Lose Weight, Get Toned, Treat Incontinence

Outside of the part-time gig she had waiting tables at a local diner, there was no “real job” waiting for Maya* when she graduated from college 30 years ago. So, she accepted the offer presented by three sorority sisters.

“They all bought Eurail passes and were planning to spend the next three or four months traveling through Europe,” Maya remembers. “They begged me to join them, so I finally relented and said, Sure, why not? I’m so glad I did.

“Not only did I see just about everything you can think of in Europe, but I met my future husband while we were skiing in Zurich. He was our ski instructor, and we hit it off from day one.”

The couple hit it off after learning they both grew up near Stowe, Vermont, which is where they were married and began their family. A job transfer brought them to Florida 12 years ago, but it wasn’t until recently that Maya began to enjoy the sunshine.

“By the time we moved here I already had two kids, and it showed,” Maya explains. “After both births, I had a hard time losing the extra weight I gained during pregnancy, and for a while I let it get out of control.

“I started dieting a few years ago, but nothing was working. I was still overweight and didn’t like the way I looked. Then a couple of years ago, I discovered Island Family Health and decided to see if they could help me.”

Primary Care and More

Established in 2018 by Nikolaos Kanellopoulos, MD, Island Family Health provides primary care, family medicine services and several leading-edge aesthetic services, including medically supervised weight loss, medical aesthetics, and body contouring.

“Maya came to us with a very common complaint,” Dr. Kanellopoulos reports. “She was struggling to lose belly fat and wanted to know if we could help her. I suggested she start by getting UltraSlim^® treatments.

Before and after images courtesy of Island Family Health

UltraSlim is a noninvasive FDA-cleared fat-removal treatment that uses photobiomodulation, or red-light therapy, to activate and shrink fat cells. It works by creating avenues through which fatty acids and triglycerides can escape the cells.

During each session, which lasts about 30 minutes, the patient simply lies on a table beneath a lamp that is aimed at the target area. The lamp produces the red-light energy that penetrates the skin and activates the fat cells.

At the same time, UltraSlim’s red-light therapy sparks an increase in collagen and elastin production, which tightens skin and reduces signs of aging in the targeted area. Results are often visible within days.

“I noticed a difference in the way my body looked and in the way my skin looked right away,” Maya attests. “I definitely looked a little slimmer, and there was a change for the better in the texture of my skin.

“I was so pleased with the results from the red-light therapy that after learning about another treatment called Emsculpt^® NEO during an open house that Island Family Health held, I decided to sign up for that as well.”

Like UltraSlim, Emsculpt NEO is a nonsurgical body contouring treatment that burns stubborn fat. However, it also tones and strengthens the muscles in the area being targeted.

Ideally suited for people with a body mass index (BMI) less than 35, Emsculpt NEO burns fat through the use of an applicator that emits rapid pulses of high-intensity electromagnetic and radiofrequency energy.

The energy heats the fat cells to a degree that forces them to die. After the cells have died, or melted away, the lipids inside them are released into the lymph system and excreted over a period of time.

As the fat cells are treated, muscles in the targeted area are also heated, and a device on the applicator delivers the equivalent of thousands of contractions to those muscles in a matter of minutes. The contractions tone and strengthen the muscles.

Like UltraSlim, Emsulpt NEO sessions last about 30 minutes, and clinical studies show that four treatments typically result in a 30 percent decrease in fat, a 25 percent increase in muscle growth and a 19 percent reduction in abdominal separation (diastasis recti).

A 3D body scan of Maya after she completed a package of six combined UltraSlim and Emsulpt NEO treatments showed a loss of approximately 20 pounds and 11 inches around her waist. Her BMI was also greatly reduced.

“When I started, my BMI was definitely in the overweight range,” Maya reports. “By the time I got done, it was in the normal range. I also feel stronger and more muscular since doing the Emsculpt NEO treatments.

“My muscles in the areas I had treated, which were my stomach and glutes, are a lot more toned. And I know that came from the treatments because it wasn’t like I was working out or anything. I just rode my bike a lot.”

Stop the Leaks

Those bike rides proved to be a bit of an adventure at times. On several occasions, Maya experienced a brief loss of urine after hitting a bump in the road or while getting on or off the bike. The cause was urinary incontinence.

A condition that can take several forms, urinary incontinence can present itself as an involuntary loss of urine sparked by something as simple as a laugh, cough or sneeze, or just a strong urge to urinate.

Caused by a weakening of the bladder or sphincter muscles, an overactive bladder or nerve damage, urinary incontinence can be experienced by men but typically occurs in women who are pregnant, have had children or are going through menopause.

For patients with this condition, Dr. Kanellopoulos offers a drug-free nonsurgical treatment called the BTL Emsella^® chair. It’s a treatment he often combines with Emsculpt NEO in a package called Core to Floor therapy.

The BTL Emsella is a chair that patients sit on comfortably while fully clothed. As the patient sits, the chair emits pulses of electromagnetic energy that create muscle contractions that simulate Kegel exercises and stimulate muscles in the pelvic floor.

The degree of contractions is far greater than any human can achieve alone, and studies show that a course of two 30-minutes treatments per week for three weeks typically restores neuromuscular control.

“Laugh, sneeze, cough, I was that person,” Maya admits. “If I did anything like that, I’d have a little leakage episode. Nothing serious, but it was annoying, so I tried out the Emsella chair, and I could not believe the results.

“After about two weeks, I was no longer having those leakage issues, and I haven’t had any since. And you can bet that I’ve told my friends about it. I’ve said, Girl, you’ve got to do this. I mean, you just sit on a chair. That’s it.

“In fact, I’ve encouraged several friends to try the UltraSlim and Emsculpt NEO treatments. I tell them, Look at me. I’ve lost weight and inches, and I look more muscular and feel stronger. You’ve got to try this.

“I also tell them, Don’t go anywhere but Island Family Health. Dr. K and his staff are wonderful. They’re kind, professional and have solutions that work. I’m very fortunate to have found them and want to help others do the same.”

*Patient’s name changed at her request.