It's best known in Brazil, but little by little the "beauty chip" is beginning to be sought after all over the world. The reason? To lose weight. A specialist tells VERSA how.
How to lose weight is perhaps one of the most incoherent questions there is, since we know the solution: going into a calorie deficit (consuming more calories than you take in), which involves not only making adjustments to your diet, but also exercising. However, due to the difficulty of the process, "miracles" continue to be sought.
The famous Ozempic is a good example, a drug that was developed to treat people with type 2 diabetes, but is now being used by those who want to lose weight, including in Portugal. A similar path has been followed by the increasingly famous "beauty chip", an implant developed to relieve the symptoms of a chronic condition that affects women, but which has started to be sought after for aesthetic purposes.
In Brazil, the "beauty chip" is widely known, having already been used by celebrities such as Luiza Brunet, Débora Secco and Sabrina Sato, and in the United States it is becoming increasingly common, although it is not always legal to use the procedure for aesthetic purposes. As for Europe and Asia, it's still a distant reality.
What is the "beauty chip" anyway? How does it alter the body? What are the risks and benefits? What does science say about this chip?
VERSA asked Teresa Branco, a weight management physiologist and director of TO BE. Clinic by Teresa Brancowho explains which technique is transforming her body.
What is the "beauty chip"?
The "beauty chip" is an implant that delivers hormones continuously and was developed with the aim of relieving the symptoms of endometriosis, but is now being adapted for aesthetic purposes.
Why has it become so popular? Is it used in Portugal?
It has become more popular because the hormonal substances (usually anabolic hormones) it provides can promote an improvement in body composition by increasing muscle mass and decreasing fat mass. Some doctors in Portugal already use it, but not very often.
How does the chip work?
This chip is placed under the skin in a region of the body to be determined by the doctor who places it and continuously releases the substances it contains.
Does the chip promote rapid weight loss?
Weight loss is not always quick, depending on the lifestyle of the people who adopt it. If the diet is unhealthy and people are sedentary, this chip won't boost weight loss.
What are the risks and benefits?
Improper use of this chip can have a number of undesirable side effects, such as:
- Increased body and facial hair;
- Hair loss;
- An increase in acne due to the increased oiliness of the skin;
- Increased cholesterol levels;
- Bleeding outside the menstrual period;
- Swelling;
- Enlargement of the clitoris;
- Voice change;
- Changes in fertility.
- Heart and liver changes, in some cases.
The benefits lie in optimizing body composition, leading to a decrease in body fat and an increase in muscle mass.
Are there any studies validating this beauty chip? Can it be prescribed medically?
These chips should only be prescribed by doctors, but there is still little research into their use and there is no scientific consensus.
Did this chip exist before Ozempic? Any similarities?
The substances in this chip do not have the same mechanism of action as Ozempic and are not used for the same purpose.
