Generality
Cavitation is a particular physical phenomenon, which is characterized by the continuous formation of tiny bubbles (microbubbles) of vapor inside a fluid, followed by their implosion.
A typical example of cavitation understood in the negative sense is the one responsible for the erosion of the propellers of ships which - rotating at high speed - cause a phenomenon of cavitation which in the long run causes damage.
In other cases, however, cavitation is exploited to obtain an advantage. Just think, for example, of the supercavitation torpedoes used in the military, which exploit this phenomenon to be able to travel at extremely high speeds.
In the same way, the cavitation phenomenon is also used in an advantageous way in the medical and aesthetic fields, and this is exactly what we will deal with in this article.
Uses and Mechanism of Action
Cavitation in the medical field can be used, for example, for crushing kidney stones or for performing cellular or molecular cleavages.
However, cavitation is currently exploited above all by aesthetic medicine to eliminate localized fat deposits and skin imperfections, such as cellulite and orange peel skin.
This particular aesthetic treatment involves the generation of the phenomenon of cavitation through the use of ultrasounds delivered by special machines.
When cavitation is used for the treatment of localized adiposity, these instruments generate ultrasounds at well-defined frequencies, which reach the subcutaneous adipose tissue. The ultrasounds delivered in this way are able to cause variations in pressure and temperature in the interstitial fluid present between the adipocytes.
These variations cause the rapid formation of vapor microbubbles to occur. These bubbles, under the influence of ultrasound, increase and decrease their volume very rapidly, until they implode.
The implosions of the microbubbles generate mechanical energy and very high and localized pressures, which cause the cell membranes of the surrounding adipocytes to rupture, with consequent leakage of the fats contained in them.
The lipids thus escaping from the destroyed adipocytes are removed from the treated area through the lymphatic synthama, to then be processed by the liver and subsequently eliminated, exactly as happens for the fats taken in through food.
Types of Cavitation
According to the type of use made of it, and according to the frequencies of the ultrasounds used, we can distinguish two different types of cavitation: aesthetic cavitation and medical cavitation.
In this article, however, we will mainly deal with the latter.
Aesthetic Cavitation
In aesthetic cavitation, the cavitation phenomenon is generated through the delivery of ultrasounds at high frequencies (1-3 Mega Hertz or MHz).
The microbubbles that form in interstitial liquids with high-frequency ultrasound are generated in lower quantities and with smaller volumes than those formed with low-frequency ultrasounds.
Furthermore, high-frequency ultrasounds cannot penetrate as deeply as low-frequency ones and, for this reason, they are unable to reach subcutaneous fatty deposits.
The aesthetic cavitation, therefore, is limited to acting exclusively on the surface level of the skin, in order to stimulate it, revitalize it and tone it.
Being a procedure that does not act in depth, the aesthetic cavitation can be performed by non-medical personnel, such as beauticians inside beauty centers.
Medical Cavitation
Medical cavitation, on the other hand, makes use of instruments that generate ultrasounds at low frequencies (30-40 Kilo Hertz, KHz) and which are therefore able to penetrate to the subcutaneous adipose layer.
Unlike aesthetic cavitation, medical cavitation can only be performed by specialized medical personnel through the use of special electro-medical devices of medical relevance only (that is, they cannot be used by non-medical personnel).
These devices are equipped with handpieces that transmit ultrasound at the desired frequencies. Ultrasounds can be emitted in a convergent or divergent manner.
The emission of the ultrasounds in a convergent way conveys them all in a small localized area. The divergent emission, on the other hand, will cause the ultrasounds to propagate "like a fan", involving larger areas of the body, thus allowing larger areas to be treated.
In any case, the ultrasounds emitted must be sufficiently penetrating and powerful to cause the lysis of fat cells, but not so powerful as to compromise the integrity of other organs or tissues, blood vessels or muscles.
Precisely for this reason, the electro-medical machines used in medical cavitation are equipped with systems capable of regulating the frequency of the ultrasounds. These systems alternate the emission of ultrasounds at high and low frequencies, thus exerting a control action on the temperatures reached in the adipose tissue, preventing them from becoming excessively high and dangerous for other organs and tissues.
Before Treatment
Before proceeding to the actual medical cavitation session, the patient must carry out a preliminary interview with the doctor.
This interview is necessary for the physician to assess which areas need to be treated and their extent, as well as to establish whether cavitation is the treatment that best suits that particular patient.
In fact, it is essential to remember that cavitation is indicated to eliminate those localized adiposities that cannot be eliminated with diet and physical activity, but in no case should it be considered as a therapy for overweight or obesity.
In any case, if the doctor believes that cavitation can be performed, then he will prescribe the patient to perform specific blood tests to check parameters such as cholesterol levels and liver and kidney function, in order to exclude the presence of any contraindications to the execution of the treatment.
Normally, medical cavitation does not require special preparations before its execution. However, it is very important for the patient to drink plenty of fluids and hydrate abundantly in the two to three days preceding treatment.
Hydration must be carried out in order to enrich the areas to be treated with interstitial fluids. In fact, the higher the liquid content, the more micro bubbles will be produced by the ultrasounds and the more effective the cavitation will be.
In the event that the patient is unable to hydrate properly, saline can be injected into the subcutaneous tissue a few minutes before starting the procedure.
During the Treatment
The doctor performs cavitation by passing the handpiece over the areas of the body to be treated, giving the patient a sort of massage.
The procedure is normally not painful, but the patient will feel a sensation of warmth and tingling which may become uncomfortable.
In the majority of cases, medical cavitation is performed without anesthesia, since the discomfort perceived by the patient is generally bearable. Furthermore, the communication of the sensations experienced by it can help the doctor understand when to move the handpiece. Doing so avoids the risk of excessively insisting on a certain area, thus also preventing the appearance of any side effects.
The medical cavitation treatment can last from 30 to 90 minutes, but the average duration is around 40 minutes.
After the Treatment
Medical cavitation is not considered an invasive treatment, therefore, at the end of the session the patient can resume normal activities immediately. However, he must have the foresight to drink a lot of water and, above all, to follow a balanced diet so as not to frustrate the results obtained.
In any case, it should be noted that to obtain visible results, a single cavitation session is not enough. Generally, it is recommended to perform from five to ten sessions, but this varies greatly depending on the "area to be treated", its extent and the patient's response to the treatment.
Side effects
Medical cavitation is considered a non-invasive, effective and safe treatment.
In fact, if correctly performed, the side effects it can cause are usually mild and tend to self-resolve in a short time. Among these, we remember:
- Sensations of numbness and heat in correspondence of the treated area.
- Appearance of a slight edema in the area where the cavitation was carried out.
- Redness of the treated area.
Finally, there may be a potential risk of burns due to "possible excessive heat production, but this is a very rare occurrence".
Contraindications
Despite the safety of use and the reduced side effects it can cause, medical cavitation has numerous contraindications.
More specifically, medical cavitation is contraindicated in the following cases:
- In pregnancy and while breastfeeding;
- In women who use the intrauterine coil as a contraceptive method when cavitation is to be performed in the abdominal area;
- In patients suffering from heart and / or vascular diseases;
- In patients with bleeding disorders;
- In diabetic patients;
- In patients with vestibular disorders;
- In patients with tympanic lesions and / or inflammation;
- In patients with peacemakers and / or metal prostheses;
- In patients suffering from chronic dyslipidemia;
- In patients with lipomas;
- In patients with liver disease.
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