Is Nonsurgical Fat Removal Too Good to Be True?

In today’s world, we’ve all learned to be skeptical of quick fixes. The Nigerian prince who emailed you mysteriously won’t be sending you his fortune, and there’s no magic pill that will take off six pant sizes in your sleep. It’s understandable, then, that patients are sometimes skeptical of nonsurgical fat removal. It might sound too good to be true – the method we offer at Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center is a 25-minute treatment that reduces unwanted fat with no surgery and no recovery time.

But there are some important things to note:

1. Nonsurgical fat removal is for specific body contouring purposes, not weight loss, and the results take time to develop because it doesn’t use illusions like draining water weight.
2. There is an actual scientific explanation for how it works and clinical data to support it.

While the only nonsurgical fat reduction method we can personally vouch for is the FDA-cleared one we’ve chosen to offer, called SculpSure®, rest assured that we did our research before choosing to provide it to our patients.

The Science and Data Behind Nonsurgical Fat Removal

If you’re skeptical of something, one of the most important questions to ask is, “Does it have a scientific explanation that makes sense?” Here’s the science behind the nonsurgical fat removal method we offer:

• A specific type of light energy (a 1060 nm wavelength) is delivered to the skin. This heats the skin strongly enough to reach the deeper layers, while surface cooling helps you stay comfortable.
• The energy heats the fat cells to a temperature of 107.6 – 116.6 degrees Fahrenheit. This breaks down the structure of the fat cells.
• Your body recognizes that the fat cells are damaged and can no longer serve the purpose of storing fat. In response, it removes them from the body through the lymphatic system. This process takes six to twelve weeks to complete.
• Because those fat cells leave your body, you have less fat in that area than you did before and you look slimmer and leaner.
• Once those fat cells are gone, they won’t regrow. But keep in mind that the remaining fat cells can still store more fat, so if you don’t maintain the healthy diet and exercise you need to maintain your weight, the size will return as the remaining fat cells enlarge.

Not only does the science make sense with what we already know in the medical community, but it’s backed up by multiple clinical studies. For instance, a study by three doctors in Maryland tried this method and then used MRIs to measure the fat before and after nonsurgical fat reduction treatment. They found that after three months, each subject had lost up to 24% of the fat volume in their treatment areas. A more recent study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology in January 2017 also backed up the success of the treatment.

Who is a Good Candidate for Nonsurgical Fat Removal?

One factor that makes patients think SculpSure® is too good to be true is that they know how difficult weight loss is, so something that promises results this easily is suspect. They’re right. Nonsurgical fat reduction is not an alternative to weight loss. It isn’t designed for people who want to slim down throughout their bodies, or people who want the health benefits of a healthy weight.

It should also be noted that nonsurgical fat reduction has little or no effect on cellulite. For cellulite reduction, your best bet is either Viora Reaction™ skin tightening at Laser Lights or Cellulaze™ at our other location, Southern Plastic Surgery.

Instead, nonsurgical fat removal is designed for body contouring. It’s best for people who have a healthy weight (or are only mildly overweight, with a BMI under 30) who just have a “problem area” or two. If you’re already happy with the number on the scale and the size you wear but you’re bothered by love handles or a small stubborn bulge on your abdomen, this treatment could be the perfect solution.

At Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center, we commend our patients for being discerning about their treatments rather than believing everything they hear. In fact, when patients are taken advantage of with ineffective treatments, it has a negative effect on the entire cosmetic medical industry. Feel free to do your own research too, but rest assured that as members of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, we take great care to offer our patients advanced and trusted procedures.

To get started toward a slimmer and more precisely contoured figure, schedule a free consultation for nonsurgical fat removal. Plus, for special offers and more helpful skin care tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.