Each spring, hoards of people who dread bikini season go on crash diets and quickly make spa appointments before donning a bathing suit. However, after several barbecues, picnics and vacations, what started out as good intentions doesn't always last, and hiding in those fall clothes becomes the new reality.

The next wave in body panic comes when holiday season nears. The thoughts of traveling to visit relatives, friends and the possibility of running into high school classmates and former beaus strikes fear into the hearts of the weight-conscious.

Even if the tried-and-true diet and exercise regimen does not yield the perfect results and you still have a little sag or lag in hard-to-tone areas, modern advances in aesthetic laser technology have responded helping to safely shape and contour the body, minimizing inches in problem areas such as the thighs, buttocks, stomach and hips. Now, with a combination of light, heat and radiofrequency waves, aesthetic laser clinics across the U.S. are helping people of all shapes and sizes reshape their bodies and their self-image.

Even with a healthy diet and exercise, some cannot minimize the effects of age and time. Noninvasive treatments like VelaShape can literally take inches off the waist, buttocks, thighs, upper arms and more in as little as four treatments and with no surgery or downtime. The treatment combines heat, massage and suction to literally shrink the size of your fat cells, providing a decreased circumference of the treatment area. VelaShape is also very effective on the lumps and bumps we see on our backside, thighs and belly: cellulite!

VelaShape is the first (and only) process approved by the FDA to temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite and reduce thigh circumference. VelaShape is a clinically proven procedure that many Americans are choosing instead of surgical techniques. The noninvasive VelaShape device uses something called el's technology, invented by laser developer Syneron. It employs bi-polar RF waves and infrared energy to improve skin texture, reduce the appearance of cellulite and cut down on localized fat deposits by literally shrinking your fat cells.

Improvements are visible within as few as four office visits. Velashape obtains results much more quickly than other techniques because it uses high-powered and safe forms of energy. Typically, with four to six treatments spaced one week apart, patients see thinner thighs and better skin texture. Some patients have even see results on other areas of the body including stomachs, love handles, hips and buttocks.

While everyone has advice on how to cut down on snacks and mom's home cooking during the holidays, getting in shape prior to the holidays remains a struggle for some people. Parents juggling back-to-school activities, college students adjusting to another new semester and office workers looking for ways to avoid a body shaping into an office chair all can be hard pressed for time for a workout, not to mention grocery shopping and cooking healthy meals.

Physical appearance and health can fall to the bottom of the priority list. Yet, maintaining health and style are extremely important, and a beautiful body is an attainable goal.

When paying careful attention to health and wellness, skin appearance can become a concern, as well. Once some weight is lost or your appearance changes, you may want to firm up extra skin, smooth out wrinkles or decrease the appearance of sun spots or other skin irregularities.

Skin rejuvenation treatments are an option to fight skin irregularities while reducing fine wrinkles. This creates a more even skin tone and creates a more youthful, healthier appearance. Noninvasive skin treatments with laser-assisted technology can quickly change the appearance of skin, tighten problematic areas and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Even with so many different noninvasive options, you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to find a treatment that will work. Aesthetic laser treatments that can rejuvenate the skin, reduce the appearance of wrinkles or cellulite and can take away inches from areas such as the stomach and thighs.

Diet and exercise are always essential in any fitness and health program. However, there are always times when no matter how hard you work at it, some problem areas just won't cooperate. With a little help from aesthetic laser treatments, you can create the look and body you desire and exude confidence again.