HEALTH & WELLNESS
New Year, New You
Superb Transformations with PureLife Aesthetics
88 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
it, we can freeze it and permanently
destroy an area of fat.
Lift Sagging Skin with PDO
Threads. The PDO Thread Lift is a
procedure that rejuvenates, regenerates
and improves the structure of the face,
in a similar way to a surgical facelift, but
without the need for surgery. The PDO
Thread Lift uses specialized threads that
are introduced into the skin with a very
fine needle to lift tissue and muscle and
improve skin texture.
The threads can be used all around
the face and neck and are extremely
versatile. They can be used to treat
vertical and horizontal wrinkles on
the forehead, sagging brows, drooping
cheeks, pronounced nasolabial (nose
to mouth) and marionette (corner of
mouth to chin) folds, sagging jawline
and neck plus folds and wrinkles on the
chin. The threads are made of soluble
PDO (polydioxanone), a material that
has been used in pediatric heart surgery
for more than 20 years. They are one of the safest materials
that can be implanted in the body.
Research has shown that PDO relaxes muscles and tendons,
and also stimulates the production of new collagen in the skin.
It also stimulates the synthesis of elastin and hyaluronic acid,
both of which are vital for keeping the skin looking plump
and youthful. Improvement is gradual, with the best results
seen over the next few months as the skin builds new collagen.
The PDO threads will give the skin an immediate, natural
improvement in appearance. After about 10-14 days, the process
of natural body protein synthesis begins and continues over a
period of two years, keeping the texture of the skin smooth and
supple. My patients love to look years younger, without surgery.
For more information about PDO Thread Lifts, come to
PureLife Medi-Spa’s next educational event on Wednesday,
January 24 from 6-8 pm. Call (727) 595-3400 to RSVP or to
schedule your complimentary consultation. For more
information, visit purelifemedispa.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. G. Fitzgerald, Owner and Medical Director of
PureLife Medi-Spa, has been practicing family medicine for more than
20 years. Dr. Fitzgerald, MT (ASCP), is also a Medical Technologist,
and in 2013 was awarded a U.S. patent for colon cancer prevention.
As we welcome a new year,
many of us are resolving to
make positive changes for
2018. I always encourage a
healthy diet, regular exercise and good
habits for my family practice patients.
However, for many people, getting on
track with their weight can also cause
some unexpected results. They discover
that stubborn fat will disappear from
some areas, but linger in others, such
as the love handles, saddlebags or
under the chin. Others will find their
bodies improving, but their faces aging
more rapidly as they reduce their BMI
(Body Mass Index), a measure of body
fat based on height and weight that
applies to adult men and women. I tell
my patients not to worry, since there
are several aesthetic treatments that can
improve these issues and help them look
and feel better than ever.
Spot Treat Areas of Fat with
CoolSculpting. If you want to
destroy fat for good, CoolSculpting can help in as little as
35 minutes. It’s the world’s number one noninvasive body
sculpting procedure with more than five million procedures
performed to date.
The procedure was developed by two Harvard physicians
who invented Fraxel and laser hair removal technology.
It requires no surgery, no anesthesia, no knives, and most
importantly, no downtime.
CoolSculpting has been FDA-cleared since 2010 and can
treat love handles, belly fat, inner and outer thighs, back fat,
bra fat and those stubborn lumps and bumps. We’ve also seen
excellent results for upper arm fat and for male breasts.
CoolSculpting applicators attach to fatty areas with vacuum
suction. Proprietary cooling plates are activated and in a few
minutes, the area goes completely numb. After 35-60 minutes
(depending on the area treated), the applicator is removed and
the area is massaged for two minutes. Patients typically relax
and watch movies during the procedure and can return to
their normal routine afterwards. The body naturally processes
the fat and eliminates the affected cells from the body over
the next 12 weeks.
The results are lasting. You are born with a finite number of fat
cells. They do not divide after adolescence. If you can squeeze
PureLife Medi-Spa Wellness & Skincare
12442 Indian Rocks Rd., Largo FL
727.595.3400
www.PureLifeMediSpa.com
Dr. Joseph Fitzgerald
Medical Director/Creator PureLife Medi-Spa
PHOTO: B. LIVELY IMAGES
Fitz Tropics Family Care
12464 Indian Rocks Rd., Largo FL
727.596.5446
www.fitztropicsfamilycare.com
By Dr. Joseph Fitzgerald