Zerona - The New Laser Free Weight Loss Treatment

By Annette Pinder

Perhaps you have seen it on TV. It has been on Rachel Ray, Dr. Oz, and others. If you did, you might have thought this latest weight loss technology sounds like a gimmick. After all, how could six 40-minute treatments possibly shrink body fat and inches? 

Buffalo cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian, says he and his nurse practitioner, Jenna Goldsmith, NP were highly skeptical about claims made by Zerona, provider of the new laser technology that claims the benefit of weight loss, but after reviewing the materials and process thoroughly they went ahead with it. They now say the results in their practice have surprised them and, for many patients, have been nothing short of a miracle.

Zerona, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in August 2010, is a non-invasive alternative to liposuction, and a new way to treat difficult-to-remove fatty areas of the body. Treatments consist of six 40-minute sessions over a two-week period. During these painless procedures, the patient lies down as a cool-laser shines on (but does not touch) the skin over specific target areas. The laser temporarily opens small pores in the membrane around each fat cell, liquefying the fatty tissue inside and allowing it to escape into the interstitial area of the body. The body absorbs, metabolizes, and eliminates the fat through the lymphatic system. Fat cells are unharmed through this process and, once relieved of the tissue, shrink in size, reducing the mass of problem areas. The result is overall loss of weight and inches.

Goldsmith say their patients have been very happy to discover that Zerona is pain free. It is blade free, needle free laser technology with the added advantage of not altering the distribution of fat cells. It simply restores fat cells to a normal or subnormal size, based on ultra-structural studies done by Zerona. 


The results of these studies enabled Zerona to receive FDA approval for its efficacy in reducing inches from various parts of the body in a healthy manner. As such, Zerona does not harm fat cells, which are important in normal body function and metabolism. Liposuction, on the other hand, sucks out the fat cells in hopes of reshaping the body, with outcomes that are operator dependent, meaning the technical skill of the surgeon. Liposuction is quite expensive, has associated down time and requires anesthesia. Zerona has no down time and can be done in as little as 45 minutes with 3, 6, 9 or 12 sessions.

It is important to note that while there are no known negative side effects of the Zerona process, no long term studies have been completed. Most of Dr. Karamanoukian’s patients give the procedure rave reviews. As always, however, it’s best to do thorough research on any new medical technology you integrate into your life to understand all risks and benefits.

Zerona is known to be most effective when used in patients leading healthy lives and seeking weight-loss in problem areas. It is also best for patients who use it with a commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Individuals who are medically obese or unable to exercise or control their diet are usually not good candidates. Since Zerona doesn’t remove fat cells, it is possible a lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet can cause the cells “emptied” by Zerona to fill up again. Goldsmith says, We tell our patients Zerona is great, but a commitment to a healthy lifestyle is very important to their long-term success.

To learn more about this procedure that might enhance your weight loss efforts visit www.zerona.com.

For information contact Advanced Aesthetics Medical Spa located in East Amherst, contact 568-2139 or visit www.lookgood90210.com and www.lookgood90210.com/testimonials

New DENT Dizziness and Balance Center Brings Hope, World Class Diagnostics and Treatment

by Annette Pinder

Have you ever felt dizzy or lightheaded? Lost your balance? Experienced vertigo (a feeling of spinning)? 

One in 3 people will have dizziness or balance dysfunction during their life time. They are the number 1 complaint of patients over age 70 and number 3 complaint of all patients (after headache and lower back pain).

Twenty million Americans visit the emergency room each year for fall related injuries, and balance-related falls account for more than half of the accidental deaths in the elderly. These problems have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life and overall safety. Imagine the world spinning around you constantly.

According to Lixin Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Dizziness and Balance Center at Buffalo’s Dent Neurologic Institute, 90 percent of all causes of dizziness can be identified with a thorough evaluation. Even more impressive is his assertion that 90 percent of dizziness and imbalance, once diagnosed, can be treated successfully. Yet many people suffer much longer than they should. Years can go by without an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. In fact, preliminary data at the Center reveals their new patients had an average 55 months of dizziness, multiple physician and ER visits, and various tests without resolution before their first evaluation.

The most common problem causing dizziness and vertigo is called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Dr. Zhang says BPPV is caused by crystals to fall into the inner ear canal and resolving this can take only minutes by positioning the patient’s head correctly to reposition the crystals. Patients are often amazed at how quickly and simply their symptoms may be resolved. The second most common dizziness or lightheadedness is called phobic postural vertigo. These patients tend to have feeling of imbalance, or fear of falling, especially under stress, in the crowded places like church, grocery store or shopping mall. Other common problems treated as the dizziness center include migraine associated vertigo, Menieres disease, peripheral or central vestibulopathies and imbalance/fall related problems. Dr. Zhang adds that with extensive diagnostic information, we can provide a fairly specific diagnosis, and treatment protocols. Our successful rate is above 90 percent. Even for patients without much improvement, specific reasons may be identified.

Dr. Zhang is able to provide comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment all in one location. The treatment is mainly the combination of non-sedative dizziness preventive medications and vestibular therapy. Since the Center opened nearly two years ago, more than 1,000 patients have been evaluated and treated. Prior to that, Western New Yorkers had to travel to The Cleveland Clinic, or elsewhere in the U.S. to receive these same tests. The Center is offering Computerized Dynamic Posturography, the state-of-art technology developed for NASA astronauts, to evaluate patients with unexplained falls or an imbalance condition. The technology may also provide objective data to assess the ability for a patient to return to a normal lifestyle following a sports concussion or work-related injuries.

Lixin Zhang, M.D., Ph.D. is the Medical Director of The Dizziness and Balance Center DENT Neurological Institute 716-250-2000 www.dentinstitute.com/zhang.html. He is accepting new patients.

New Breakthrough Treatment for Depression

by Annette Pinder

Depression is a devastating brain illness that affects millions of Americans, their families and even their employers. People with depression may exhibit such symptoms as problems with sleep, appetite, level of energy, and concentration. They may show a lack of motivation, unusual feelings of guilt, and experience sadness or irritability. This is now well understood to be a problem in how the brain is functioning. Despite this, many people still don’t seek treatment largely because of feelings of shame. Unlike strokes or seizures where the signs of brain dysfunction become clearly visible to us, depression is not so obvious. Perhaps this is why people think differently about depression and sometimes attach stigma to the diagnosis.

Recently, a new treatment called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was approved by the FDA for people who do not respond to treatment with an antidepressant. TMS makes use of magnetic pulses to stimulate the brain in a specific area known to be involved with depression. This treatment occurs while the individual is fully conscious right in the comfort of the doctor’s office. It is very well tolerated and produces little or no side effects at all.

The Dent Neurologic Institute’s Division of Neuropsychiatry under the direction of Dr. Horacio Capote is the sole provider of this modality in Western New York. Currently, there are approximately 200 providers across the country. Dr. Capote reports that these first 14 months of providing this treatment have been quite gratifying. “It’s been very satisfying to be able to offer such an effective treatment to people who had almost given up hope. I look forward to helping many more as word of this technology spreads.”

Read more about this treatment that has been proven to be helpful for those who are unable to respond successfully to traditional antidepressants.