The advertisement for the Ultra Slim program guarantees that a person will lose at least two inches of fat in just 32 minutes, while touting the fact that no dieting, exercise, drugs or surgery are involved in the process. Sounds impossible? Not according to Dr. Stephen Weinman of First Care in Highland, who has acquired one of these unique machines. He said that Ultra Slim utilizes a patented type of light that leads to a reduction of body size.

“Fat reduction is one of the Holy Grail items of a cosmetic practice,” he said.

Weinman said in the past the most effective way to lose weight, besides through diet and exercise, was typically through a surgical procedure, usually reserved for people who were grossly overweight.

“We have people who have tried diet and exercise and have lost some weight but they have plateaued and it is harder to lose more. Ultra Slim treatments can kick-start them back into size loss,” he said.

Weinman said the Ultra Slim machine, created by Terry Ward of Ward Photonics, actually shrinks fat cells.

“The light opens up the pores in the fat cell that normally open up when you need energy. The light stimulates the cells to release their fat into the lymphatics. The body [then] processes the fat by turning it into carbon dioxide and water and breathe it out, urinate it or excrete it out through a bowel movement,” he said.

Dr. Weinman has found Ultra Slim treatments the most effective because the wavelength from this machine only affects fat cells.

“There’s no side effects, no destruction of tissue and is considered a Level 1 medical device, which is the same as a tongue depressor,” he said. “There is zero risk, which is one of the reasons we chose it, and there is no pain and it feels good to lay under the lights.”

Dr. Weinman said light covers about two feet by one foot of the body, with the non treatment areas covered with a vinyl plastic sheet. A patient rotates four times in the course of a single treatment.

Dr. Weinman said the treatments can also help with skin issues, such as removing age spots or sun damage on the face.

“It has a skin rejuvenation effect and is FDA cleared for skin treatments,” he said.

After seeing an ad for the Ultra Slim machine, Dr. Weinman reached out to the company by phone for more information. He and his aesthetician, Jennifer Penna, paid a visit to the company in Florida.

“She did a treatment and lost 2 ½ inches, combined, in 32 minutes and I did it and also lost 2 ½ inches,” Weinman said. “We were impressed with the whole setup, how they did it and the measurement system.”

Dr. Weinman said a normal course of treatments run once a week for six weeks at at a cost of $3,000, which is not covered by insurance. Presently, he is running a special of 7 treatments for $2,500.

“Typically, women in a series of five or six treatments will lose a dress size or more,” he said.

Dr. Weinman said suggestions are made to patients following treatments to move them toward healthier lifestyles, “to the degree they are receptive.” He said during the treatment he urges his patients to reduce their caloric and alcohol intake while increasing water consumption and exercise. He said after a series of treatments, “people say they feel smaller, their clothes fit better.” He said so far he has had about 15 patients, “and 90% of them say they love it and 10% say I don’t really notice a difference, but those couple of people lost inches because we measured it; some people are harder to convince”
Dr. Weinman pointed out that he offers a money-back guarantee.

“If you don’t lose two inches in that first treatment you don’t have to pay,” he said. “We haven’t had that happen yet, everybody has lost the two inches.”

Dr. Weinman stressed that diet and exercise are still the best ways to lose weight, “but there are a lot of people that no matter how much they diet, they still have bulges, they still have ‘love handles’ and bra and thigh bulges, so the Ultra Slim gets rid of those things.

To schedule a consultation, call the Essence MediSpa at 691-3773.