For many people, diet and exercise help keep them looking and feeling healthy. But even those who work hard on staying in shape might have a hard time shaking stubborn love handles or lower belly fat, which can bulge through clothing like a neon sign. While the market for getting rid of unwanted fat has grown over the years to include stomach stapling and behavioral techniques, there is still a demand for procedures that can reduce areas of localized fat safely and effectively.
Speaking today at the American Academy of Dermatology's SKIN academy (Academy), Chestnut Hill, Mass., dermatologist Jeffrey S. Dover, MD, FAAD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., and adjunct professor of medicine (dermatology) at Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, N.H., presented the latest non-invasive technologies being studied to target fat and how these new procedures soon could help people of average weight who struggle with localized areas of fat.
"There is a strong demand for non-invasive procedures that can address the concerns of people who are not considered overweight, but despite diet and exercise, have pockets of fat that bother them," said Dr. Dover. "While traditional liposuction and laser liposuction are invasive surgical procedures that are designed for overall fat reduction, new procedures are emerging that are non-invasive and are showing promise in clinical studies for removing fat without the potential risks and downtime of invasive procedures."
Best Candidates Are Near Their Ideal Body Weight
Dr. Dover stressed that the new procedures under development that target fat are not intended as a weight-reduction program for overweight individuals who would require therapies designed for overall fat reduction.
Instead, the best candidates for one of the newer fat removal procedures are people near their ideal body weight who eat well and exercise regularly and have pockets of fat that have not responded to a healthy lifestyle. For example, these areas of fat include the lower belly (from pregnancy), love handles, back fat, saddle bags, and fat under the chin.
While there are several different approaches for non-surgical fat removal, Dr. Dover explained that this field is still in its infancy and many of these techniques are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, studies are demonstrating that fat pockets can be removed without damaging the overlying skin - making these innovative procedures inherently safer by design.
Ultrasound Uses Sound Waves to Selectively Destroy Fat
Considered a promising new technique for fat removal, ultrasound technology uses focused, pulsed waves of non-thermal ultrasound energy (sound waves) to "shake" and selectively destroy fat beneath the skin without harming the skin or surrounding tissues. There are two different types of high-frequency ultrasound procedures undergoing FDA-monitored studies in the U.S. - focused ultrasound and high-intensity focused ultrasound. While focused ultrasound is a lower-energy device that is a comfortable procedure, high-intensity focused ultrasound delivers much higher energy levels and can be painful.
Data from collective clinical studies that used focused ultrasound for abdominal fat removal on more than 600 patients over the past five years concluded that 94 percent of patients experienced a measurable circumference reduction in the treatment area, with 90 percent of patients being satisfied with the treatment.
Based on these studies, the average circumference reduction reported ranged from 3.5 to 6.3 centimeters with an overall average of 4.4 centimeters. These measurements are very difficult to make accurately and may overstate the actual reduction. Dr. Dover noted that for three years of these collective studies, patients received three treatments spaced two weeks apart. Prior to this time, only one treatment was administered.
With the high-intensity focused ultrasound system (which also is not approved for sale or use in the U.S. but has been used in Europe as a cosmetic device since 2008), high-intensity ultrasound energy is focused at precise depths within the fat tissue. This energy thermally dissolves the fat, without harming the skin or underlying tissues and organs.
Dr. Dover stressed that with both ultrasound procedures, results are not immediate and it takes several weeks to see a noticeable improvement in fat reduction in the treated area.
"Although ultrasound technology is still being tested and its effectiveness is limited to early studies, it offers a unique approach to combating localized fat without invasive surgery," said Dr. Dover. "In time, I think it will be a viable option for people who want to target specific areas of fat, such as belly fat."