Am I A Good Candidates For Vanquish Treatments?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I was interested in getting a consult for myself for the Vanquish vs. Exilis for several areas. I was also going to potentially buy a gift for my significant other as he is very concerned about abdominal fat. He also is considering Liposuction, so I looked that up. In your article about Liposuction you indicated that non-surgical, non-invasive fat removal methods are often not realistic and over hyped. Now, I am not sure whether to pursue the consult for the Exilis and/or Vanquish.

A: Any non-invasive body contouring procedures can not be compared in results as to what surgery can do. (e.g., liposuction) They rarely are even close. In general, there is a often a disconnect between patient expectations and what these types of treatments can do. Between a patient’s hopefulness and device marketing (by both manufacturer and practitioner), there is ample opportunity for patients to be disappointed. This does not mean that these devices are not beneficial and can not create moderate body contouring results, but each patient needs to be assessed individually to determine how non-surgical vs. surgical ROI (return on investment) compares. That requires a thoughtful and honest discussion which I regularly do for many potential patients seeking such treatments. I own both Vanquish and Exilis, so I have great insight into their potential value, but I also have no interest in patients making a ‘poor investment’ either if they are not good candidates for them. I would recommend that you and your husband come in and talk to me about it.