Coolsculpting
How many of us make a New Year Resolution that involves dieting, exercising or losing weight? Winters in Chicago often make it difficult for us to achieve these goals as many of us are eating lots of food around the holidays, hibernating, and staying indoors, and being less active than we might otherwise be in the summer. Even if you are one of the motivated ones who actually makes it to the gym during the winter months, do you find yourself getting discouraged with that pesky pocket of abdominal fat or love handle that just won’t seem to go away despite your best efforts? Well this is where Coolsculpting comes in! Coolsculpting is a non-invasive body contouring treatment that uses a method called cryolipolysis to deliver controlled cooling to the targeted area. The only tissue affected by cryolipolysis is fat, meaning that the surrounding tissues, muscles, and nerves are not affected. 20-25% of the fat cells in the treated area will die following the treatment, and over the course of the next 1-3 months your body will naturally eliminate the dead fat cells, leaving you with a more sculpted appearance just in time for your summer body!
Laser Hair Removal
Do you have to shave your armpits and legs every day in the summer leaving you with razor burn, or do you get painful bikini waxes regularly in order to feel comfortable in a swimsuit? Did you know the winter is actually the best time to do laser hair removal treatments if you want to rid yourself of all that hair come the summer (and forever)? It is best to start laser hair removal treatments in the winter because our hair grows in different cycles, requiring multiple laser treatments to effectively target all of the hair follicles. Treatments need to be spaced 4-6 weeks apart, and in order to obtain the best results, most people need about 4-6 treatments. The treatments are quick, depending on the size of the area you are treating, and there is no down time following the procedure! If you start now, by the time summer rolls around you won’t need to shave or wax as much, if at all, and the hair reduction is permanent!
IPL
Intense Pulsed Light or IPL laser treatments are a great way to clean up summer sun damage such as dark spots and photo damage. IPL treatments can also be used to address redness such as that seen in patients with rosacea or the small blood vessels you might notice on your face. It is best to do IPL treatments in the fall and winter months as you cannot treat your skin while it currently has a tan. This is because the IPL is targeting the pigmentation in the skin that creates the dark spot, or the cells within the blood vessel that makes it red. The laser cannot tell the difference between a sun tan and one of these other targeted colors! In most cases, patients require a series of 3-5 treatments to obtain the best results, and treatments need to be spaced 4 weeks apart. After you complete your IPL treatments you will have a brighter, more even skin tone allowing you to use less makeup in the summer months! However, good sun protection such as SPF 30 daily is necessary to maintain your healthy, glowing complexion, and to reduce the risk of creating new sun damage!
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is a non-invasive treatment where a concentrated salt water solution is injected into those unsightly spider veins on the legs. During the winter months is a great time to have sclerotherapy treatment as your legs are typically less visible during this time. While there is no down time associated with the procedure, your legs will actually look worse for about a month following the treatment. Some of the injection sites can become inflamed and will temporarily look like a bad bug bite. Additionally, the targeted spider veins become irritated by the solution which scars the lining of the blood vessel. This scarring is what ultimately makes the vessels “disappear” over time. If you have sclerotherapy treatment in the winter, the targeted vessels, along with any irritation, will resolve and you can feel confident showing off your legs by the time summer is here!
If you are interested in any of the treatments listed above contact us today to schedule your consultation!
