Zerona & Verjú Vs. Coolsculpting
The two main players in the world of non-invasive medical weight loss are Zeltiq and Erchonia. While they are both medical weight loss devices, each device has a widely different approach.
How do they work?
Coolscultping (cryolipolysis) sucks a portion of the body into an isolated cup and cools it at a temperature of around -5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 1 hour. This temperature is unique in that fat cells are effected while the rest of the tissues are more resistant and left unaffected. The temperature results in the signaling of apoptosis (cell death) in the treated area. Over the next 90 days the fat cells die and are discarded from the body, resulting in 23% reduction of fat cells which translates to about 1-2 inches off the treated area.
Zerona (red laser) and Verjú (green laser) emit laser through the skin to open the pores of the fat cells without effecting the more resistant tissues of skin, muscles, and nerves. The internal fat content is then released into the space around the adipose tissue. This results in the shrinking of fat cells in the treated area. The fat sitting in the space outside the cells is then flushed out over the next 4 weeks resulting in 1 inch of uniform loss across the entire mid-section and thighs.
Are they FDA approved?
Yes, both technologies and devices are FDA cleared for safety and effectiveness.
History:
Coolsculpting came about when a journal from a few decades ago was analyzed that showed children who sucked on cold popsicle icecreams regularly, developed dimples in their cheeks. This was attributed to the fact that fat in that area was frozen off. Zeltiq used this concept and applied it to the mid region and love handles to duplicate similar results successfully.
Zerona cold laser technology came about when laser therapy was used to help with healing after liposuction. Better weight loss results were noticed in the combination of the 2 procedures. Further research proved that if laser treatment was performed first much more fat can be removed with liposuction. Erchonia used this concept to successfully get the adipose tissue to release its fat content, then a 4 week program was developed to help the body flush out most of this released fat.
Who is it for?
Coolsculpting is not recommended for anyone that is more than 35 pounds overweight, has hernia, is pregnant, or has a pacemaker. It can not be used for obese patients as it creates pockets and holes. It is generally for targeting the stubborn fat of slightly overweight people such as the love handles.
Zerona and Verjú are for patients with BMI of up to 45. It is contraindicated for pregnant women, nursing up to 1 year after pregnancy, and those with pacemakers.
What are the side effects?
Coolscultpting can result in redness, numbness, and bruising that are temporary and should resolve in a few weeks. Skin frost can result in blisters on the skin, but Zeltiq now has anti-frost technology installed that shuts off the machine if it detects frosing. Also pockets and holes can be created with Coolscultping if the patient is too overweight.
Zerona and Verjú have no reported common side effects. Weight loss is uniform.
What about the actual procedure?
Coolsculting can be a little uncomfortable the first few minutes at the beginning and up to an hour after the treatment. However it is a 1 time, one-hour procedure.
Zerona and Verjú have no discomfort associated with the treatment, however, few 30-minute sessions are required and a 4 week program is necessary to follow for flushing out the fat. The 4 week program includes 30 minutes of walking for the activation of the circulatory system; 5 minutes of light massaging daily to activate the lymphatic system; 8 glasses of water daily to encourage draining of the area, and Curva, which is a mixture of natural supplements that help the body flush out the fat.
Cost of treatment?
Coolsculpting, Zerona, and Verjú treatments cost about the same. Varies from area to area but expect around $1200 average for each.
Major difference?
Coolsculpting kills the fat cells while Zerona and Verjú shrinks them. Of course, if you gain weight in the future, your weight will return regardless of which machine was used. However, with Coolsculpting, as with liposuction, the newly gained weight can go to unwanted areas, such as your shoulders or neck, because the fat cells in the treated region have been destroyed permanently. As a result, Coolsculpting may result in disproportionate distribution of fat with future weight gain.
How many treatments can be performed?
Until more long-term data is obtained, Coolscultping is only recommended 3 times per area in the life of the patient.
Zerona and Verjú don't have any limits on the maximum number of treatments.
However, it is important to know that these non-invasive procedures are not the real solution to your lifestyle. They both work very well, but diet and exercise should be introduced for long term solutions.
Branding?
Both companies have done an excellent job of branding their product. However, coolsculpting has many competitors that have made similar knockoff machines with slight differences. But, in the end it, is a matter of providing a suction cup with a cooling feature.
Zerona and Verjú are truly unique and the closest competition is the paneled cold lasers.
Cost of the machine for the physician?
Coolscultping is about twice as expensive as the Zerona and Verjú. But, its major downfall is not the cost of the machine, but rather the limited population that can receive the Coolsculpting treatment compared to Zerona and Verjú. Also, Zerona and Verjú are less technique sensitive and are easier to operate.
In Summary:
Both Zeltiq and Erchonia have done an amazing job of developing and branding their products. They both have had FDA clearance for many years now and have not faced any major lawsuits and have never been pulled from the market. Your weight loss journey can be combined with either Coolsculting or Zerona or Verjú to yield better results. Both procedures are effective, thus it is up to the patient to decide which treatment is right for them.
To learn more about coolsculpting, visit
www.coolscultping.com
To learn more about Zerona and Verjú, visit
www.erchonia.com
If you are a physician and would like to become a Zerona/Verjú provider please visit
www.spinelzerona.com.
