What risks are involved with Sculpsure? Does it provide any amount of skin tightening and should areas with scars be avoided?

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. 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 her 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 treatmentSince 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 SurgeonDirector-Beverly Hills Breast and Body Institute

SculpSure is extremely safe. The few risks
are: redness, swelling, and discomfort at the treatment site, all of which have
only been experienced temporarily.

All lasers use heat to provide their results,
and heat is known to cause tissues to tighten, much in the way heat causes
shrink wrap to tighten. So SculpSure, being a laser, must provide some
tightening effect. However, that tightening has never been quanitified in a
study, and may be very slight.

If you are looking for a non-invasive skin
tightening treatment, there are other technologies you should look into, such
as Exillis, Thermage, and Ulthera.

The initial FDA clinical trials for SculpSure
did not include scars. Factors of unknown safety are listed as unsafe in most guidelines
for new technologies, until proven safe. However, we now know through anecdotal
evidence of many physicians using SculpSure, that treatment over and around
scars can be safe and effective. The real concern here is the physical
structuring of the scar tissue, which the skilled hands of a physician can
discern. Some scar tissues are fine to treat directly over, and others need to
be planned around, so that the SculpSure treatment panels deliver energy
directly around but not on top of. 

Because the skin is purposely cooled to protect it while the laser is heating the underlying fat, no skin tightening is expected. Risks are small and would be related to heat, such as skin irritation, or lumpiness in the subcutaneous fat which should spontaneously resolve. The laser is designed to turn off if the contact with the skin is interrupted. Excess heat is avoided during the procedure by adjusting the laser output to stay in a certain zone determined by patient feedback.

Sculpsure is Extremely safe and doesn't have any real risks when performed properly by a physician.  It uses lasers to melt fat which have been used by many different devices for the skin and the fat in the past like smartlipo/laser liposuctin and for laser peels.  It also has applicators that apply constant cooling to the skin making it even more save and comfortable so that the treatment is easy and quick at 25 minutes.  While heating the skin can cause some tightening, Scuplsure also cools with the applicator. No studies have been performed to show whether Sculpsure works to tighten the skin because it is so new, but skin tightening at this point and with the way that the machine works will be minimal.  So if you have a lot of skin laxity you will have to use something else like Thermi which seems to be very effective for tightening skin.Sculpsure is not recommended on scars at this time because the lack of data, but if you have scars then there is likely less fat under the scar than under the surrounding tissues.  The applicators can be simply adjusted to be around the scar so that it is not affected or involved during the treatment.

Thank you for your question.I have had the procedure performed two weeks ago without any risks.  The only common side effect is mild soreness after the procedure.  Sculpsure does not advertise that the laser tightens the skin.  The heat provided is not enough to tighten the skin, on the other hand the Smart-lipo does offer some skin tightening.  Scar areas can have the applicators applied to it,  but might need to use lower energy because it might have decreased sensation in that area.Thank you

Being that SculpSure is a non-invasive treatment, there is little risk involved.  However, you may experience temporary side effects such as a mild discomfort and/or swelling. SculpSure is not a weight lose procedure but it has been proven to have about a 25% reduction in the treated area along with skin tightening. Like any medical proceudre, it's best to consult with your surgeon regarding treatment areas and existing scars. Good luck!

Thank you for your question, debb9397, and for your attention to detail. SculpSure is a brand new procedure of which many individuals have yet to understand. The beauty of SculpSure is its safety and its recognition as the only FDA-approved laser to melt fat (nearly 25% of subcutaneous fat). The risks of SculpSure are minimal, and may include temporary swelling or up to three weeks of redness. It is much safer and much more effective than CoolSculpting. I suggest you consult an office of a board certified specialist to receive the highest-quality knowledge, treatment, care and skill available.Best wishes,

There are really very minimal risks to having the procedure done, if any. There is some discomfort which is very tolerable.  There is a small chance of nodule formation, but this is usually avoidable with excellent hydration and massaging the area.  Also, just the cost and time that's involved! As with any aesthetic procedure, there's also a chance that it doesn't work well for your body type or you don't get the results you actually expect or want.  It's important to speak with your doctor so that the procedure can be explained in detail and the expectations are realistic! There CAN be some skin tightening, as it's a laser and there is some collagen regeneration in the skin with that treatment.  We usually do try to avoid scarred areas, only because the depth of penetration is affected and the outcome won't be as good.  There is no risk to treating over most scars.    

Because SculpSure is a laser that targets fat cells only - not skin cells or other deeper organs or tissue - the effect is seen on the fat cells. Meaning, each treatment permanently kills about 24% of the fat cells in the area in a very safe manner.
SculpSure is not intended as a skin tightening procedure, but some patients do report that their skin is somewhat tighter than before the treatment. However, I would not tout it as a common result.
As long as a scar is well healed and doesn't have a hernia associated with it, it is safe to perform SculpSure over a scarred area.
Good luck!

The most common side effects of SculpSure are pain, redness, tenderness, swelling, firmness, hardness and nodules.  Less common side effects which can occur are itching, skin contour irregularities, dimpling, hyperpigmentation/hypopigmentation (dark or light spots), asymmetry, necrosis (localized death of the skin), changes in skin laxity, numbness, blister or burn. Rare occurrences of fainting or dizziness have been noted during and/or after the treatment. We have only seen side effects of pain, redness, tenderness, swelling, firmness, hardness and nodules in patients treated in our office. 
The SculpSure laser is not designed to tighten skin, although it has been reported in some patients. We treat skin laxity with radiofrequency skin tightening devices such as Thermage and Venus Freeze. It is best to avoid treating over scars with SculpSure. The SculpSure applicators can be positioned so that we can treat around scars.