Summer is coming … and people are beginning to think about their beach body plan, known in Spanish as “operation bikini”. Many of us find it hard to get ready for the summer! Perhaps we haven’t looked after ourselves quite as well as we should have … but don’t worry. These things take time, so we need to set ourselves some goals, and some deadlines.
A good beach body plan takes effort and patience if we want to get the best possible results. The healthy lifestyle habits listed here are essential components:
Physical activity. Healthy movement is key. Your exercise plan must be controlled and adapted to your personal needs.
Social activity. You need to spend time with people, but you also need to know how to be alone. Mastering complex social relationships can help you feel more confident about yourself.
Diet. Changing to a healthier, more balanced diet is sure to help – it can obtain improvements of more than 80%. Make sure to watch what you eat.
Rest. Sleeping well is essential to help our body recover. Good sleep is vital to a successful beach body plan. Make sure you get eight hours’ rest every night.
Personal hygiene. Being clean means being healthy!
Toxic substances. Consumption or exposure to toxins can seriously worsen your health. Stay away from them – your body will thank you.
If you follow these basic guidelines and combine them with a summer body treatment plan, you’re sure you’ll accomplish your goals !!!.
Below are some of the treatments that form part of a healthy beach body plan:
CARBOXYTHERAPY:
In carboxytherapy, or carbon dioxide therapy, CO2 is administered transcutaneously or subcutaneously for therapeutic purposes.
The carbon dioxide stimulates the microcirculation, and thus increases the flow of water and nutrients to our skin. This process activates the fibroblasts responsible for producing collagen and elastin, and also stimulates the production of natural antioxidants that help to prevent aging.
Cellulitis is a local microcirculatory disorder caused by inadequate drainage of fat cells. Debris and impurities accumulate inside these cells, at first in liquid form and then, over time, becoming thickened and solid. This accumulation of undrained toxins causes irritation in the fibroblasts which respond by producing excess collagen in a disorganized way: this excess collagen strangles the blood vessels, and prevents correct tissue metabolization.
When the carbon dioxide penetrates the tissues, it expands to the adjacent tissues very quickly. The specialist massages the area gently to allow it to circulate better. This improves the gas exchange in the circulation and the increased oxidation restores the microcirculation, increasing the amount and speed of blood flow which eventually expels the toxins accumulated in the fat cells of the affected tissues. This injection of CO2 has no side effects, except for the slight pain caused by the injection in the area of application and some redness that lasts a few minutes.
Carboxytherapy achieves four main results:
Improved blood and lymph circulation, aiding the elimination of fluids.
Improved skin tone, restoring elasticity and reducing sagging.
A reduction in “orange peel skin” and pitting.
A decrease in volume and heaviness.
Stretch marks are another problem that we can correct with carboxytherapy. CO2 activates the circulation and favours the creation of organized collagen and elastin bridges, which help to reduce these marks. Around 15 sessions are needed, two or three times per week.
MESOTHERAPY
Mesotherapy is a very effective method for treating cellulitis and other skin problems. It is a safe, non-surgical technique that uses allopathic and homeopathic medicines. The formulas are injected into the middle layer of the skin to act on the body’s fat cells. The various substances available have draining, circulatory, lipolytic or firming effects, and the choice of the substance depends on the type of cellulitis. The idea is to reduce the adipose tissue, activate the circulatory system, restructure the connective tissue and improve skin tone, providing a firmer appearance. Sessions last approximately 30 minutes. Initially the treatment is given on a weekly basis over six to ten sessions, and it can be combined with other body treatments.
TENSOR THREADS
Tensor threads are another technique to prevent, repair and improve sagging skin in the face and the rest of the body. These special micro-threads are made of polydioxanone (PDO), a resorbable material that’s fully compatible with the skin. In the treatment, twenty or more of these suture microthreads are used, held by special needles of varying sizes. Once introduced into the subcutaneous tissue, they form a mesh able to hold the skin tissue in place; within a couple of weeks they induce fibroblast and collagen production, making the skin generate its own natural “tensors”. The implanted thread is reabsorbed after six months and the effect lasts between twelve to eighteen months depending on the type of skin, patient’s age, the degree of sagging and individual response. The procedure is safe and straightforward and increases skin elasticity and quality, restoring the natural contours without adding volume. PDO threads are ideal for early stages of sagging skin: it is a minimally invasive technique carried out under local anaesthetic and does not require hospitalization. There are no sutures and no risks.
ONDA®
Microwave technology is widely used in society today, and is applied in many branches of medicine. Its use in humans has been shown to be extremely safe. The selective microwave frequency of the subdermal fat layer (2.45 GHz) protects the surface layers of the skin against unwanted heating and keeps it cold. For this reason, the microwaves on which the Onda® system is based are called “Coolwaves”.
Coolwaves are high frequency electromagnetic currents applied in treatments to reduce localized adiposity, cellulitis and skin laxity, in all areas of the body (with the exception of the face, neck, hands and feet).
The synergy between the system’s two handpieces offers the following results:
Reduction of cellulitis
Reduction of localized fat deposits
Elastic and toned skin with reduced sagging
Harmonious body contouring.
The results are visible from the first session, and the procedure is practically painless.
STRESS MARK TREATMENT
Stretch marks are breaks in the skin that appear when there is intense and prolonged skin distention.
Women develop them more often than men because of hormonal issues; that’s why they appear in the abdomen, hips, buttocks and chest, especially in adolescence and pregnancy. Another trigger is excess weight, especially when the weight gain is rapid and substantial. Stress marks can also be caused by intense exercise, weight training, the consumption of anabolic agents and the prolonged consumption of corticosteroids, which break down the collagen and elastin fibres.
Normally, stretch marks go through two stages, known as the red stage and the white stage. In the initial stage, the marks appear as red or purple due to the inflammation in the area. Histologically, stress marks present morphological changes similar to those of recent scars. When the skin has adapted to the distension, stretch marks appear and the tension is lost; the marks now pass into the white stage with reduced collagen and elastic fibres. They appear as white lines, or are much lighter than the surrounding area; compared with healthy skin they are flatter or slightly depressed.
There is no single treatment that can eliminate stretch marks entirely. Depending on the stage of development, a combination of therapies is performed, including chemical peels, microdermabrasion, carboxytherapy, laser or mesotherapy biostimulation using revitalizing and restructuring substances such as silicon or platelet-rich plasma. All the procedures are carried out on an outpatient basis over several sessions to stimulate the production of new collagen. The treatment achieves significant improvements in the colour, texture and appearance of the stretch marks and the surrounding skin.
