Ultrasound Cavitation After Liposuction
One of the most popular body sculpting practices after liposuction is Ultrasonic Cavitation. It is designed to help reduce the fat pockets that can remain after lipo that can’t be addressed through exercise or diet.
Ultrasound Cavitation After Lipo
Getting cavitation done after lipo is one of many possible procedures that can help finish your look after surgery if manual therapy (massage done with the hands) fails to get the results you were looking for with lipo.
A Word of Caution About the
Dangers of Cavitation
Remember that it takes months for you to see your final result, so don’t rush into cavitation right away. It can actually cause damage if done too soon. It is advisable to wait at least 12 weeks post op to begin cavitation if that is the correct therapy for your issue.
The reason or this is that cavitation is a procedure that causes damage (by destroying fat cells). While that sounds good, you need to consider that liposuction (or tummy tuck or other similar procedure) is a type of trauma. The body needs to heal to a certain point before causing more trauma (cavitation). If you don’t give the body time to settle down the inflammation caused by liposuction, then the cavitation will cause the inflammatory process to begin again. The inflammatory cascade is how healing happens. Inflammatory molecules call on the body to send “supplies” to build new tissue.
If you are post op, the last thing you want is for the body to start building a lot of new tissue. Those crazy stories about post op fibrosis on Instagram and Tik Tok? Ask those people if they got cavitation/radio frequency immediately post op…because a lot of places advertise it as appropriate for immediate post op care, but they don’t understand the physiology behind why that is a bad idea. Please hold off until 3 months minimum so you don’t cause even more problems.
Are You Lumpy After Your Lipo?
If you have had lipo, it is possible that you have a few spots that didn’t turn out to be perfect. There may be small pockets of fat that your surgeon missed. Lipo is an art – not an exact science, so this happens occasionally despite the skill of your surgeon. This is why many doctors recommend following up with cavitation as part of your surgical aftercare.
Just remember – doing cavitation too soon after lipo can actually cause more problems than it helps. Be sure you are at least 3 months out from surgery before making an appointment for cavitation.
Ultrasound Cavitation FAQ
Do I Need Radio Frequency Also?
Sometimes cavitation is enough, but it is possible that you might need Radio Frequency to help tighten the skin as well. This is because when the fat is gone, it tends to be looser – and nobody wants sagging skin. This isn’t necessary for everyone, because it depends on how much fat you are losing and the elasticity of the skin. (Hint: the younger and fitter you are, the less likely you need the RF skin tightening.)
Can I Get Just RF Skin Tightening or Just Ultrasonic Cavitation?
Yes! At Pain & Swelling Solutions you can do a combination of RF and Cavitation, or you can get them as stand-alone treatments. You may also add either service to an existing Lymphatic Massage. During your first session we will discuss your goals and problem areas and craft the best solution to resolve those issues, leaving you looking and feeling great!
What Areas Can Be Treated with Cavitation?
- Abdomen
- Waist
- Thighs
- Flanks (“Love handle” area)
- Buttocks (Unless you’ve had a fat transfer – “BBL”)
- Upper Arms
What are the Benefits of Ultrasonic Cavitation?
- Improvement in skin texture
- Body contouring and reshaping
- Lymph and blood circulation
- Cellulite therapy
- Tightening of connective tissue
- Increased effectiveness when combined with Lymphatic Massage
- No surgery, no knives, no pain
- No anesthesia
What Exactly Is Ultrasonic Cavitation?
Ultrasonic Cavitation is a highly specialized therapy that reduces fat volume and tones the body. Cavitation uses cutting edge technology of ultrasound to burst fat cells. This can help you to lose inches on the areas that are treated giving you a much smoother, smaller, contoured shape. The benefits of cavitation are that it is effective at targeting trouble spots, but it does not require any downtime.
You can achieve “volume reduction” of fatty tissues and “toning of the body.” It is important to note that cavitation is not a weight reduction technique. It is intended to target tough spots of fat.
How Does Ultrasound Cavitation Work?
Cavitation is a completely non-invasive therapy that uses ultrasound to burst fat cells. The contents of the fat cells are then taken up by the lymphatic system and returned to the blood stream where the body can use the fat for energy.
Ultrasound is a very low frequency sound wave that can’t be heard by people. The energy of the sound wave is transmitted through the skin and targets fat cells. The fat cells begin to vibrate due to the sound wave.
Bubbles (or cavities) are formed between the fat cells, and a bit of heat is made from the friction of the cells. The fat cells eventually end up dumping out their contents, causing them to reduce in size. The lymphatic system carries the contents away.
Does Ultrasonic Cavitation Actually Work?
Yes, it works, but it is important to keep in mind that the changes are not as dramatic as are often seen on Instagram. The photos posted often have been manipulated. Cavitation does not produce the same results as you would get through surgery.
Cavitation is best used to target areas of fat that do not respond to diet and exercise. Results vary from one person to the next due to the individual’s metabolism, age, tissue structure, hormonal changes, and the area treated.
To get the best results from cavitation, you have to help it along. It is important to follow specific aftercare guidelines to get the most out of your therapy. Read more about this in the aftercare information.
How Many Sessions Are Necessary to See Results?
Most clients see a difference in 3 sessions, but some people are able to see results immediately. Optimal results are usually achieved between 8-12 sessions. Since people vary greatly in age and weight and different areas of the body respond differently to the therapy, some people require more or less sessions than others.
Results occur gradually over a period of weeks, with a reduction of up to about 4 inches being common in 12 treatments.
How Long are the Sessions and How Many Areas Can You Do?
If you are already coming for Lymphatic Massage, you can add on a 1/2 hour or hour cavitation session to your lymphatic massage session.
If you are only coming for Ultrasound Cavitation or Radio Frequency Skin Tightening, the minimum time is 1-hour, and you can get up to 2 areas of the body done in that hour session.
What Counts as an Area?
Upper abdomen, lower abdomen, 1 arm, 1 thigh, 1 flank each count as one area. So, in a one-hour session, you could have your full abdomen, or both legs, or both arms, or both flanks done.
Why Can’t I Get More Areas Done During a 1-Hour Session?
Many people ask this question, and it’s a fair question. Sure, it’s possible to use the cavitation head over larger areas of the body in a single hour. However, for the therapy to be effective, no more than one area can be done per half hour. Otherwise, the therapy’s effect is so minimal, that it’s not worth doing. It’s like pouring water in orange juice. It may still be orange juice, but the end product is not very good.
Additionally, the body has to process all of the fat that is released, so, it is important not to overload the body with too much fat at once.
How Often Can I Come?
The body will eliminate the fat within 48-72 hours, so 2 x 1-hour sessions per week is ideal – usually 3 days apart.
Is There Any Downtime After Ultrasound Cavitation or Radio Frequency Therapy?
No, although rarely some people may experience mild side effects after ultrasound cavitation including:
- Redness and irritation of the skin
- Mild tenderness or bruising
- Increased thirst
- Mild aches and pains including headache
- Increased body temperature
How Long Does Ultrasonic Cavitation Last?
Cavitation does not destroy fat cells. It just empties them. This means that if you consume more calories than you burn, the fat cells will start storing more fat again. This means that overeating, lack of exercise, and alcohol consumption can put fat right back into those cells. So, the ultimate longevity of your therapy depends on you.
Who Should Not Get Ultrasonic Cavitation?
People with the following conditions should not get cavitation:
- Metallic Implants (IUD’s, pacemakers, etc.)
- Epilepsy
- Pregnancy
- High Blood Pressure
- Diabetes
- Cancer
What Should I Do After Ultrasonic Cavitation?
To get the best result out of your cavitation experience it is important to follow these aftercare rules.
- Drink a lot of water before and after treatment. A gallon per day in the three days following a session is recommended for best results.
- Reduce carbohydrate intake as carbohydrates are often stored as fat.
- Avoid alcohol.
- Eat healthy foods. Fast food should be avoided.
- Get some exercise each day.
Is Cavitation a Safe?
As a comfortable, non-invasive, non-surgical procedure, cavitation has no downtime. The cavitation device affects fatty tissues just beneath the skin. It doesn’t affect nerves, connective tissues, or blood vessels.
That being said, you should not get it until you are at least 12 weeks post op due to the fact that it causes more inflammation and could be counter-productive, leading to fibrosis that can be very challenging to resolve.
Does Cavitation Help with Fibrosis?
In short, no. Cavitation is designed to act on fat. Fibrosis is a collection of protein that has all stuck together and has not been cleared away from an area of injury and prolonged inflammation. Since cavitation does not destroy protein, it cannot help with fibrosis. Beware of people who tell you otherwise.