Beauty Care and Technology

Feminine curves, firm skin, the smallest possible clothing size – in many people's imagination this is the ideal female figure, which women usually try to achieve, getting closer to that goal by trying new methods. Many newly launched products promise to help on this path, but unfortunately most “miracle remedies” fail to live up to expectations. In contrast, there are numerous technologies that can produce truly visible results in the field of beauty care (as well).

Applications of modern electrotherapy: treatment and beauty care

Technology advances, so we can increasingly harness the beneficial effects of various artificial energies for our own goals. In this article I review methods used both in medicine and in beauty care.

• electrotherapy can be used to restore skin elasticity (by stimulating collagen production), as well as for body shaping, fat reduction and edema reduction.
• with radiofrequency pulses you can primarily help tighten the skin and reduce wrinkles. The treatment stimulates the skin's collagen production, improving elasticity and smoothing wrinkles,
• with ultrasound you can enhance the effectiveness of cosmetics by promoting penetration into the deeper layers of the skin,
• ultrasound frequencies below 640 kHz reliably “dissolve fat”, meaning you can actually reduce the fat layer on the hips, thighs and abdomen (the method is called cavitation),
• softlaser is effective for treating skin blemishes, scars and stretch marks,
• BEMER therapy can contribute to improving skin condition by significantly improving microcirculation,
• the compression therapy unit, also known as a wave massage machine, is excellent for reducing edema and varicose complaints, and also very effective at eliminating cellulite.

Uses of electrical impulses in beauty care

Localized fat loss with electrostimulation, by increasing muscle tone

You are probably familiar with the phenomenon where, when starting a diet, the area where you were already thin loses weight fastest.

With electrostimulation you can localize weight loss. If you increase muscle activity in a specific part of your body with electrical impulses, fat mobilization from the adipose tissue starts there first. With its help you can even say goodbye to stubborn abdominal fat. An advantage is that the muscles also become stronger and more toned, so your shape improves – of course not overnight.

Localized fat loss with ultrasound treatment, by “dissolving” deposited fat

During cavitation ultrasound treatment, the ultrasound heats the fat cells, the dissolved fat “flows out” and your circulation removes it. The reality is, of course, a more complex process, but it is a fact that with cavitation you can really lose 1–2 clothing sizes with 10 treatments. It must be known that only ultrasound frequencies below 640 kHz have a cavitation effect; these can penetrate deeply and damage the adipose tissue, freeing and thereby removing fat droplets. Medical ultrasound devices intended for diagnostics are not suitable for this!

However, ultrasound cannot be applied continuously. Although you can reduce the circumference of your hip-thigh area by 2–3 cm in 10 days, the treatment must then be stopped and you can repeat it in the same spot only after 2–3 months. Therefore it is not suitable for eliminating significant obesity.

Delivering active ingredients deep into the skin (phonophoresis)

The skin hinders the entry of cosmetic agents into the body, since its primary role is to prevent foreign substances from passing into the interior.

Cosmetic ultrasound (using 3 MHz on the face and 1 and 3 MHz on the body) opens the pores, increases the skin's permeability and mechanically “pumps” the active ingredient into the deeper layers. This enhances the effect of cosmetic products.

Cellulite treatment

The appearance of cellulite can be attributed to several causes. These include improper nutrition, lack of exercise, sudden changes in body weight, insufficient circulation/lymphatic circulation, accumulated excess fat, water retention, genetic predisposition, adolescent overweight, loss of skin elasticity and stress. Alongside healthy nutrition and regular exercise, electrostimulation effectively fights women's “great enemy”, cellulite. Similar to aerobic exercise, it improves lymphatic circulation and microcirculation of the blood, contributing to the removal of excess fat.

Ultrasound treatments and machine-assisted compression therapy treatments also help break up nodules that form in the dermal layer.

Edema reduction

Edema, i.e. fluid between tissues, begins to flow toward the heart due to the pumping effect of muscle contractions. If this “pump” does not work, that is, if we do not move enough or are confined to bed due to injury, accident or surgery, lymph accumulates and causes swelling. The pumping muscle movement can be simulated with a muscle stimulator, which leads to the absorption of the edema.

A compression therapy unit is even more effective in reducing edema.

Toning and firming

There are several factors that often negatively affect the elasticity and tone of the skin and muscle tissues – for example sudden weight loss and pregnancy, which can cause certain body parts to become lax. Electrostimulators can assist in tightening and improving muscle tone during beauty care.

Wrinkle reduction

Loss of tone in the skin of the face, neck, décolletage and upper arms, and the decrease of elastic fibers lead to the visible formation of wrinkles. Radiofrequency treatments and certain electrotherapy programs provide effective treatments for this problem.

Electrical impulses increase the skin's collagen production, making the skin more elastic and firmer. The effect is visible after the first treatments, but a lasting result requires 10–15 sessions.

Eliminating stretch marks and scars

Stretch marks most commonly appear on the upper arms, breasts, abdomen, buttocks and thighs, usually as a result of rapid weight gain or pregnancy. The reddish streaks are a cosmetic problem.

Ultrasound and softlaser treatments effectively eliminate stretch marks. In addition, they also promote healing and “beautification” of scars and surgical scars. As a result of the treatment the scar smooths out and its reddish hue disappears, blending into the surrounding skin.

Removing abnormal sweating

Pathological sweating of the palms, soles and underarms can be treated with better than 90% success using a harmless and simple procedure: tap water iontophoresis.