Celebrity secret to burning fat

From stretch marks to cellulite, a treatment called Lipodissolve is being touted as a non-invasive alternative to Liposuction.  

And with celebrities such as Britney Spears rumored to have brandished this weapon in the battle of the bulge, a growing number of Americans are embracing the trend, choosing to “buy the burn” rather than feel it. In fact, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, which does not endorse the procedure, approximately 28,000 Lipodissolve treatments were performed in 2006.

Lipodissolve calls upon a series of injections that promise to dissolve localized fat.  Other purported Lipodissolve benefits include the improvement of skin tone and elasticity.  And unlike Liposuction, Lipodissolve is said to treat stretch marks and cellulite.  

The key ingredients in Lipodissolve can vary based on both the area to be treated and the doctor performing the treatment. Typical ingredients include the likes of Phosphatidlycholine (a soy lecithin), alpha lipid acid, and plant extracts. The fat dissolving compound is then injected into fat layers and connective tissue. It’s important that consumers considering this treatment ask their doctor what ingredients he or she uses in Lipodissolve injections.

Anesthesia is not typically used, although many doctors recommend the use of over the counter pain killers pre-procedure as well as topical anesthetics. Using very thin needles, the compound is introduced to the body via a subcutaneous injection, an injection just under the skin. Within an hour of the treatment, the treated area should swell. That’s said to be the first sign that the procedure is working as the injections cause a reaction in the treated areas that dissolve fat. The fat which is released is then naturally metabolized by the body.

Within three weeks of the procedure, benefits from Lipodissolve should begin to emerge. Several treatments, two to four weeks apart, are usually needed to produce optimal results. And in another one of life’s little cruelties, consumers with a lower Body Mass Index will see better results with Lipodissolve. In fact, some doctors only guarantee results for clients with BMIs of 28 or lower.

Liposuction vs. Lipodissolve

• Liposuction permanently removes fat cells, Lipodissolve does not.
• Recovery from Liposuction can be significant; Lipodissolve is marketed as a no down time procedure.
• Lipodissolve can be an effective supplement to liposuction, dissolving smaller pockets of fat and serving as a post lipo body sculpting method.