How Acoustic Wave Therapy is Performed

Acoustic wave therapy is a cosmetic procedure that can help remove unsightly cellulite. Acoustic wave therapy uses paddles to send acoustic or pressure waves into your skin, which improves blood circulation, collagen production and tissue elasticity, to give you smoother skin.

How Acoustic Wave Therapy Works

For some time now, doctors have used acoustic wave therapy to help patients who suffer from conditions ranging from arthritis to sports injuries. Eventually, doctors realized that acoustic wave therapy also helps improve the look of cellulite. Acoustic wave therapy is a non-invasive procedure that requires little or no recovery time. Acoustic wave therapy uses pulses of sound, or waves of pressure, to eliminate cellulite. As you age, the connective tissues under your skin become stiff and contracted; as this happens, the fat cells under your skin protrude and create the dimpled appearance commonly referred to as cellulite. Acoustic wave therapy helps increase blood flow to areas affected by cellulite; it also helps your body produce more collagen so that the connective tissues remain supple and youthful, and your skin retains a smooth appearance.

What to Expect from Acoustic Wave Therapy

Acoustic wave therapy is a non-invasive procedure, meaning that no incisions are required. You can receive this treatment on an outpatient basis. You'll need multiple sessions before you see results. You'll recline on a special bed to receive acoustic wave treatments. The doctor will use paddles that emit acoustic pulses; he'll pass these over the affected area. You'll feel the paddles vibrating. There are some differences in acoustic wave therapy sessions. Some sessions may last about twenty minutes while others last as long as forty-five. In general, a session of acoustic wave therapy will take place in two stages. Your doctor will use a less intense vibration to render the fat cells beneath your skin immobile, and a second session, using stronger vibrations, will achieve the following: * Stronger vibrations stretch the connective tissue that extends through your fat cells to your muscles, so that less dimpling will occur and your skin will look smoother. * Stronger vibrations improve circulation so that your body can flush toxins that may have accumulated there. The area will also receive more nutrients. * Your skin will become slightly inflamed, which causes your body to produce more collagen. As a result, the skin of the affected area will become more supple. Treatment schedules vary widely, depending on the physician who performs your treatment as well as the severity of your cellulite. At a minimum, you can expect to need two treatments a week for three weeks, for a total of six treatments. However, you may need to pursue treatment for as long as ten or twelve weeks. You can also expect to need maintenance treatments; some doctors recommend receiving these every three months, while others say that you can wait as long as six months.

Side Effects of Acoustic Wave Treatment

Acoustic wave therapy has a few minor side effects. Treatment may cause inflammation of the skin, some bruising and minor discomfort.