Connective tissue exists right from under the basal epidermis membrane and continues into the dermis and right up to the hypodermis without any clear break.
It is made up of fibrous and elastic extra cellular fibres (collagen), produced by cellular elements (fibroblasts) that form a vast network inside a viscous substance that is rich in mucopolysaccharides (glycosamin or glycanes). This is known as the Fundamental Substance in which the various vital exchanges take place..
Other essential elements in the connective tissue are mucous, elastic and adipose tissues.
The tissue is crossed by a network of blood vessels and fibres that carry nourishment and connect its functions to the rest of the body.
The functions of the connective tissue are deeply affected by the properties of extra cellular material. The fibres are responsible for tension resistance and elasticity.
The watery phase of the Fundamental Substance is a necessary stage between the connective tissue and the blood through which all the nutritional substances and waste must pass.
The consistency and degree of moisturisation of the connective tissue can have a profound influence on these vital exchanges.
Fibroblasts are fixed cells in the connective tissue that process the precursors of the fibrillar elements that make up the collagen and elastic fibres.
When stimulated, during wound process healing processes, for example, or when they actively synthesize the constituents of the Fundamental Substance, fibroblasts increase in volume.
The functions of the connective tissue are the following:
- To provide mechanical support
The most important constituents of the connective tissue for mechanical functions are the fibrous ones. Delicate networks of reticular fibres reinforce the basal lamina of the epithelia, surround the capillaries and wrap every muscular fibre or organ cell group. The larger collagen fibres abound in areas where a greater resistance to traction is required (forming tendons, fibrous organ capsules and septums).
- To conduct metabolic exchanges between blood and tissues
When the Fundamental Substance abounds and is very moist, slack connective tissue is usually just under the cutis. It plays a highly important role in nourishing the various tissues which it permeates and surrounds. Obviously all the substances that journey from the blood to the cells of the other tissues and all the products of cellular metabolism that return to the blood and the lymph must cross a layer of connective tissue. It is believed that these metabolic substances spread in the watery phase of the gelatinous Fundamental Substance. The substance exchanges are probably influenced by the viscous characteristics of the Fundamental Substance.
- To store energy reserves in the adipose cells
Besides accumulating energy in the adipose cells it is important to note that in any given moment about half the proteins circulating in the organism are in the spaces between the cells.
The adipose tissue, once incorrectly considered inert, is now recognized as having its own significance as a wide-ranging organ involved in fundamental metabolical functions.
Adipose tissue represents the richest energy reserve in the human body. About 10% of the total bodyweight of a human being of average build is made up of adipose tissue, which is equivalent to an energy reserve lasting in theory for approximately 40 days.
Recent studies have analyzed the histological variation of these tissues when affected by skin imperfections, in particular slack, bloated or flaccid tissue or alterations in the fibrous, adipose layer. The results have shown that in these situations the connective tissue suffers a decline in the blood nutrition and lymph-vein drainage systems, the metabolic activities of the cellular elements slow down and oxygenation is poor. Cellulite accumulation is a typical example of these disorders.
Any treatment that aims to combat these skin flaws must therefore take into account the need to stimulate the connective system, the first step being to improve the inflow and outflow of the fluids regulated by the capillaries.
This is what the medical staff who work together with Maya in the beauty sector focused on when developing an innovative system for combating skin flaws using mainly the small blood vessel system to simulate the connective elements.
An innovative system has been specially developed to increase the flow of oxygenated blood and nourishment to the tissue being treated, aid the removal of liquids carrying waste and to stimulate the metabolic activity of the cellular elements in the connective tissue.
A vacuum is created inside a special hand piece and this is used to “suction” massage the surface of the skin. This suction effect on the outer skin layers frees the layers beneath and activates the flow of fluids and oxygenated blood. Every connective element, including the adipose tissue, is affected by this non-compression massage procedure, which encourages both the flow of new nutritional elements and the removal of waste. Oxygenated blood is sucked from the smaller arteries, while the centripetal movement of the hand piece exercises a vacuum action on the surface vein system.
In the hand piece there is only one vacuum chamber, even if the parts used to create the suction effect on the skin are in different areas. This chamber creates a vacuum parallel to the skin resulting in a continuous suction action that is nether too strong nor too weak.
Connective tissue massage cycles, performed three times a week, have significantly reduced flaccid tissue, edemas, cellulite accumulation, recently formed stretch-marks, double chin and breast relaxation symptoms in a very short time.
The latest Maya units can be used in three different ways in specialized beauty treatments.
CONTINUOUS vacuum massaging: the hand piece creates a constant vacuum that pulls and guides fluids. This is particularly suited to all lymph drainage treatments and should be performed by massaging the skin with centripetal movements, i.e. from the outside towards the heart.
PULSED vacuum massaging: here the vacuum follows a programmed rhythm. This has an added firming effect on the tissues by stimulating the elastic fibres, realigning them and creating tensive contrast. This is particularly suited to treatments for flaccid or relaxed tissues, double chin and drooping breasts.
SYNCHRONISED PULSED vacuum massaging: here the vacuum is synchronized with the heart beat of the individual being treated.
Every cardiac impulse and systole, pushes a quantity of oxygenated blood into the arterial system and right up to the far ends of the peripheral arteries.
The pressure of this drive is at its highest in the major arteries and lower in the peripheral arteries, particularly in areas where there is a lack of perfusion; i.e. in areas affected by cellulite accumulation, prematurely aged tissue, areas where stretch marks have formed, places where the dermis has given way and wrinkles have formed etc. In these areas the slower blood flow finds new and important energy from synchronized peripheral recall which creates a movement known as “accelerated flow”.
A sensor detects the cardiac frequency of the individual being treated and transmits it to the machine which from that moment on helps the heart to permeate the peripheral tissue.
This stimulation is particularly effective in lymph node stations. The lymph is released as the synchronized vacuum massage pumps the stagnant lymph out of the lymph nodes and rhythmically opens the lymph valves thus increasing lymph outflow.
Selective connective tissue massage cycles, performed three times a week, have significantly reduced flaccid tissue, edemas, cellulite accumulation, recently formed stretch-marks, double chin and breast relaxation symptoms in a very short time.
The results have been particularly impressive when synchronized pulsed suction treatments have been used on obese individuals not suffering from cellulite accumulation and significant volume reductions in the adipose tissue have been recorded in the stimulated areas.
This is explained by the fact that synchronized pulsed connective stimulation in areas that are rich in fat cells increases the secretion processes of the adipose system.
It has been common knowledge for at least two decades that fat cells secrete proteins and non proteinic compounds, but the concept of the fat cell as a secretory cell and adipose tissue as an endocrine organ has only recently come to light.
The discovery of leptin has recently emphasized the capacity of fat cells to exchange information with hypothalamic neurons and even with other adipose cells via peptidic and non peptidic factors, acting as transmitters. The production and secretion of leptin by the white fat cells takes place after eating and is considerably reduced during fasting. As this acts at an encephalic level it causes both a surfeit and waste of energy.
The laws that govern the self-regulation of the adipose tissue are still not known, but it is clear that the onset of human obesity is caused more by a reduction in accumulated energy consumption than by an increase in calorie intake. The attention given by researchers studying the physiopathology of obesity in adipose tissue as a secretory organ is therefore totally justified.
We are convinced that the synchronized pulsed connective tissue massages we conduct on areas with localized adiposity and cellulite accumulation, stimulate the adipose tissue to release mediators that accelerate lipolysis and heat loss. The results that we have observed personally sustain this completely. |
