(Published in The Observer on Sunday, 9 September, 2012)
http://www.compasscayman.com/observer/2012/09/09/Laugh-fat-away-with-Tickle-Lipo/
Fed up with fat that just won’t budge? There’s an innovative new way to lose those stubborn inches, and some say it feels like you are being tickled. Indeed Tickle Lipo gets its name for this very reason.
Tickle Lipo is a type of liposuction, which is far less invasive than traditional liposuction methods. Performed under local anaesthetic, it can even be carried out during an extended lunch break – and it may just leave you laughing.
Victoria Karlinski-Bellini, is a board-certified surgeon who has brought this new procedure to Cayman. She has been running a clinic at KY Imaging in West Shore Plaza for the past year, where she performs numerous cosmetic procedures – from liquid facelifts to breast augmentations, and now Tickle Lipo.
She says that Tickle Lipo is ideal for patients who are seeking a less invasive body contouring treatment, and is great for those that don’t like the idea of undergoing a liposuction procedure under general anaesthetic.
“A good candidate for this procedure is a patient with a few areas of localised fat resistant to diet and exercise; healthy and active men and women who want to quickly remove fat and sculpt specific problem areas,” she says.
Officially called Nutational Infrasonic Liposculpture, the technology was originally developed in Europe and was quickly dubbed Tickle Lipo due to its tickling sensation.
Tickle Lipo uses a heat-free, laser-free oscillating wand. Activated by air pressure, the wand vibrates and rotates to safely and easily remove excess fat from the body, with less blood loss and damage to surrounding tissues, resulting in a faster recovery time for the patient. The term Tickle Lipo comes from the vibrating cannula wand that tricks pain receptors and causes the tickling sensation. Compared to a traditional liposuction procedure, Tickle Lipo is more comfortable for the patient, takes less time to perform and is less strenuous for the surgeon.
“Tickle Lipo is highly effective and safe, and is perfect for addressing excess fat in the thighs, hips, saddlebags, buttocks, stomach, love handles, arms, back, chest, ankles and calves,” Dr. Karlinski-Bellini says. “Tickle Lipo causes little or no discomfort and is fast, immediate, and cost-effective.”
Indeed, Dr. Karlinski-Bellini says that patients can see the effects immediately, with results becoming even more enhanced as the body continues to heal. The procedure takes one to two hours to perform and is virtually pain free, with some patients even being able to return to work immediately after.
Dr. Karlinksi-Bellini has treated more than 250 patients over the past two years at her clinic in New York. She says the excellent results she has achieved to date were the main reason in deciding to offer this innovative treatment in Cayman.
While Tickle Lipo results are permanent, Dr. Karlinski-Bellini recommends patients maintain a healthy lifestyle, with regular exercise and a healthy diet.
“Fat that is removed through liposuction does not reappear or re-grow,” she says. “However, if weight is gained after the procedure, excess fat may appear in other parts of the body. Committing to a healthy lifestyle will help maintain and prolong the newly-sculpted body.”
Joanna Lewis 