Excess, sagging and loose skin: Anyone who has lost a significant amount of weight knows that after the fat is gone, extra skin remains.

And while many in the aesthetics community will point to abdominoplasty (“tummy tuck”) procedures as the cure, surgery is not the only way to go. At least that’s what Viora, a leading medical aesthetics manufacturer, advocates.

The company recently introduced ReFit, a concept that provides a solution for the excess skin remaining after extreme weight loss.

“The concept is a completely non-invasive treatment … no anesthesia and following the session, the customer may continue with his or her daily routine immediately,” Meital Ben-Tovim, general manager of Viora, tells ISRAEL21c.

The ReFit procedure is performed using the company’s Reaction aesthetic system for body contouring. Viora is planning to introduce three more lines of technology in the coming year.

Meanwhile, ReFit is getting lots of media attention thanks to positive testimonials from practitioners and patients alike.

“The Reaction treatment worked really well. Not only did the ‘blubbery’ look smooth out, my tummy looks sleek,” said Nadia, a 28-year-old patient.

“Compared to competing RF [radio frequency] technology, results for skin tightening can be seen sooner over the treatment series, which on average is six to eight sessions,” Dr. Richard Smialek, a plastic surgeon in Ohio, told The Aesthetic Guide magazine. “Excellent results are usually attained at six months, but improvement continues up to 12 months following treatment.”

How it works

“ReFit promises to be an exciting solution for anyone who has experienced the difficulties of weight loss, only to still be unhappy with a body that is less than ideal in their view, due to excess skin folds and stretch marks,” says Eliran Almog, CEO of Viora.

During treatment, the patient lies on a bed and the practitioner puts glycerin oil or gel on the sagging skin area and then glides over it with a small handheld vacuum applicator. The patient will feel dual sensations of hot and cold on the surface of the skin. Technically what’s happening is the electrodes on the device are channeling radiofrequency energy at the dermal layer where fibroblasts and connective tissue are found.

“These fibroblasts are the body’s factory for producing connective tissue known as collagen and elastin fibers. Encouraging the production of new and improved elastic tissue, while remodeling the old, pulls the skin together and restores the skin’s resilience, resulting in tighter skin,” explains Ben-Tovim.

There are other treatments in the aesthetics market that use focused ultrasound technology to reshape the body. But Ben-Tovim says that radiofrequency is a safer and more controlled energy to use.

Company officials say the number of sessions needed before one sees results varies and depends on physical conditions at the beginning of the treatment, severity of symptoms and quality of skin.

“This is not a permanent solution, but nothing on a cellular level is,” says Ben-Tovim. “A healthier lifestyle plays a big part in how to keep the skin tight. Customers will normally require a single maintenance session every three to six months.”

The whole procedure takes about 20 minutes and there are no negative side effects, so a ReFit session can be fit into someone’s regular routine.

Global reach

Viora’s product list goes beyond the ReFit concept. It also offers a wide range of applications including body contouring, cellulite reduction, phototherapy and anti-aging treatments.

It’s a privately owned company that was founded in 2004 and has corporate headquarters in New Jersey and R&D and manufacturing facilities in Herzliya. Veteran engineers and medical specialists work in this area.

“We put great emphasis on listening to our customers and adjusting our products accordingly, developing new solutions to answer growing market needs,” says Ben-Tovim. “Being a small and private company enables us that flexibility and close contact with our customers.”

The company reports that tens of thousands of treatments already have been performed annually. The Reaction system is currently available in 55 countries.

If Viora has its way, lunch break will no longer be about popping out for a quick bite but rather stopping by for a quick body tune-up at a ReFit specialist.