In partnership with SA’s top medical aesthetic companies
Who doesn’t want a smooth, firm, unblemished skin, especially as bikini season is here? Find out what you can do to address cellulite, stretch marks and flabby bits
Before we get started on all the options you have available to address your lumps and bumps, you should understand that there is no magic quick fix for all these issues. No anti-cellulite treatment is going to work unless you’ve done the work to lose some weight and maintain a healthy weight, as well as putting the pillars of healthy living in place.
The reason women get cellulite far more than men is because our connective tissue is far more elastic, allowing it to stretch during a potential pregnancy. It’s also thinner than that of men, so fat pockets can pop through and show as corrugations.
Things that can encourage cellulite: your particular genes, stress, oestrogen and female hormonal issues (the Pill, pregnancy, menopause), smoking, high-fat and sugar diets, general unfitness, a sedentary lifestyle.
Stretch marks – tears in the deeper layers of the skin – the dermis are also challenging as they are difficult to treat, especially if they are old and silvery, rather than fresh and active (still red). The sooner you treat them (as with all scarring), the better the results.
Lucky for us, technology and understanding has advanced to such a point that we now have a number of treatments that can address issues such as cellulite, resistant fat, stretch marks, loose or sagging skin, to name but a few.
At Renewal Institute, our philosophy is to use a combination of body treatments to address different body issues, as this gives far more effective results than stand-alone treatments. Combination complementary treatments are so effective because the same problem is tackled from different angles, and they show results much more quickly.
Having access to such a large range of technologies allows the Renewal Institute to offer you effective body solutions that combine these technologies in a very considered manner.
As each patient’s body needs are unique, no treatment plan will start before a thorough consultation with one of our doctors, where concerns and best outcomes are discussed. The doctor will design a treatment plan tailored to your needs and budget.
One of the most effective, popular methods to remove stubborn fat is Cryotherapy (using technology such as the latest version from CoolTech, which works faster due to two applicators working simultaneously). These suck up targeted areas of fats and freeze them, after which the body eliminates them naturally. This treatment is ideal for body shaping, contouring and can result in a 20% circumference reduction in fat after one treatment.
Velashape is another option for cellulite and body contouring. The Vela body shaping system combines four different technologies including Infra-red light, Bi-polar Radio Frequency, vacuum manipulation and mechanical massage with rollers, which work simultaneously to optimise each of their effects, maximising the treatment outcomes in the targeted area. While firming the skin and encouraging fat breakdown, they also stimulate collagen production in the area.
Stretch marks are best treated with a combination of therapies, including, for example, skin needling or mesotherapy, Laser Genesis and carboxytherapy.
To find out more about the pillars of healthy living and solutions available to treat body conditions, visit Body Renewal on www.bodyrenewal.co.za or contact 0861 SKIN SA (754 672).
Take the quick Beyond Beauty Survey and you could win a R2 000 Skin Renewal voucher to spend in our online store, with free delivery within South Africa. T&Cs apply.