered to treatment areas causes fatty acid decomposition and fat-cell death.  The treatment areas are, therefore, carefully mapped in order to re-contour the body’s shape.  The surface skin is protected from heat damage by constant cooling. Because of the intense heating involved, some may feel slight discomfort, but most patients report only a “comfortably warm” sensation.  In just a few sessions the Accent delivers high quality results, with no adverse side effects and no downtime.  Treated areas are smoother and firmer, giving a new and defined shape to the body.  After treatment, affected areas may exhibit dryness in the skin and/or some redness.  These symptoms however, usually disappear within 48 hours. Significant change is usually seen in as early as 4 sessions during the course of a series of Accent treatments, which can be anywhere from 7-12 sessions (depending on the area to be treated).  The series can be completed in a few weeks and since there is no downtime, patients are able to continue with their normal routines.