The quest for beauty knows no bounds. In fact, some of us are willing to go under the knife to obtain it. But thanks to technology, there are now less extreme options available. Developments in the field of cosmetic surgery have afforded us with less distressing ways to become exquisite. Renowned surgeons are now considering these cutting-edge alternatives because they usually result in less pain, less scarring, and quicker patient recovery. The non-invasive ways are also becoming increasingly attractive to those who do want cosmetic treatment but are not ready for surgical procedures.
What are non-invasive treatments?
One surgeon that has pioneered the way for patients to consider the less invasive methods is Dr. Florencio Lucero, one of the longest-practicing Filipino plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeons today. He explained the difference between the traditional surgical procedures and the other new, popular alternatives: “Invasive procedures happen when it is necessary to cut the patient open. Meanwhile, minimally-invasive procedures mean that the cut of the skin is minimal such as needles that are used to deliver the material, such as threads or fillers. On the other hand, non-invasive procedures happen when no wound is seen on the skin. These are machines that use some type of energy to target specific areas to achieve desired results. Noninvasive treatments may not give the same dramatic results that surgery can offer, and that’s where the patient and a good plastic surgeon can agree on realistic expectations.”
What are the benefits of non-invasive treatments?
Ordinarily, the surgeon presents the best recommendations for the patient, corresponding with their needs such as anti-ageing and their references like a quick turnaround time. Dr. Lucero says that the final recommendation can be just one option or a combination of two to three. He explains, “Invasive, minimally invasive, and/or non-invasive procedures can be combined or just rely on one type of treatment, depending on what the patient prioritizes and prefers. For example, if patients are thinking of little or no downtime for any procedure, we have to give them the option of non-invasive or minimally invasive first, before going into invasive. Meanwhile, for patients who want to lose significant amount of fats in one treatment or want a noselift, the easiest route is invasive.”
What are some popular non-invasive treatments in the Philippines?
The benefit of combining procedures is that they complement each other. or example, after the invasive surgery, the physician may see that there is still some more room for improvement. Then the other minimally invasive and non-invasive procedures can be considered.
Dr. Lucero gave a few examples of the more popular non-invasive treatments: “There’s Thermage, the pioneer in RF technology for skin tightening. Then there is Coolsculpting, which uses cooling at the point of close to freezing to remove unwanted fats from the body through the natural process. This is only recommended for patients with small pockets of fat. Another is Ultherapy, which uses the technology of high-intensity focused ultrasound. We can recommend this for patients with minimal laxity or sagging at the jowls, neck, or brow area. What we can get is a nice improvement of the tone of the skin and a more natural lift.”
Last July, Ultherapy received its FDA clearance to also tighten the chest area – this is a major breakthrough since there are no surgical options available yet to treat sagging or wrinkling skin on the chest.
What results can I expect?
Treatments also require maintenance, and Dr. Lucero advises patients against those who claim that the results they want – a tighter skin, a more contoured shape, or fat reduction – can happen overnight. “One treatment is not enough,” he says firmly. “In addition, the results will vary from patients, depending on post-treatment compliance and how the body will respond to the treatment. “Let’s say the patient’s objective is to lose size or reduce the amount of fat in her stomach, arms, and thighs. These cannot be fulfilled in just one session. In some treatments, depending on the amount of ageing and the sagging of the flesh, the patient has to come back after a minimum of three months. Or they may have to come back to the surgeon for an evaluation after one year.”
Beware of fake machines!
Another cautionary measure that Dr. Lucero advises his patients is going for a quick fix, or rushing to the nearest clinics that offer low-cost services while using knock-off machines. He emphasizes, “We urge patients to undergo treatments using authentic, globally-certified equipment because these have standards that cannot be compromised. Fake or lesserquality equipment may lead to bad results which can leave the patients scarred or look worse than before they first came into that clinic or center.”
Go to a reputable Philippine plastic surgeon
In the same way, patients who opt for desirable results should go to an authentic plastic surgeon – one who is highly trained, honest, and always puts the best interest of their patients a priority. Dr. Lucero expounds on the important role such a professional plays in this industry: “Plastic surgeons have gone through the whole gamut of training. Many of us nowadays have gone through complete general surgery training. Then we went into plastic surgery, which takes now another three years of complete training. We learned little by little as we went along. So when we start practicing, we look for more training, and attend more scientific meetings to give us more knowledge about what we can do in cosmetic surgery.”