A Holistic Approach to Body Remodelling at Ocean Clinic Marbella

For patients looking to lose weight or shift stubborn fat deposits, treatments such as gastric balloon endoscopy, abdominoplasty and liposuction can provide effective immediate solutions - but it’s how you modify your lifestyle afterwards that will guarantee long-lasting results.

Ocean Clinic Marbella believes patients should enjoy holistic care, which includes supporting them to meet their body goals after the bandages have been removed. As such, the clinic has teamed with clinical dietician Dr. Rebeca Eriksen, to provide ongoing diet and health advice to patients who desire it.

Dr. Rebeca Eriksen

Dr. Eriksen has worked in prestigious London hospitals such as The Portland, Harley Street Clinic, The Wellington, as well as for charitable organisations including WHO and UNICEF, helping to combat malnutrition in children.

She uses her wealth of knowledge to offer patients a comprehensive health and nutritional assessment that can include:

• Analysis of current diet
• Body composition calculations
• Vitamin and mineral levels testing
• Allergy and food intolerance testing
• Antibody profiling
• Hormone profiling
• Cholesterol testing
• Liver function testing
• Genetic testing

Through diagnostic testing, Dr. Eriksen is able to identify imbalances in the body and then use food and supplements in a targeted manner to restore internal balance, increase vitality and maximise the results of your surgery.

Factors which can affect your weight and health

If your body is not functioning completely as it should be it can result in excess weight gain, which is why it’s important to address any imbalances when tailoring a nutritional plan.

Hormones play a huge role in regulating our bodies. If hormone levels become disrupted it can have profound effects on our health. Imbalances in hormone levels can be caused by poor diet, stress and exposure to toxins. However, following assessment of these substances in the blood or saliva, nutritional and lifestyle intervention can frequently balance these out over the following months.

Hormones commonly tested include those produced by the thyroid (which regulate our metabolism), the adrenals (stress hormones) and female and male sex hormones (which influence menstrual cycles in women and fertility and mood in both sexes).

Food intolerances and allergies, meanwhile, are thought to play a part in many digestive and chronic health conditions, with symptoms ranging from bloating, diarrhoea and constipation to joint pain, headaches and skin conditions.

Cellular tests measure immunological responses in the blood when food, food additives and other potential allergens are introduced to the sample in the lab. Antibody profiles are also available for diagnosing candida infection and gluten intolerance. Ocean Clinic’s in-house lab provides rapid analysis of samples.

Aside from imbalances and intolerances, our genetic makeup also plays an important part in how we process foods and store weight. Because of this, Dr. Eriksen offers genetic testing to help you understand your metabolism. Analysing your genetic response to food and nutrients enables Dr. Eriksen to tailor a unique diet and exercise plan, making it easier for you to maintain your weight and achieve maximum health.

Helping you achieve and maintain your body goals

Ocean Clinic’s partnership with Dr. Eriksen ensures that we not only address the symptoms alone, but provide both preventative and curative solutions. Nutritional and health assessment is therefore ideal for patients undergoing body contouring procedures, as well as individuals looking for a non-surgical approach to weight loss.

Detailed analysis of diet and lifestyle, coupled with setting realistic and maintainable goals ensure you can make the changes necessary to enjoy long-term health and body benefits.

For further information on nutritional therapy contact Ocean Clinic Marbella on 951 775 518.

Dr. Kaye Presents Advancements in Facial Rejuvenation in Barcelona

Ocean Clinic's Head Surgeon Dr. Kai Kaye performed a live facelift in front of 35 surgeons in Barcelona this month.

Dr. Kaye was invited to participate in a workshop on advanced facial rejuvenation techniques staged at Centro Médico Teknon.

Organised by Dr Ana Torres of Instituto Ana Torres in collaboration with Upviser / Human Med, the workshop included two live surgeries. 

One was the acclaimed Aqualift Facelift technique developed by Dr. Kaye, which utilises water-jets as a gentle way to separate the soft tissues and prevent damage to vessels and nerves. Read more about Aqualift.

The second surgery demonstrated three-dimensional fat grafting to the face and was performed by Dr Hilkka Peltroniemi from Finland.

Plastic surgeons from within Spain and around Europe attended the meeting endorsed by SECPRE and SETGRA to listen to the lectures and to interact live with the surgeons in the operating room.

Says Dr. Kaye: "We congratulate Ana for this successful event and thank the whole team at Clinica Teknon for the hospitality."

Correction of Dentofacial Deformities at Ocean Clinic Marbella

Ocean Clinic Marbella is one of the few private cosmetic clinics on the Costa del Sol with a dedicated Oral Maxillofacial Unit, treating dentofacial deformities and defects.

Dentofacial deformities are genetic conditions in which the upper or lower jaws are out of proportion with the rest of the face and head. They can also be caused by birth defects such as cleft lip and palate, by facial cysts and tumours, impacted teeth and by facial trauma.

These conditions can cause both aesthetic and functional problems for patients, preventing them from chewing or biting properly and in some instances causing speech impediments or breathing difficulties. Working in conjunction with specialist orthodontists, surgery can be performed on the jaws and other facial bones to correct these issues and create a pleasing aesthetic appearance.

Here are some common dentofacial deformities that can be treated with oral maxillofacial surgery where orthodontics alone have been unable to correct the problem:

Overbite

Overbite is a condition in which the upper front teeth overlap the lower front teeth. Most people have some degree of overbite but if your upper front teeth cover your lower front teeth by more than 25% it can become problematic, causing unhealthy teeth wearing, aesthetic concerns, and in some instances even jaw pain.

An excessive overbite, also know as a Class II malocclusion, can be caused by excessive maxillary growth (where the upper jaw grows too much) or deficient mandibular growth (where the lower jaw has not grown enough).

Underbite

Underbite is a condition in which the lower front teeth overlap and partially cover the upper front teeth. Also known as a negative overjet or a Class III malocclusion, it can be caused by deficient maxillary growth or excessive mandibular growth.

An underbite can affect your ability to chew properly and speak clearly. It can cause jaw and joint pain, headaches, earaches, the excessive wear of tooth enamel, and tooth decay.

Openbite

Openbite is a condition in which often some teeth are unable to make physical contact with the opposing teeth for a proper bite.

Most often caused by a genetic abnormal jaw structure, an openbite can cause poor or painful chewing, speech impairment and, in some cases, temporomandibular joint disorder, resulting in pain in the jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement.

Occlusal cant (facial asymmetry)

Occlusal cant occurs when the teeth appear to be slanted relative to the nose and lips. Generally occlusal cants are caused by asymmetries within the jaw (unequal ramus lengths).

While subtle facial asymmetries are quite normal, obvious occlusal cants can cause significant bite problems and negatively impair a person’s appearance.  

Gummy smile

A gummy smile is one which has too much gingival display in relation to the lip. This threshold is deemed to be anything in excess of 2-4 mm of visible gum. The condition can be caused by excessive vertical growth of the upper jaw leading to a bulging protrusion within the gum tissue.

The problem is primarily aesthetic, but you may also have an uncomfortable or improper bite that could ultimately affect your long-term oral health.

Oral Maxillofacial surgery can realign the jaws to restore facial harmony, improving both your bite and your appearance. For more information, or to arrange an assessment contact Ocean Clinic Marbella.

Beat the Bulge with Non-Invasive Ultrasound Therapy

Many of us know the frustration of stubborn fat. You eat well, you exercise, but you still have belly fat, love handles or muffin tops.

Although you may dislike these small, isolated areas of fat, having invasive surgery to remove them might seem excessive. However, Ocean Clinic Marbella offers a number of effective, non-surgical options for reducing fat, of which ultrasound therapy is one.

Average circumferential loss per area treated with ultrasound (i.e. waist/belly/hips) is 4.5 cms, providing real results for patients who don’t want to have liposuction.

What is ultrasound therapy?

Ultrasound therapy (also called ultrasonic cavitation) uses pulsed ultrasound energy to selectively destroy fat cells. The high-frequency sound waves disrupt the fat cell walls, causing the contents to be released into the fluid spaces of the body.

The waste material is picked up by the lymph system and circulated through the body until it can be processed by the liver and naturally eliminated with sweat, urine and faeces.

Meanwhile, the surrounding tissue, nerves and muscles are left completely unharmed by the procedure.

How is ultrasound therapy treatment given?

Ultrasound therapy is safe, quick and painless, with absolutely no anaesthetic needed. A soothing gel will be applied to your skin and a trained technician will glide the transducer over the treatment area.

The transducer delivers mild ultrasound pulses. It is a gentle and soothing experience, much like a hot stone massage. Treatments take an hour or less, so can be given during a lunch break.

One of the major benefits with ultrasound therapy, in comparison to surgical liposuction, is that there is absolutely no down time. Patients can return to work immediately afterwards and there will be no visible marks left on the skin.

What areas can be treated with ultrasound therapy?

Any area of stubborn subcutaneous fat (fat that forms under the surface of your skin) can be treated with ultrasound. This includes the belly, waist, hips, inner or outer thighs, bra roll, upper arms and double chin.

The best candidates for this treatment have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or less and can only pinch an inch or so of fat in the problem area.

How many sessions of ultrasound therapy are needed?

A minimum of three treatments, scheduled two weeks apart is recommended for each treatment area.

The results take several days to become fully visible, as the body processes and eliminates the fat.

Additional treatments can be of benefit for larger or denser areas of fat. Fat that has existed for a very long time and is especially stubborn may need up to six treatments.

Are there any side effects to ultrasound therapy?

Ultrasound therapy is approved by the FDA in America and by European safety regulators and has few reported side effects. Unlike other fat-reduction procedures that use heat or freeze fat, ultrasound does not come with the risk of burns.

Occasionally patients might experience a slight redness or irritation of the skin that resolves within a few hours. More common conditions include increased thirst and slight headache beginning a few hours after treatment; this is due to the body’s lymphatic system working to eliminate the toxins released from the fat cells.

Will the fat return after ultrasound therapy?

Ultrasound works to destroy a percentage of fat cells in places where there is an overabundance of them. The remaining fat cells will still have the capacity to expand, causing you to gain weight. However, by reducing the number of fat cells in problem areas, you will be less inclined to store weight there.

To maintain fat loss, and further sculpt your shape, eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.

Interested in pain-free and incision-free fat reduction? Contact OceanClinic Marbella for a consultation.