Carnival is not just big business for mas men. Within the last five years, there has been an increase non-invasive beauty procedures to buff and primp the body beautiful for two days on the road. While that increase has come about primarily through women, men too, are using these procedures.
Speaking with the Sunday Business Guardian, operators of these services said the demand is not only limited to the months and weekss leading up to Carnival, but are also accessed by women looking to lose that extra weight just before their wedding, to shed that post pregnancy belly fat or just to remove unwanted body hair. But what is a “non invasive” beauty procedure?
According to the Medical Dictionary online, non invasive means the procedure “does not puncture the skin”. Madi Sun Limited is one of these non invasive operators. They are local representatives for the Zerona Laser Treatment, which according to the company’s website, uses a “cold laser technology to emulsify fat”. This cold laser treatment “helped patients to reduce inches from their waist, hip and thighs.”
The website continued that the procedure is FDA approved and that “the released fat is naturally passed through the lymphatic system” and “can be released as energy, or in urine sweat and breath and there is no risk of heart attack or stroke since free fatty acids are safe to transport in the blood.” Madi Sun, which opened its doors in 2013, is located in San Fernando and currently employs four Zerona Specialists.
Terysa Humphery, a health and wellness technician at Madi Sun told the Sunday BG that the cost per treatment was $800. However, she said, as the number of treatments done increases the price reduces to as low as $440 per treatment and the number of treatments required, “varies per individual as several factors are taking into consideration, for instance Body Mass Index and medical history”.
These were determined during a free consultation. Treatment packages ranged from 9 to 50 treatments over a 3 to 4 month period with the busiest months being January and February in the company’s six month existence.
The Ultrasound and Laser Integrated Practice (TULIP), in El Dorado, is another one non-invasive company that the Sunday BG spoke to. TULIP specialises in laser treatment for hair removal, photo rejuvenation with skin tightening, removal of acne, acne scars, stretch marks, and tattoos. TULIP has been in existence since 2011 and employs three medical professionals inclusive of a nurse and an assistant.
A medical professional at the clinic said that persons can come in for a free consultation for the various laser beauty treatments mentioned. The cost of the treatment also varies. He said during the free consultation “ I see the extent of each of those conditions and then I could give a cost.”
Cost per treatment also depends on the amount treatments needed. For example, hair removal may need, two to six monthly treatments, while treatments of acne scarring which can take place forthnightly to one a month. He said tattoo removal was the most gradual process and may take months and depended on skin type, type of ink and ink colour. Demand for services was also heavy at Carnival time
The TULIP representative said people came from as far as Tobago and Guyana to make use of their services.