Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much do you charge for a consultation?
We offer complimentary consultations and would be happy to set something up for you. You can either call the clinic at 402.509.8473, Contact Us, email us at [email protected] or you can schedule online here.
Our policy on consultations states that if you do not show up for your appointment or cancel it with at least 24 hours notice, you will be asked to give a credit card as a deposit in order to reschedule the appointment. The consultation is still free, however if you do not show up again, you will be charged a $50 consultation fee.
What are your options for Fat Reduction?
We have a couple of options for fat reduction, especially if it’s just smallish spots. We offer noninvasive CoolSculpting, which can get you about a 20% reduction in the volume of fat in an area over a 3-month period (after a single treatment)*. Best results do come with at least 2 treatments to the same area. We also do minimally invasive SmartLipo Liposculpting, which can get great results for people who aren’t significantly overweight and can get a significant improvement even for those who are overweight. The benefit of the Smart Lipo is that you can also get some skin tightening in addition to the fat reduction **. We would be happy to discuss which treatment will get you the best results in a personal consultation.
*J Dover, et al. A Prospective Clinical Study of Noninvasive Cryolipolysis for Subcutaneous Fat Layer Reduction
What is the process for a liposuction procedure, from consult to post op?
Our most popular procedure for fat reduction is SmartLipo. Generally, we see you in a complimentary consultation and do an evaluation to figure out which procedures will get you the best result **. If you are happy with the plan, the clinic and the price, then we will schedule a date for your surgery. A few days before your procedure, we will call your medications to pick up at the pharmacy. On the day of surgery, you come in, we check your vital signs and sign consent forms then we take “before” photos and mark you for the procedure. Once we’re in the procedure room, we make tiny (1/4 inch) incisions and then we put a numbing fluid under the skin (the procedures are all done while you’re awake). We do a treatment with the laser to liquefy the fat and tighten the skin and then we go in with a suction cannula to remove fat and do some sculpting of the area. Once the procedure is complete, you are placed in a compression garment. We will have you follow up the next day to remove your dressings and help you change your compression garment. After that you can go home and shower. Most people return to work 2-3 days after their surgery and you can return to full exercise after 3 weeks. We do have you wear the compression garment for the 3-4 weeks after your surgery. We see you again at one week, one month, three months and six months. You will visit with our personal trainer at your one week visit and we will take “after” pictures at the three and six month visits.
The following video series shows Dr Soto performing the steps of a SmartLipo case:
How many treatments does it take?
-Our SmartLipo procedure results in significant fat reduction. This is generally a one-time treatment in each area, though some patients choose to have another treatment in a different area. You see results right away, but best results can take up to 6 months to fully appreciate **.
–Cellulaze is an enhanced cellulite treatment. Sometimes the very deep dimples can be resistant and some people choose to have a second treatment on those areas, but you can get a significant reduction in mild to moderate cellulite with just a single treatment to the area. Areas treated with Cellulaze will continue to improve for at least 6 months and sometimes up to a year after the treatment **.
-Our CoolSculpting also results in enhanced fat reduction. Best results come with 2-3 treatments to the same area and these treatments can be done on the same day (one right after the other) or you can wait for results from the first before doing the second. You will need to plan for a treatment for each area that you want to treat. Treating the abdomen could be anywhere from 1 to 8 treatments, depending on your goals. Full results will take up to three months to achieve.
Can I drive myself?
Because of the medications that we give prior to your procedure to help you relax and increase your comfort, you cannot drive yourself home after your procedure. We do offer a car service to pick you up at home, bring you to the clinic and then safely deliver you back home after your procedure. This complimentary service is available to all of our surgical patients.
What happens if I get pregnant after my body sculpting procedure?
Pregnancy is a very exciting time in your life, but the changes that your body undergoes during the process can be severe. None of our body sculpting procedures actually remove any of your skin, so you can still stretch to accommodate a baby. The difference is in the fat layer between your muscles and skin. You will still have enough fat in your abdomen (around your organs) to cushion your baby as it grows.
How much weight will I lose with a body sculpting procedure?
Our procedures do not generally lead to much weight loss in and of themselves. We look more at inches than pounds. Most of our patients don’t lose more than 5 pounds with a procedure. The ideal patient for SmartLipo or CoolSculpting is within 30 pounds of their goal weight. It can be dangerous for you to remove too much fat in an outpatient setting and you would most likely be displeased with the result. It would be extremely difficult to remove fat from all areas of your body to make it proportional. For example, if you had lipo of your abdomen, your legs, arms and face would not be proportional to your belly. The best option if you’re looking for significant weight loss (and unfortunately the hardest for you) is to do general weight loss first, and then look into body sculpting procedures as you get closer to your goal weight. There are a number of options for weight loss out there, I find that the best way to lose weight is by counting calories. Our patients often continue to lose weight after their procedure by following the healthy lifestyle recommendations provided by our personal trainer. There are a number of medical assisted weight loss plans and on the extreme end would be surgical, such as gastric bypass or stapling. I have found that the weight loss with these treatments is intense, but often the dietary requirements are difficult to maintain and the weight often comes back. Plus you always have to consider the risks involved with the treatment itself.
How old do you have to be to have a procedure?
In the state of Nebraska you must be at least 19 years old to give consent for this sort of procedure. We don’t do any cosmetic procedures on patients under the age of 18. If you are 18 you would need a parent’s consent to have a procedure. Oftentimes in a young body lipo is not the best option for body sculpting, since young people generally have healthy skin that retracts well. If you are talking about treating multiple areas, it may be a weight loss issue rather than a sculpting issue. There are instances where CoolSculpting can be used with great results in younger patients.
Do you treat necks and chins?
We use SmartLipo Liposculpting and the CoolSculpting CoolMini to treat necks and chins. The laser in the SmartLipo targets the collagen producing cells in the skin, leading to tightening of the skin without actually removing skin. This lets you get great results without the larger scars associated with a traditional neck lift. All of our Smart Lipo procedures are done while you’re awake, under local anesthesia, so there are none of the risks associated with general anesthesia. If there is excessive fat in the chin/neck, we can do some suctioning as well to remove some of the unwanted volume. The full tightening effect takes about 6 months, however you will see improvement well before that.
Do you do fat transfers?
We do offer fat transfers to use as a filler in the face and hands and we also offer the Brazilian Butt Lift to augment and lift the buttock area. We use PRP in combination with the fat to get a better lasting result.
Do you treat under eye bags/circles?
Under eye circles are an area of frustration for many people. Fortunately there are multiple treatment options for them. Which one is right for you depends on your skin type and how severe your “bags” are. In severe cases, surgery is often the best option. This is not something that we do at Imagen. If you are interested in this option, I would recommend speaking with a facial plastic surgeon or an ophthalmologist. If the bags are not too severe, Sculptra can get good results by replacing lost volume in your cheeks and replacing collagen lost in the thin skin under the eyes. Voluma or Restylane Lyft can also improve under eye circles by lifting your cheeks and reducing the appearance of gravity’s effects. We don’t generally recommend filling the bags themselves, since this can lead to more sagging in the skin and a worsened appearance. Botox to the crow’s feet area can also improve lines under the eyes.
I’m coming from out of town, can I have my procedure on the same day as my consult?
We frequently see patients from out of town, some driving from as far as South Dakota or Missouri. We understand that this isn’t a trip that you want to make more times than necessary. Unfortunately we cannot do the procedure the same day as your consult because you need to start an antibiotic the night before your procedure. What we often do for our out of town guests is set up a 3 day “trip” where you have the consult on the first day, procedure on the second day and your first post op visit on the third day. We have an arrangement with the Regency Lodge to help make the arrangements easier. Click for more information on traveling to Omaha, or you can read our blog on the subject.
Do you offer a payment plan?
We don’t do a payment plan ourselves, but we do team with Prosper Healthcare Lending, which offers financing up to 84 months. We also accept Care Credit, which is a medical payment plan. They offer 6 months deferred interest as long as you make a minimum payment and if you pay it off within the 6 months there’s no interest charged. You can get up to 12 months financing through Care Credit on qualified procedures.
Apply for Prosper Health Care Lending
We can also make some recommendations for other payment options when you come in for your consultation.
