The continued evolution of multi-modal laser treatment platforms like the Alma system empowers our team at Pacifica Cosmetic Surgery Center to deliver highly targeted, effective, and long-lasting results for a wide range of patients.
We offer Alma Harmony, Alma Beautifill, and Alma Accent Prime treatments to accommodate over a hundred common skin issues and other aesthetics concerns. These FDA-cleared platforms have quickly risen to the top of the anti-aging laser treatment world, and for good reason.
But with all this rapid innovation, we understand that it is sometimes hard for potential clients who work in other industries to keep up with groundbreaking technologies like the Alma system. If you’re wondering how these laser and/or non-surgical liposuction treatments work, who they’re for, and what benefits you can expect, this service page will provide a comprehensive overview of everything you need to know.
Introducing Alma Harmony
The ultimate all-in-one multi-tool for over a hundred conditions, Alma Harmony is prized among aesthetics professionals in the know for its ability to accommodate a staggering number of skin conditions. Better still, unlike some more restrictive platforms of the past, Alma Harmony’s treatment parameters can be custom-tailored to deliver equally powerful results for every Fitzpatrick skin type.
Read on for a breakdown of how this treatment platform works, its many benefits, and who could stand to benefit the most from Alma Harmony.
How It Works
True to its name, Alma Harmony offers a full palette of evidence-supported laser treatment delivery platforms in one, including Q-switched laser, non-ablative fractional laser, and intense pulsed light laser (IPL). Here’s how each of these technologies work:
- Q-Switched Laser: Instead of applying laser energy to the targeted tissue consistently, Q-switched laser treatment involves short (as fast as one billionth of a second!) and powerful bursts of light energy. This method facilitates the breakdown of pigments underneath the surface of the skin (as with discolored or tattooed skin), allowing the body to then naturally process these pigments out.
- Non-Ablative Fractional Laser: Where an ablative laser achieves skin resurfacing by actually destroying the most superficial layer, non-ablative fractional laser heats up underlying tissue while leaving the epidermis intact. This allows Alma Harmony to stimulate healing processes in the skin while reducing downtime and adverse effect incidence.
- Intense Pulsed Light (IPL): Similar to, but slightly less intense than Q-switched laser, intense pulsed light treatment also features short and powerful bursts of light to address a wide range of more superficial skin issues (birthmarks, sun damage, etc.). Where Q-switched offers more targeted and incisive correction of a pinpointed area, IPL uses broad spectrum light pulses to typically target a number of problem spots over a more diffuse area.
Applications and Benefits
Alma Harmony has been cleared by the FDA to treat more than 130 types of imperfections affecting both superficial and deeper skin layers, including the following:
- Pigmented lesions
- Uneven and/or rough skin texture
- Indentations (as with small acne scars)
- Broken capillaries
- Hair removal
- Rosacea
- Tattoo removal
- Acne treatment
- Stretch marks
- Fine lines
- Oversized pores
This is just a small fraction of the issues addressed by Alma Harmony, which, as mentioned, accommodates every kind of Fitzpatrick skin type. This platform utilizes several different handpieces, each of which is unique in the parameter range and/or type of laser energy delivered.
Who It’s For
Considering the very broad range of issues addressed by Alma Harmony treatment, anyone with pigmented or vascular lesions, acne issues, unwanted body hair, tattoos, and other complaints can stand to benefit from this innovative platform.
However, though Alma Harmony is a non-invasive treatment platform, there are still some factors that may affect your candidacy for this option. For example, if you have an active skin infection in or around the treatment area, or if you are pregnant and/or breastfeeding, you will likely be disqualified from receiving this (and other laser) treatments.
Other contraindications for Alma Harmony include skin hypersensitivity and/or inflammation, autoimmune disorders, bleeding disorders, and sunburns, among several others. As always, if you’re unsure as to whether or not you qualify for Alma Harmony, the best practice is always to consult with an expert. Our team at Pacifica Cosmetic Surgery Center of Newport Beach, CA, is happy to answer all your questions and establish a treatment plan that safely meets all of your needs.
Alma Beautifill
Boasting an industry-leading fat cell viability rate of 95%, Alma Beautifill has quickly risen to the top of the industry’s best laser-assisted fat grafting treatments. It achieves this unprecedented number with the help of highly innovative features, including a closed-loop, temperature-sensing cannula, Angel radial emission fiber (reduces risk of burns from the laser), and built-in filtering mesh to enhance fat grafting quality.
Looking for an English translation? Here’s how Beautifill works, including how it makes use of these next-gen features to outperform its many competitors.
How It Works
Laser-assisted fat grafting is a multi-step procedure intended to decrease fat in one area and use that same tissue to enhance another area of the body. For example, many people opt to have fat removed from the neck, where it can then be reintegrated into certain areas of the face (e.g., areas of hollowing around the cheeks or under the eyes) to provide a more youthful and rejuvenated appearance in both areas.
While approaches can vary slightly based on the provider, treatment platform, and other factors, here is the general blueprint for this procedure:
- A small incision is made near the treatment area
- Laser energy is used to facilitate the breakdown of fat in the area
- A special tube (cannula) is inserted through the incision, extracting the newly dislodged fat cells
- This fatty tissue is then purified to prepare for reintegration
- The fat is injected into a second area to enhance fullness and/or restore asymmetries
One important key to a successful fat grafting procedure is maximizing the viability rate of extracted fat cells, which is one area in which Alma Beautifill stands out. Thanks to its temperature-sensing cannula and closed-loop system, Alma Beautifill allows you to achieve the greatest possible results by keeping 95% of fat cells viable for injection.
Applications and Benefits
Thanks to its minimally invasive nature, laser-assisted fat grafting with Alma Beautifill can accommodate a wide range of donor (fat removal) and target (fat grafting) sites, including, but not limited to the following:
Donor Sites:
- Flanks
- Thighs
- Buttocks
- Lower back
- Knees
- Upper arms
Grafting Sites:
- Lips
- Cheeks
- Buttocks
- Breasts
- Hands
Thanks to its one-step fat transfer process, Alma Beautifill also outperforms other treatment platforms on speed and convenience, allowing you to get in, get out, and on with the recovery process faster than ever before.
Who It’s For
Alma Beautifill is a minimally invasive, well-tolerated treatment that accommodates a wide range of people and (per above) various areas of the body. In order to effectively undergo this treatment, it’s important that there is enough fatty tissue present at the donor site to be removed. Hence, people with very low body fat may not qualify. Similarly, the area you’re looking to have the fat transferred to will be evaluated to ensure that fat transfer is in fact the best way to provide the desired aesthetic enhancement.
As for factors that may affect your medical eligibility for this treatment, certain health conditions (including bleeding disorders, autoimmune disorders, and others), pregnancy or breastfeeding, unreasonable expectations, and allergies to anesthetic are among some of the most common contraindications.
Alma Accent Prime
The ultimate marriage of ultrasound and radiofrequency technology, Alma Accent Prime combines these two energy types into one non-surgical fat loss treatment to deliver dramatic, targeted results with as little discomfort and downtime as possible.
How It Works
The combination of radiofrequency and ultrasound energy allow Alma Accent Prime to contour various areas of the body while leaving the skin looking taut and rejuvenated.
Ultrasound waves facilitate the breaking down and processing out of fat cells through a process known as ultrasonic cavitation. When the ultrasound waves vibrate at a certain frequency, they create tiny, exploding bubbles that break apart fat cells.
Neatly complementing this effect aesthetically is the radiofrequency energy component of Alma Accent Prime, which penetrates deeper into the skin and stimulates collagen production. This high-frequency energy also stimulates collagen production, which in turn improves skin elasticity and hydration over time.
Applications and Benefits
Alma Accent Prime can be used across many locations throughout the body, including:
- Upper arms
- Back
- Face
- Abdomen
- Buttocks
- Thighs
This treatment removes stubborn fat deposits in these areas and others to lend a more toned and naturally youthful appearance, all while ensuring the skin accommodates this change without excess laxity. Beyond contouring, Alma Accent Prime can also help with fine lines, stretch marks, and cellulite.
Who It’s For
Anyone in reasonably good health looking to get rid of stubborn fat deposits stands to benefit greatly from Alma Accent Prime. Keep in mind that this platform is not meant for those looking to lose significant amounts of weight, but rather, it provides that final push for certain areas of the body that haven’t responded to diet and exercise as much as you’d like.
Like the above treatments, people with skin infections, immune conditions, bleeding disorders, and various chronic conditions may not qualify for Alma Accent Prime. Otherwise, this noninvasive treatment accommodates a wide range of skin types, ages, and aesthetics concerns.
Which Laser Treatment Is Best for You?
Determining the best Alma treatment for your situation depends largely on your presentation and your goals. In many cases, we can combine Alma treatments to better target your concerns. While each case is unique, you can use this breakdown to more clearly conceptualize which treatment(s) you are best suited for:
- All-Over Resurfacing with Alma Harmony: From uneven skin tone and texture to burst capillaries and more than a hundred other aesthetic concerns, Alma Harmony is the all-around champion when it comes to addressing imperfections that appear on or closer to the surface of the skin. If your primary concern is removing these issues and establishing clear and vibrant skin, it’s Alma Harmony all the way.
- Two-In-One Contouring With Beautifill: If you’re looking for “a little less here and a little more there,” Beautifill offers a comfortable and efficient route. Thanks to the temperature-sensing cannula and other innovative features, you can achieve this with greater results, less downtime, and less discomfort.
- Sculpt and Tighten With Alma Accent Prime: Finally, for a discrete, yet powerful non-surgical fat loss treatment that looks completely natural, Alma Accent Prime delivers targeted contouring that harmonizes with your natural figure for beautiful results.
Experience the Power of the Alma Platform With Pacifica Cosmetic Surgery Center
Our team at Pacifica Cosmetic Surgery Center is passionate about partnering with every client to create the change they want to see on their terms. It’s this relentless commitment to both patient autonomy and overall treatment quality that earned us a title as the number 1 liposuction doctor in Orange County and the top mole removal specialist in the country.
Contact our office today for a consultation, and we’ll work with you with the help of Alma’s innovative treatments to deliver life-changing results.
