Non-surgical liposuction is one of several procedures that use lasers, heat, cooling, or sound waves to destroy fat cells and eliminate them from the body. It is not as effective as surgical liposuction for large areas of fat, but it can be used for small, persistent areas that remain after a proper diet and exercise program or for patients who cannot undergo surgery. Multiple treatments may be necessary for it to be fully effective. Cryolipolysis is a promising procedure for fat reduction and body contouring without surgery.
It has a limited side effect profile and produces a significant reduction in fat when used for localized adiposities. It is not clear if manual post-treatment massage and multiple treatments in the same area improve the effectiveness of cryolipolysis. This procedure uses extreme cold to dismantle fat cells and reduce fat accumulation. Liposuction is generally more effective than non-surgical fat reduction, but it may be a good alternative for those who need help with persistent areas or if surgery is not possible. Injectable deoxycholic acid can break down fat cells on contact to reduce fat accumulation in isolation.
Multiple treatments in the same area can lead to greater fat reduction, although the effectiveness of cryolipolysis seems to be reduced with subsequent treatments. So yes, non-surgical fat reduction works for the right patient, but it doesn't compare to traditional liposuction. Targeting can also be complicated, as the doctor cannot immediately see if the destruction of fat has been effective and must wait for additional treatment periods to pass to refine the effects. Rarely, freezing fat can cause long-term pain or increase the amount of fat in the treated area. The most recent ultrasound-assisted procedures have allowed plastic surgeons to be very precise in reducing fat with a minimum of post-surgical complications. A number of FDA-approved treatments are available that achieve gradual and modest fat loss without surgery or downtime.
Studies must have adequate power to determine which treatment sites are most suitable for fat reduction with this modality. Recently, a wave of novel technologies that use non-invasive, energy-based techniques has been introduced to the market, indicating a possible paradigm shift in fat reduction and body contouring practices. You'll usually see the full effect of injections used to treat excess chin fat about 3 to 4 months after the last treatment. Through thermal destruction, cavitational destruction or the creation of a temporary pore in the adipocyte cell membrane, the end result is that the number of adipocytes is reduced, leading to a measurable reduction in fat.
