With seemingly endless options for expensive cosmetic procedures to improve appearances, it’s hard to know which ones are really worth spending money on.
But Dr. Charles Puza, a New York City-based dermatologist, offered advice to his nearly 2 million TikTok followers on what he would and wouldn’t spend money on.
On a TikTok videoThe doctor highlighted three procedures he had performed himself that he “regrets,” saying they are ineffective and not worth spending money on.
They include cool sculpture, injectable moisturizer, and facial threads.
Dr. Puza called the results “disappointing” and not lasting and even warned of potentially “disfiguring” side effects.
Dr. Charles Puza, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, revealed to his followers the cosmetic procedures he wouldn’t waste his money on.
First, Dr. Puza talked about CoolSculpting, which is advertised as a non-surgical, non-invasive way to destroy fat cells in the body.
The procedure uses cryolipolysis to freeze fat cells and was approved by the FDA in 2010. It uses extremely cold temperatures, between 30 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, to freeze the cells until the body naturally eliminates them over several weeks or months.
Freezing fat kills cells and the body’s immune system eliminates them, leading to permanent fat reduction in the treated area.
But CoolSculpting isn’t for everyone and will only be most effective in people with “small amounts of plump, pinchable fat,” according to dermatologist Dr. Paul Frank. said Cosmopolitan.
And it won’t replace exercise or a healthy diet, as it only helps reduce small amounts of fat in specific areas.
Dr. Frank said, “So, someone who has three pounds of pinchable fat in one area will have more success with CoolSculpting than someone who has an excess of 10 pounds.”
CoolSculpting is advertised as a non-surgical, non-invasive way to destroy the body’s fat cells, but Dr. Puza said the results were “disappointing.”
The injectable moisturizing cream consists of pricking the skin with hyaluronic acid, which increases the elasticity of the skin, to increase facial hydration.
The procedure, which can cost between $1,200 and $2,500, can be performed on the stomach, chin, love handle area, thighs, upper arms and chest. Still, CoolSculpting will not have the same effects on everyone.
Dr. Puza said he underwent the procedure on his lower back and love handle area two years ago.
He called the results “disappointing” and warned of a side effect called PAH (paradoxical adipose hypertrophy) that occurs when the areas targeted for fat reduction actually increase in size.
Dr. Puza did not experience this personally, but supermodel Linda Evangelista spoke about her experience with PAH after receiving CoolSculpting herself. She received seven sessions on her jaw, thighs, stomach and back.
However, the fat in those areas thickened and “expanded into hard, numb lumps that rounds of liposuction and weeks in full-body compression garments could not remedy,” he said. said The times.
The former supermodel also described her “nightmare” procedures as disfiguring.
Next, Dr. Puza, who works in MOMA Dermtalked about Skinvive, also called injectable moisturizer.
Dr. Puza said he tried an injectable moisturizer but saw no difference in his face, so he now refuses to sell the product to his patients.
Dr. Puza said he only experienced the lifting effect of facial threads for a few weeks.
The procedure involves pricking the skin with hyaluronic acid, which increases the elasticity and hydration of the skin. The ‘microdroplet injectable’ is a fairly new concept and the FDA approved Skinvive last year.
Unlike facial filler, the injection does not plump the skin, but only provides a boost of hydration for a “radiant, hydrated appearance.” It can cost between $650 and $750.
Dr. Puza said he did this to himself and a friend and it made no difference in the quality or hydration of their skin. He now refuses to even offer or sell the product to his patients.
Lastly, Dr. Puza warned people about facial threads. He underwent the procedure on his jaw and upper face.
She said: ‘Although I loved the lift and contour instantly, it’s not long-lasting. Just a few weeks after the procedure I feel that the results have completely disappeared.
“So I can’t offer that to my patients either.”
Facial threads, or thread lifts, are less invasive and expensive than a face lift that gives sagging skin a lifted appearance.
While full surgical facelifts can cost between $10,000 and $25,000, thread lifts can cost between $700 and $6,000, depending on location and quantity.
The procedure involves a surgeon placing small surgical threads under the skin that hold the tissue in place to provide a taut appearance. There is little to no downtime after implanting the threads and the effects will continue to develop for several months.
While Dr. Puza saw his results fade quickly, doctors say the threads should last one to two years until the sutures finally dissolve.