MEDICAL WEIGHT LOSS

M. D. Evaluation for Medically Supervised Weight Loss

It is an exciting time for medical weight loss! Newer medications include semaglutide, semaglutide compounded with other agents, Ozempic, Wegovy, and others. These medications under medical supervision have helped many patients.

We begin your medical weight loss consultation with a careful history and examination by our M. D. Next we order a select lab panel to seek causes for weight gain that may be ‘hormonal’ or caused by other conditions. We look for these, because these conditions can be treated along with a weight loss plan. We also customize a diet and exercise plan just for you. Then Dr Thaker selects appropriate medications such as semaglutide, Ozempic, Wegovy or others, or hormone treatments, if these are needed.

Some patients after our thorough evaluation, do not need weight loss medication. For them, treating another condition may restore healthy body weight.

What is semaglutide?

Semaglutide is the generic name for the drug or drug type found in Ozempic, Wegovy, and also compounded by special pharmacies. Dr Thaker offers this exciting drug for medical weight loss when medically appropriate. Semaglutide is a newer type of drug that may be better tolerated than Adipex or other stimulant type drugs.

Medical Weight Loss Program

We are excited to offer our M. D. supervised medical weight loss program. Click here.

Remember, while losing weight can make you look great, being overweight or even obese is associated with several negative health outcomes. These conditions include heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, even depression and diabetes. Any of these could diminish your life span and quality of life.

We specialize in multi-modal weight loss therapy. This is a unique and customized approach with three aspects. Dr Thaker is one of few physicians to offer not only medical weight loss, but also surgical liposuction, and non surgical fat reduction using lasers or freezing methods we describe below. These three methods add up to a comprehensive treatment plan, that we customize for each unique patient.

Laser fat removal or lipolysis

We use Sculpsure Laser Lipolysis for patients that do not want surgery. Dr Thaker offers targeted fat loss using the world renowned Scuplsure Laser. We place four separate laser heads on the areas of fat, in a comfortable 20 minute procedure. When this fat is gone, it is gone for good. Imagine a room filled with balloons. Once these balloons are burst, they are gone forever. This is the effect of the laser on fat cells. We simultaneously cool the skin as the laser surface is chilled by the device. We also offer cool sculpting, which is a method to freeze fat from problem areas.

Dr Thaker often combines liposuction with non-surgical body contouring to meet patient aesthetic goals, and with the highest margin of comfort and safety. See more about body contouring and other laser services here: Laser Services

Fat freezing or cool sculpting

Fat freezing is also known as cool sculpting. This non-surgical procedure targets stubborn fat with cooling paddles that freeze fat cells. If you’ve struggled to lose fat in select areas despite diet and exercise, this may be an excellent option. The number of fat cells each individual has is unique and determined initially in childhood. It rarely fluctuates much as we age. When we gain weight, fat cells actually expand. When we lose weight, those cells shrink. For those with otherwise healthy weight and body mass, stubborn pockets of fat can be eliminated by cryolipolysis. The fat loss is permanent, and we advise healthy diet and exercise to optimize results.

Liposuction

Liposuction surgically and permanently removes fat from problem areas like the ‘love handles’, ‘spare tire’ around the waist, ‘banana roll’ below the buttocks, ‘double chin’ and other areas of the face and body. Dr Thaker trained in a personalized preceptorship with one of the world’s experts in tumescent liposuction, Dr Jeffrey Klein. In this method, we inject local anesthetic solutions for both pain control and to minimize bleeding during liposuction.

Tumescent technique is often regarded as the world’s safest liposuction. The medical literature supports this opinon over many decades, hundreds of surgeons, who have performed many thousands of cases world wide. This method not only minimizes discomfort, but maximizes patient safety. The patient is comfortable and alert, communicating with the team as needed during liposuction. There is no risk from general anesthesia or IV sedatives, or ‘going to sleep and not waking up’ as some patients say.

Liposuction is the most popular body contouring surgery because it allows us to re-sculpt specific areas of the body. It is one of the most effective forms of removing fat permanently, and uses only a few small incisions. Liposuction is for targeted fat removal, in individuals who are not extremely overweight. Traditional weight loss therapies may be used first or combined with liposuction. See more about liposuction here: Liposuction

Fat Transfer

The best part about liposuction may be that the fat can be used for fat grafting or fat transfer to enhance other areas of the body. Popular areas to enhance are hollow points on the face, or the breast or buttocks. Some people seek liposuction just for the benefit of fat transfer. A consultation can determine if this is an option for you.

Healthy Behaviors

You can lose excess body fat by medical weight loss, liposuction, lasers, or freezing. However, if you over eat and gain weight, you will re-gain fat. The fat cells that were removed will never come back. However, other fat cells that are remaining may swell and recreate the problem areas we have worked so hard to eliminate. Thus, long term follow up through periodic visits, where Dr Thaker can coach and reinforce healthy behaviors is a key to our practice. The first step is to book your medical consultation, contact us below!