Category Bikinis

One Of My Client Transformations…Vegetarian Plan

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This is what happens when you take someone who had great genetics but hasn’t pushed it to the next level, and kick it up many notches to get her stage ready! The pic on the left was from August of last year…my client prepped for a contest in early December, ut circumstances beyond her control prevented her from competing at that time. She regrouped, picked a contest in late May, and I designed a new 12 week prep program, this time incorporating a vegetarian plan.

If you have dietary restrictions, such as certain food allergies or a preference for vegetarian, vegan, pescetarian, no fish, etc., I can accommodate you. My plans are always customized to fit your needs. Please go to http://www.cutcurves.com to view packages and pricing.

Invasix Body Fx Treatments…If You Are Lean, Beware!

drstaceynaito 2 Comments

BodyFxI have a problem area which is constantly being tortured in an effort to to correct the issue, namely, mild but stubborn cellulite on my hamstring area. In the past I have tried Exilis treatments, and I always make sure to do infrared body wraps before I compete to minimize the appearance of cellulite in this region. However, the results of both of these procedures are temporary, and consequently I am always on the hunt for something more effective.

Enter BodyFx by Invasix, which is a radio-frequency and vacuum device which allegedly targets fat cells while also tightening the dermis and causing collagen contracture. The promise of less fat along with tighter skin seemed too good to be true, but I was willing to try this technology 1) because I am a physician who specializes in aesthetic medicine, 2) I will be stepping onstage very soon, and 3) I HATE the dimpling on the backs of my thighs.

I was told that the treatment, which combines focused radio-frequency energy, deep tissue heating, and suction coupled negative pressure, would be uncomfortable, but MAN OH MAN! Between the intense someone-is-lighting-me-on-fire heat and the intermittent zapping sensation I experienced at the end of some of the pulses, I was in agony. I am a tough cookie with a high pain threshold too, which should tell you a lot. The procedure was so painful that I was yelling obscenities and grabbing onto the treatment table, getting a great chest workout as I wrestled it like it was an enormous squeeze ball. I know that my body fat is at around 14% right now, that I have very little storage fat on the backs of my legs, and that the leaner a patient is, the more painful the BodyFx treatment tends to be.

Here’s a YouTube video which describes the technology:

I find it amazing that the patient featured in this video only reported mild heat sensation, so I am guessing that she has significantly more body fat than I do. Truth be told, my procedure hurt like the dickens. I had to endure ten minutes on each thigh, with more distal and lateral aspects of my posterior thigh being the most intensely painful areas. It was no picnic!

BodyFx treatments must be performed weekly for an 8 week treatment period, which means that I must endure SEVEN more weekly sessions to see optimal results. A one treatment maintenance every 6 months is also part of the treatment protocol. Oh goodie. I am honestly dreading the pain I will be experiencing later this week when I go in for my second BodyFx treatment. But you know what? If it truly works, all the pain will be worth it.

Does Laser Hair Removal Really Work?

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laser-hair-removal-side-effectsBack in 2003 when I was just beginning my educational foray into aesthetic medicine, I was encouraged to perform laser hair removal on myself. That way, I could witness the process firsthand and thus provide valuable information to my patients about the experience. I would inform the staff whenever I was ready to perform these treatments, then would sequester myself in the laser treatment room and conduct these treatments without any pre-procedure anesthesia.

I used an Nd:Yag laser back then which is generally less effective than a diode laser in treating hair follicles, but I only had access to that type of laser at that time. I treated my underarms, legs and tried to do my bikini line (more on that later). Did the procedure hurt? YES. It felt like red hot rubber band stings all over the areas treated, and some spots literally took my breath away. But I was so determined to get rid of the hair that I toughed it out.

The area in which I got the best results, and which generally yields the best results for patients in general, was the underarm region. To this day I have about 6 hair follicles on each underarm which produce hair, and the hair is so fine, wispy, pale in color and slow growing that I resort to plucking them out every 6 to 8 weeks. Talk about low maintenance! I also no longer have the shadow which hair growth in the underarms produces.

My legs were less responsive, mainly due to the fact that my skin was tan during the entire series. Ideal laser hair removal patients have dark hair and light skin, but this was certainly not the case with me. Even so, I had about an 80% reduction in the amount of active hair follicles.

Then there was my bikini line. It is difficult to perform an intensely painful treatment on oneself without wanting to discontinue such treatment, and this was certainly the case with me when I attempted to treat this area! As a result of my inability to tolerate self-treatment in the bikini line, I am now undergoing a new series of laser hair removal treatments in the bikini area, this time with a diode laser and someone else performing the procedures. I have had two treatments thus far and am already enjoying about a 30% reduction of active hair follicles.

For those of you who are considering laser hair removal, you can expect to undergo 4 to 8 treatments, spaced anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks apart depending on the laser used and the area treated. Each treatment tends to cause about a 15-20% reduction in the amount of hair, and the hair that regrows will grow more slowly over time. The endpoint usually yields about a 95% reduction in hair regrowth.

I think laser hair removal is a great option for just about everyone!