The maker's answer and the measured answer are different sizes, and we give both. The maker says the fat cells the laser damages are cleared by the body and do not return, and that the result holds as long as significant weight is not gained. The measured answer is six months, the longest follow-up any published SculpSure study reports. Every treatment is led by Dr Marie Duggan, GMC 7488383, at Sculpsure Clinic, 8 Devonshire Place, London, W1G 6HP, after a free consultation.
The timeline
- The session: 25 minutes per area, hot with contact cooling running throughout; red and warm afterwards, with normal activities straight away.
- Weeks 1 to 3: tenderness, swelling or a firm feeling in the area, settling over one to three weeks in the studies, while the body clears the damaged fat cells.
- About six weeks: the first visible change.
- About twelve weeks: the result at its best after the last treatment, which is when the trials measured; in our practice we photograph the area again then.
- Six months: the longest published point. The maker's MRI study largely held its result, 24% at three months and 21% at six; the independent chin study found the change no longer significant at six.
- Beyond: no published measurement.
What the studies say about duration
The MRI study of six people treated on the flanks measured an average fat volume reduction of 24% at three months and 21% at six. The independent Thai chin study of 20 people found the fat layer thinner at three months, a significant change, and 0.48 cm against 0.51 cm at the start at six months, no longer significant. The independent knee study of 19 women found the fat layer thinner at six months. In both independent studies, people who gained weight did less well. Nothing published follows SculpSure patients for years, so any figure in years is the maker's claim rather than a measurement.
Holding the result
In our experience a steady weight is the best way to keep the result. In our practice a second treatment of the same area can follow the twelve-week review if you want more change, and the doctor tells you plainly whether it is worthwhile. The sessions page explains, and the full guide covers the rest. The price is in writing at a free consultation, with a price match on any comparable written quote.
