SculpSure. Would five treatments in the same area be too many?

Multiple sculpsure treatments can be performed. I would stagger the first 3 treatments 6 to 8 weeks apart and then wait 6 months to see what results you have obtained. It takes several months for the fat cells to be eliminated. If further improvement is desired, more treatments could be performed.

Sculpsure is a noninvasive 1060nm diode laser treatment that removes up to 25% of stubborn fat in the treated area in 25 minutes.It is FDA approved for the abdomen and flanks. It is safe if you get pregnant in the future.

The body contouring effects are seen in as quick as six weeks with final results at 12 weeks.

The results are permanent as long as you maintain your weight and health.

The laser targets and destroys the fat cells only which are then naturally removed from the body. Since the laser does not affect the skin or muscle it can be used on all skin colors and there has been no reported incidents of burns when treated by a properly trained physician. It is protective since it alternates heating and cooling.

It has four applicators that can be customized to treat the areas of stubborn fat.

If a second treatment is needed we wait at least six weeks and usually closer to 12.

If you notice lumps after (which I've never seen) I would recommend massage. You should also alert your surgeon.  No compression garment required.

There is no downtime and you can resume your normal activities right after the treatment. There may be some soreness in the area for a few days for which you can take ibuprofen or tylenol. A cold compress can also be used.

Sculpsure is not used for skin tightening however some of our patients have seen this. If more skin tightening is needed we have combined this with thermi or Ulthera for a complete treatment. Sculpsure is recommended for stubborn areas of fat that are not being lost by diet and exercise. It is not a weight loss treatment

Since I have both a coolsculpting and sculpsure I am working on protocols of utilizing both of these depending upon what areas need to be treated and the response to the treatment.

I have used sculpsure on other areas other than the abdomen with very good results.

I also use a Vectra 3D imaging system to try and show people what their treatment areas could look like.

Since Sculpsure outcomes can be based on technique and experience, please see a board certified plastic surgeon that specializes body contouring to see if Sculpsure or other treatments are available to meet your goals.

Take care,

Dr Schwartz

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Hi and thank you for your question! There is no reason why we can't treat an area with SculpSure for 5 sessions (as long as there is adequate fat), but we normally start by up to 3 sessions and decide on further treatments based on the initial response and the results of the 3 sessions. I hope it helps and good luck!  

Thank you for your question. It is recommended that you develop a treatment plan and consider the treatments with your board certified facial plastic surgeon as you go.
Best wishes,

No, but we rarely encounter a patient to whom we would recommend five treatments.  Liposuction is the better, more cost effective method for that amount of fat volume reduction. If a patient goes to a board-certified plastic surgeon they will help the patient make the distinction up front, and save them the time and expense of trying to do SculpSure so many times, when liposuction is the definitive treatment for that volume of fat.

The amount of SculpSure treatments needed to obtain the desired result can vary, but I would say for most people, it would be between 2-3.  I do not think that 5 treatments would be too many.  There really is not an upper limit on the number of treatments that can be performed to the same area.  

There is not a problem with doing several SculpSure treatments on the same area if the treatments are spaced about 6 weeks apart (maybe even a little closer).  However, depending on the size of the area you are treating and the exact number of treatments recommended, you may want to consult with a plastic surgeon to see if surgery would be a more cost effective option.  SculpSure is great for contouring problem areas but if you are treating a larger area where you might need 3 sets of applicators to cover the area and then multiply that times 5 sessions, you may be approaching what liposuction or another surgical option would cost.

Sculpsure usually recommends a 2-3 treatment protocol, spread 6-8 weeks between treatments.  It can take several months to see full treatment results.  I would wait at least 3 months before considering more treatments. 

The most I have performed on one area was 3 treatments.  If someone needs 5 sessions, it is the patient's choice.  I would do 3 sessions and then wait  3-6 months before doing any additional treatments. SculpSure offers the best non invasive result. Patient can also consider a single invasive option like Liposuction.  All invasive and non invasive options should always be discussed at the time of consultation and the treatment of choice always depends on desired result and if they want/can have downtime and anesthesia. Hope this helps. Best, Dr.Avaliani

Most patients achieve a 20-25% fat reduction in the area treated with each SculpSure treatment.  If the result you wish to achieve can be managed with SculpSure, then it is safe to proceed with multiple SculpSure treatments spaced 6-8 weeks apart.  It is best to consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon that offers SculpSure as well as surgical options for body contouring.  There are a number of things to consider:  Are you willing to undergo a surgical procedure? Which option is most cost effective ~ SculpSure or surgical options? Which option will achieve the results you desire? Which procedure best suits your lifestyle?  Are you able to take time off to recover if you choose a surgical measure?  Do you have support at home for post-operative care following a surgical procedure?  After consulting with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and looking at all your available options, you should be able to decide if undergoing 5 SculpSure treatments will achieve the results you are looking for and if SculpSure is the right treatment for you.  Thank you for your question.  I hope you will share with the RealSelf community further as you proceed with your body contouring treatments whether  you choose SculpSure or other treatment options.