Is VelaShape The Cellulite Solution?
March 21st, 2008WASHINGTON — Marilyn Mundy never considered herself to be overweight, but she said “trouble spots” like her thighs just won’t slim down, no matter how much she diets and exercises.
“I just had this cellulite and fat and I just couldn’t get rid of it no matter how much I exercised,” she said.
Liposuction gets rid of fat, but it can be painful and requires recovery time. Mundy heard about something new called VelaShape.
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“While VelaShape won’t go ahead and take the place of liposuction, it can give you a liposuction-like result without surgery with no downtime and with little to no side effects,” said dermatologist Dr. Dale Isaacson.
Isaacson said VelaShape works by using three elements: heat, light and massage. It uses radio frequency and infrared light to heat up tissue beneath the skin’s surface. Then a vacuum kneads and stretches the flesh, which he says brings fat cells closer to the skin.
“The heat tends to increase the fat metabolism. That results in the reduction of fat cells and shaping, flattening of the skin, so it helps to contour the body,” Isaacson said.
Isaacson said VelaShape isn’t for people who want to lose pounds. It works best for trouble spots like love handles and saddle-bag thighs. It can also help women after pregnancy.
“It helps to firm, tone and shape the body and gives you back that form that you’ve lost during the pregnant months,” Isaacson said.
It’s a temporary fix. Most patients who use VelaShape for cellulite will need a maintenance treatment every three to six months. A healthy diet is also important to maintain results.
Possible side effects include bruising and burning of the skin.
Dermatologist Dr. Eliot Battle said he’s skeptical. His practice has stopped administering all cellulite reduction treatments.
“I think most cellulite treatments now are still dice rolls,” he said. “It might work, it might not. It might last for weeks or months. It might not. It might last for years? We don’t know. I’m not saying it doesn’t work. I’m saying the consistency hasn’t been proven yet.”
Mundy said the treatment worked for her. It felt like a warm massage, and losing the cellulite from her thighs has given her new energy.
“It just feels great because I feel spryer,” she said. “You know, I’m walking better, standing better. I’m motivated to be healthier during the day — to eat better and exercise.”
For most patients, four treatments one week apart should get the best results. A set of four treatments costs $1,500.
Although VelaShape has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a temporary fix for cellulite, the product is still new, and long-term effects aren’t known.
