Aqualyx: Banishing those problem areas for good
By Dr Martina Pirklova Wood
Dip Imp Dent RCS (Eng) PGCert ANSI. Level 7 Certificate in Injectable Aesthetic Non-Surgical Interventions
The human body is its own best defender, not just in the way it produces antibodies to fight infection, or scabs to heal damaged skin, but also the ability it has to store little pockets of fat in different areas just below the surface as a backup energy supply. The problem is, as our skin loses its firmness and elasticity those small fat reserves become more visible, resulting in sagging and plumpness in areas such as the edges of the thighs, the chin, or around the bra strap.
For some people, a healthy diet and plenty of exercise will do the trick, but many of us just can’t shift them. No cream on the market has the power to remove a double chin or a bingo wing, but most people are reluctant to have an invasive procedure, so up until now there has been no other option to tackle these areas. This is why I’m really excited to have completed my Aqualyx training and be able to begin offering the fat-dissolving treatment option at REclinic.
Getting to the heart of the problem
Aqualyx is a non-surgical injectable product that provides a permanent solution to fat loss in hard-to-target areas. Essentially, it is a fat-dissolving treatment, which works in the same way as our bodies do when they produce bile to break down fatty acids allowing them to be digested. Aqualyx is a solution of deoxycholic acid which is naturally present in the human body and helps with the emulsification of fats for absorption in the intestine. Aqualyx mimics this process in order to break down fatty cells in small areas of the body. Once injected, it locks onto the cell walls making them unstable, this destroys the cells and allows the fat inside to escape, your body then removes it naturally through the lymphatic system.
This is what makes it perfect for both men and women to use on those really tough fat-storing areas. For women and men, we focus on the:
- Chin
- Upper arms
- Hips
- Inner knee
- ‘Love handles’
- Stomach fat
So, it really is permanent?
Yes, studies shared by the company that produces Aqualyx have shown that seven years after the procedure the results are still the same. In fact, since launching in 2009, over two million vials of Aqualyx have been sold to trained practitioners across Europe, so it must be doing something right.
However, it does come with a caveat and that is that the procedure will only be effective when coupled with a healthy diet and exercise regime. If you don’t stay healthy, or you begin to put weight on afterwards then there is the possibility that the fatty areas could return.
It’s important not to confuse Aqualyx with a weight loss solution. It is a contouring product that we use to sculpt, which is why we recommend it for those clients who are already leading and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, not those who are embarking on a weight loss journey.
How your treatment works
As with all our treatments at RE, we begin with a personal consultation to talk about the look you’re trying to achieve and together we will decide whether Aqualyx is the best treatment for you. Assuming it is, then at your first treatment we will use a special cannula to inject the Aqualyx into the specific part of your body using a series of injections. The amount of product we use and the exact location we apply it to is tailored to each of our patient’s specific requirements.
The treatment needs to be repeated at four-week intervals, anything between two and eight times, with most people beginning to see results after a couple of sessions.
It sounds amazing, but it’s got to hurt?
The treatments themselves are relatively painless, as we can mix the Aqualyx with Lidocaine which is an anesthetic. You may feel a warm sensation during the process, and afterward, you can expect to see redness, bruising, and swelling in the affected area, although this usually subsides in a few days.
As with many other treatments, we’d advise you to avoid physical exertion for a few days and avoid makeup for the first 24 hours after each treatment. Other than that, there’s relatively little disruption to your everyday life, although some people may be conscious of the redness, bruising, and swelling and want to take it easy for the first few days until it subsides.
You’re in safe hands
In order to offer Aqualyx as a treatment, practitioners must undergo training from the experts at Marllor Biomedical, the company that produces the product, so you can rest assured that you’re in incredibly safe hands.
As with many products, Aqualyx isn’t recommended for anyone with skin disease, a condition affecting their immune system, or ladies who are pregnant or breastfeeding. However, for many people, it really is a great option to give you confidence in your appearance and enhance your natural beauty. I’m delighted that we now have Aqualyx as an option for our patients, and I would be happy to talk to you in more detail about exactly how it could benefit you. Please do get in touch for a free consultation.
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