How does the UltraShape compare to CoolSculpting or Radio Frequency?
After careful consideration, Clearstone has purposely chosen the UltraShape over other medical devices, including CoolSculpting or Thermage.
CoolScuplting, a registered trademark of the Zeltiq Corporation, attempts to destroy fat cells by achieving cryolipolsis, a term also registered by Zeltiq. Cryolipolsis, or fat freezing, attempts to cool fatty tissue below the body’s natural temperature but just above freezing which then, for reasons not fully yet understood, results in localized cell death and a corresponding degree of inflammation.
Because CoolSculpting depends upon adequate amounts of localized fat deposits, not all individuals are excellent candidates for treatment – especially those that have just a small pouch that’s very resistant to exercise. For those that are candidates, treatment areas are confined to merely the areas suctioned within the application device – at times leading to a pronounced unevenness of treatment and what has become known as the “shelf phenomena”. In addition, fat destruction by application of freezing techniques are very time consuming, especially if a practitioner is to treat bi-lateral areas and only has use of one machine.
Additional undesirable reactions and complications have also been noted and as further documented in dermatological literature.* With the UltraShape, we can avoid the painful post-treatment hypersensitivity, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, as well as bruising to the treatment sites entirely as seen with freezing technologies.
*Nelson, AA; Wasserman, D; Avram, MM (2009). “Cryolipolysis for reduction of excess adipose tissue”. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery 28 (4): 244–9.
Comparison to Radio Frequency Devices for Body Contouring
Radio Frequency (RF) devices rely upon the absorption of RF into the water molecules of fat cells, then its subsequent conversion to heat, with a resulting thermal injury leading to tissue death. The method of action is similar to heating soup in your microwave; where RF absorbs into water molecules, creates friction that then generates heat. This heating effect, by its very nature, is usually quite uncomfortable.
Most manufacturers attempt to raise subcutaneous tissue in excess of 45 degrees centigrade and maintain such high temperatures to several milliseconds to reach the necessary clinical endpoint. As a point of reference, your skin experiences thermal trauma at just 42 degrees centigrade – meaning that you should certainly feel some pain when using heat to kill cells within your body by use of RF.
Consequently, practitioners struggle to gain the greatest degree of efficacy with the use of RF devices as patient tolerance usually limits the necessary application of high energy levels. In addition, terminal injury to the skin can also occur, leaving practitioners with a tradeoff decision to find the optimal balance of safety and efficacy.
Pulsed UltraSound, however, offers the best of both worlds. The UltraShape modality provides a proven solution without the need to “microwave” our guests. Its mechanical effect avoids tissue heating, making treatments far more comfortable while also avoiding the thermal injuries that lead to complications.
With the UltraShape, we are able to target 3 depths of stubborn unwanted fat deposits, all without the pain, discomfort and time consuming mechanisms as seen with competing modalities.