Melt away fat! Target tough fat pockets that diet and exercise can't reach! If any of this sounds familiar, then you've probably heard pitches for nonsurgical liposuction. But how does it work? Is it effective? It depends. Your best bet is to find a plastic surgeon in your area who is board-certified with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Even better, ask around to get referrals from friends and family who have had procedures done. Ask for a consultation to discuss your needs, and if the surgeon is trained to perform nonsurgical options for fat removal, then you might want to pursue it. Traditional surgical liposuction comes with all the dangers of surgery - general anesthesia complications, infection risk and pain. However, there are a few red flags you should look for. If a surgeon or medical spa technician offers injections that claim to dissolve fat, then you shouldn't undergo the procedure. Lipodissolve and mesotherapy are popular brand names of solutions that are injected into trouble spots and allegedly dissolve the fat in those areas.
But don't be fooled - it doesn't work, and the FDA recently issued warning letters to spas and surgeons who used the procedure, saying it did not endorse the solution for fat removal. Endermologie gets a lot of press for melting fat - basically, the procedure involves pressing special rollers across trouble spots, like thighs, to stimulate collagen production and dissolve fat cells. But it costs about $1,600 for treatments, which can vary in results and frequency - many patients need up to 20 treatments to reach optimal results. What does seem to work, however, is laser or ultrasonic liposuction. Basically, the patient is under sedation instead of general anesthesia, and an incision is made in the location of the undesired fat. From there, the surgeon directs laser or ultrasonic energy at fat cells to dissolve them. Small areas, like parts of the face and neck, don't even need the fat suctioned out from there in many cases. There are fewer post-surgery complications and patients can return to their normal activities faster than regular liposuction.