Every day, we are bombarded with new ways to look and feel better and, the majority of the time, the adage ‘no pain, no gain’ holds true. I often think of this little phrase when I’m at the gym or politely refusing the dessert menu so, when I first read about 3D Lipo at Skin Associates, I confess I was a little cynical. Surely a treatment that results in risk-free fat loss is too good to be true?
We all have parts of our bodies that we would prefer to be a little slimmer, tauter and smoother… and this is where the 3D Lipo system comes in. Over a course of six or seven treatments, combining low frequency ultrasound, cryoliposis (fat freezing) and radio frequency energy, a trained therapist can use the 3D Lipo machine to target specific areas of fat, cellulite and skin ageing to leave you looking sleeker and healthier. It is a non-surgical treatment, so it has none of the disadvantages of liposuction (such as scars, discomfort, days of downtime and the side-effects of anaesthesia). You can have it done in a couple of hours, be back at home or work the very same day and there is no need to exercise afterwards to obtain results!
Despite the rumours, the Bespoke Black Book team are not all slender nymphs with unshakeable body confidence and I was happy to make an appointment with Skin Associates to give the treatment a try. Although 3D Lipo is available in a number of locations, Skin Associates is situated in Wimpole Street, among the offices of London’s top health professionals, and its convenient proximity to central London made it the obvious place to try this treatment. On arrival, I was welcomed, immediately offered drinks and shown to a spacious and comfortable waiting area, where I was able to spend some time filling in the requisite forms. My therapist, Emma Nye, came in shortly afterwards, introduced herself and took me to the treatment room where she explained the 3D Lipo system very thoroughly.
Three separate processes are used during the full course of treatment. Firstly, a process called Ultrasound Cavitation uses low frequency ultrasound to apply waves of pressure to fat cell membranes, which then disintegrate into a liquid state and are excreted. This is accompanied by cyroliposis (fat freezing), which applies a temperature of -6 degrees to damage the fat cells and encourage the natural removal process to continue over three months. The final process, radio frequency skin tightening, heats the layers of skin, causing the collagen fibres to contract which reduces the appearance of wrinkles and increases the production of new collagen, leaving you with smoother, younger-looking skin for longer. Emma told me that the results are so good that people often finish one course and return to have other parts of their body treated and, although 80% of the patients at Skin Associates are women over 30, the treatment is also popular with men.
By this point, I was very curious to see what the machine was going to do. Having selected the part of my body I was least happy with, I lay back on the treatment bed and gazed at the very impressive chandelier. After smothering me in ultrasound gel, Emma massaged the cavitation device slowly around on my skin. This was an odd, but not uncomfortable, sensation, which warmed up the skin considerably and also produced a high pitched buzzing sound in the ears that sounded like it was happening in the middle of my head. While this wasn’t painful, some people might find it annoying if they weren’t able to tune it out! We skipped the cryoliposis, since this is usually done at different stages throughout the course, but I did have the radio frequency energy. This, and the cavitation, had the effect of a very targeted firm massage and, especially with no strange noise during the radio frequency, it was actually very relaxing. There was also a – very quick – final suction process to ensure the liquidised fat is drained away by the lymph system.
My skin felt very smooth afterwards, possibly as a result of the lengthy massage and the addition of oil at the end, but I was very happy that I was able to leave the clinic straight away and go back to work with no recovery time required. With the first session over in less than two hours, including the time it had taken to discuss the treatment in full prior to commencing, this is a very time efficient process. Although my before and after photos showed little change, I was very impressed to find that taking measurements showed that the offending area of my body had lost around an inch immediately.
I am glad that I overcame my initial doubts that something so simple and easy could be effective. With my own results modest but noticeable after one session, the full course of the treatment should lead to significant and pleasing changes. Perhaps the adage ‘who dares wins’ should be my new health and fitness motto.
Skin Associates
46 Wimpole Street
London W1G 8SD
United Kingdom
