Body contouring procedures led the way this February as people begin to prepare for summer and shedding their extra winter pounds. February's top five body contouring brands on American Health & Beauty were:

SmartLipo results of Dr. Robert Burke
Ann Arbor, MI

1. SmartLipo - Cynosure's gold standard line of laser lipo technology has grown to encompass multiple power options benefiting both the physician and the patient. The SmartLipo MPX and SmartLipo Triplex devices both offer multiple wavelengths and safety options that have improved upon initial, lower-wattage offerings. Dr. Robert Burke, a Michigan cosmetic surgeon uses SmartLipo regularly in his office and trains other physicians on the machine. One of SmartLipo's advantages is its ability to tighten the skin. Dr. Burke says, "A lot of women come in and say, 'I know I have the loose skin, things changed when I had my baby, and I just do not want to have a tummy tuck....' Well I can get a lot more skin shrinkage with SmartLipo than I could with liposcultpure alone."
   
   
   
   Zerona results of Dr. Thomas Barnes
   Newport Beach, CA
   
   
   
2. Zerona - This completely non-invasive light therapy from Erchonia causes fat cells to open a pore and empty their contents, which are then passed through the body's lymphatic system. Patients around the country have fallen in love with this treatment that can be done during a lunch hour and has zero pain or downtime. Newport Beach Zerona provider and cosmetic surgeon Dr. Thomas Barnes has worked with the company that developed Zerona for years. "The Zerona is available now for what I call body slimming. You can actually measure thighs before, do six, eight, or ten treatments, however many the patient chooses, and we find we can lose an aggregate of a half to one full inch." The Zerona is useful on not only the thighs but other areas such as the stomach and back.
   
   
   
   
   Zeltiq results of Dr. Christopher Zachary
   Irvine, CA
   
   
   
3. Zeltiq - Cryolipolysis is a new field in aesthetics that uses cold therapy to crystallize and kill fat cells, shrinking the treatment area. Rather than immediate results however, it takes several weeks for the treated cells to evacuate the body, allowing for a very gradual improvement. "This is truly a remarkable breakthrough in the cosmetic industry," says Dr. Weiner, a Board Certified physician of The Aesthetic Clinique, and one of the first physicians in the US to add Zeltiq to their list of treatments offered. "Never before have we been able to see such a distinct reduction in fat tissue, non-invasively until Zeltiq. It is a safe, painless, and effective and is the first true alternative to liposuction or cosmetic surgery," he added. Zeltiq is currently undergoing clinical trials to gain FDA approval.
   
   
   
   
   
   Vaser results of Dr. David Broadway
   Denver, CO
4. Vaser - Ultrasound waves break up fat before it is removed, allowing for precise sculpting and contouring. Physicians are able to do more than just remove fat, they are able to define contours and produce amazing results. Dr. David Broadway, a Vaser provider in Denver, says, "Vaser not only makes it much easier to get the fat out, but it also makes it much easier to sculpt people, and that's really the goal." Vaser patients report very few side effects and are typically able to return to normal activities within a few days of the procedure. The ultrasonic waves are tissue specific so that they are able to target only the fat, allowing for tissue disruption of only the adipose, or fatty, tissues. Dr. Broadway performs a Hi-Def Vaser that allows precision sculpting of areas like the abs to enhance the underlying muscular structure.
   
   
   
   
   
   SlimLipo results of Dr. Michael Will
   Urbana, MD
5. SlimLipo - As the popularity of laser lipo procedures has grown, the number of available technologies has grown with it. SlimLipo from Palomar is one of the best and most well recognized brands available. Using two wavelengths, 924nm and 975nm to both melt fat for easy aspiration and tighten the skin, SlimLipo is a top alternative to traditional liposuction. Dr. Michael Will, a Maryland cosmetic surgeon says that even laser lipo is still lipo, just with the extra step of melting the fat. "Once we melt and laser the fat, we still have to aspirate and remove it but we like to do so in a less traumatic fashion."
   
   

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   The American Health & Beauty February Reader's Choice Awards are based on a running tally of all information accessed on www.americanhealthandbeauty.com from February 1, 2010 to February 28, 2010. The awards are based on the number of page views for each particular procedure. The awards in no way reflect a judgment or declaration of one procedure or product being better than another, merely what visitors to the website searched for and/or read about. The awards are a representation of consumer interest regarding these particular procedures and/or products and are in no way an endorsement of American Health and Beauty, LLC. For more information regarding these procedures please contact your local physician or aesthetician.