Nonsurgical Body Contouring | HIFU Treatment Malaysia

Non Surgical body contouring has become an increasingly popular alternative to liposuction for fat reduction and body sculpting. These noninvasive procedures use advanced technology to eliminate stubborn fat without surgery or downtime. Popular options like CoolSculpting, Emsculpt, velashape, and ultrasound (HIFU) apply controlled cooling, electromagnetic energy, radiofrequency, or focused ultrasound to selectively target and eliminate fat cells under the skin. 

Compared to liposuction, nonsurgical fat reduction is less risky, less painful, requires no anesthesia, and involves minimal to no downtime after treatment. Patients can see noticeable improvements in targeted areas after a few sessions, with continued results over one to three months as the body flushes out the destroyed fat cells. While surgical liposuction may produce more dramatic results in one shot, nonsurgical treatments provide a gentler, more gradual approach to slimming and sculpting specific body areas without surgery.

In this guide, we focus specifically on high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and how it works for noninvasive body contouring and fat reduction. Read on to learn the benefits and ideal uses of HIFU body treatments.

What is HIFU Treatment?

HIFU stands for high-intensity focused ultrasound. It is a non-invasive fat reduction technique that uses focused ultrasound energy to target and destroy fat cells. 

HIFU works by sending targeted ultrasonic energy deep beneath the skin to heat and destroy fat cells. The focused ultrasound beam penetrates past the surface of the skin to deliver energy to the deeper fat tissue layers without damaging the overlaying skin. This causes the fat cells to die through a natural cell death process called apoptosis. Over time, the body naturally eliminates these dead cells.

During a HIFU treatment, a handheld device delivers ultrasound energy to the treatment area. The energy destroys subcutaneous fat cells while leaving the surrounding tissues unharmed. HIFU can target fat cells up to 1.5 inches beneath the skin’s surface. The treatment destroys fat cells in the treated area, resulting in inch loss and body contouring over time as the body flushes out the dead cells.

Benefits of HIFU Treatment

One of the biggest benefits of HIFU treatment is that it is completely non-surgical and non-invasive. There are no incisions, cuts or punctures involved in the process. The high intensity focused ultrasound technology allows clinicians to precisely target fat cells well below the skin, without damaging any of the surrounding tissue. 

As a non-invasive procedure, HIFU treatment has virtually no downtime. Patients can return to their normal activities immediately after a session. There is no extensive recovery or need to take time off work required.

HIFU offers a safe and effective way to reduce small pockets of fat on targeted areas of the body. It works by sending focused ultrasound energy deep under the skin to heat and destroy fat cells. The lysed fat cells are then naturally flushed out by the body’s immune system over time. This can help slim and contour specific body parts such as the abdomen, love handles, thighs, arms and more.

The ability to target stubborn fat on precise areas of the body make HIFU an appealing body contouring option compared to more invasive procedures like liposuction. Patients can get aesthetic improvements on problem spots without surgery or prolonged downtime.

HIFU vs Other Fat Reduction Treatments

HIFU treatment offers some advantages over other popular fat reduction procedures like liposuction and CoolSculpting. Here’s how it compares:

Liposuction

– Liposuction is invasive surgery performed under general anesthesia. HIFU is non-invasive and does not require anesthesia.

– Liposuction permanently removes fat cells from the body. HIFU destroys fat cells, but does not remove them.

– Liposuction results are immediate. HIFU results appear gradually over 2-3 months as the body eliminates the destroyed fat cells. 

– Liposuction carries more risks like infection, scarring, and blood clots. HIFU has minimal side effects.

– However, liposuction can remove more fat in one session than HIFU.

CoolSculpting

– Like HIFU, CoolSculpting is a non-invasive fat reduction treatment. It uses extreme cold to destroy fat cells.

– CoolSculpting takes 1-3 hours per session while HIFU takes 1-1.5 hours.

– CoolSculpting can only treat small, targeted areas of fat while HIFU can cover larger areas.

– Results from CoolSculpting are not as dramatic as HIFU in most cases.

– But, CoolSculpting has very little pain or side effects compared to HIFU which can cause discomfort during the procedure.

So in summary, HIFU offers a non-surgical alternative to liposuction that can treat larger areas and provide more dramatic fat reduction, but the trade-off is it requires more treatment sessions and can be mildly painful. Compared to CoolSculpting, HIFU is more effective but also comes with more side effects. At Lumi Clinic, we maintain a high professional standard to ensure the comfort and safety of all our patients, while at the same time aiming for the most efficient treatments. 

Who is a Good Candidate for HIFU?

The ideal candidate for HIFU treatment is someone who is bothered by stubborn pockets of fat in areas like the abdomen, flanks, thighs or arms. Specifically, HIFU works best for people who:

– Have a BMI under 30. HIFU is not recommended for obese individuals as it only removes small, localized fat deposits. Those with a higher BMI may need other weight loss methods first.

– Have good skin elasticity. Skin that retains elasticity can conform to the newly contoured body after fat reduction.

– Do not smoke. Smoking impairs circulation and healing which can impact HIFU results. 

– Are close to their ideal weight. HIFU is meant for spot treatment of isolated fat pockets, not significant weight loss.

– Have reasonable expectations. While results can be dramatic, HIFU will not provide the same level of fat removal as surgical procedures like liposuction.

HIFU is not recommended for people with the following conditions:

– Pregnancy or breastfeeding – HIFU is not proven safe during pregnancy so should be avoided.

– Active implants – The ultrasound energy may interact with implants like pacemakers, defibrillators, etc. 

– Metal implants – Metal pins, plates, stents etc can heat up from the ultrasound energy.

– Inflammatory skin conditions – Open wounds, rashes, eczema etc in the treatment area.

– Previous radiation therapy in the treatment area.

– Unrealistic expectations – If significant fat removal is desired, HIFU has limitations.

By following the provider’s candidacy guidelines, patients can get safe and satisfactory non-invasive fat reduction. Those not meeting the criteria are better suited for alternative procedures. Consult with Lumi Clinic to see if you are a suitable candidate for HIFU treatment!

What to Expect During a HIFU Session

The HIFU procedure is non-surgical and completely non-invasive. Here’s a step-by-step overview of what to expect:

– You’ll lie down on a treatment bed and the technician will apply a gel to the treatment areas. This gel helps conduct the ultrasound energy and protects your skin.

– The technician will then place the HIFU machine on your skin and deliver pulses of focused ultrasound energy to the treatment areas. 

– You may feel some tingling, pricking sensations, heat, or mild discomfort as the energy is delivered. This is normal and most patients do not require any anesthesia or pain medication.

– Your technician will move the applicator around the treatment area, delivering pulses of energy to different depth levels under your skin. Treatment of each area typically takes between 30-90 minutes.

– Most patients describe the treatment as feeling like a hot stone massage. Any discomfort is generally mild and temporary.

– After the treatment is complete, the gel is wiped off. No downtime or recovery is required. Most people resume normal activities immediately.

The HIFU treatment allows for a comfortable, non-invasive approach to fat reduction and body contouring. With focused ultrasound energy, it bypasses the skin’s surface and achieves results without damage to surrounding tissues. 

Results and Downtime

Most patients begin to see results in the weeks and months following their first HIFU treatment. However, final visible improvements can take 6-12 months. This is because your body’s natural healing response is activated by HIFU and works to gradually refine and reshape the treated area over time. 

One of the biggest benefits of HIFU is little to no downtime. The treatment itself is completely non-invasive and non-surgical. You can return to normal activities immediately with no restrictions. Some minor redness, swelling, tingling, or tenderness might occur but usually goes away within a few hours.  

As HIFU stimulates new collagen production, maintenance sessions are recommended every 6-12 months to upkeep results. This allows your clinician to target any specific problem areas and ensure long-lasting outcomes. You can repeat HIFU as often as needed with no health risks.