Fat Removal Methods

According to the World Health Organization, obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally. More than one billion adults are considered overweight, and at least 300 million of them are clinically obese. Obesity, an excess accumulation of body fat, can cause serious problems such as heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. Many people do not have the ability to lose weight by making lifestyle changes through diet and exercise, and opt for a quicker way to reduce fat.

Mesotherapy

• Mesotherapy is a cellulite reduction therapy that involves injecting pharmaceutical agents under your skin. A formula containing vitamins, amino acids, minerals and other drugs is administered directly to affected areas, for fast absorption into your skin. The treatment is said to melt away trapped fat deposits under your skin. Mesotherapy is a popular treatment to remove cellulite and localized fat deposits and is also considered to have some anti-aging effects.

Surgical Procedures

• Several surgical procedures have been developed to achieve weight loss.

  "Restrictive'' procedures involve making the stomach smaller to create a feeling of fullness and restrict food consumption. Lap band surgery is one such procedure, in which an adjustable device is fitted around the stomach to control calorie intake.

  The gastric bypass is a treatment that reroutes your digestive tract, bypassing the stomach and sending food directly to the small intestine, which limits calorie absorption.

  Gastroplasty is a surgical procedure in which your stomach is sutured or stapled to restrict intake of large amounts of food.

  Consult with a bariatric surgeon before opting for any of these surgical procedures.

Liposuction and Lypolysis

• Traditional liposuction involves inserting a flexible tube under the skin to remove excess body fat through suction. This is considered a surgical procedure. Liposuction typically targets areas such as the chin, back, chest, stomach, and thighs. Although liposuction effectively removes localized fat deposits, this treatment is not meant for very overweight people. Liposuction can't be performed if you are excessively overweight, have heart conditions or a history of blood clots. Loose skin may look worse after liposuction.

  Newer laser-assisted liposuction treatments have been developed to provide safer fat removal.

  Laser lipolysis treatments remove excess fat by inserting a fiber laser into target fat deposits, melting them.

Non-Invasive Methods

• A number of non-invasive treatments have been designed to reduce body fat without cutting the skin. Lasers, ultrasound or radio-frequency energy are used to deliver energy to collagen and fat cells within the skin, stimulating rejuvenation and "melting away" body fat. Known treatments of this type include Thermage, Cryolipolysis, LipoSonix, UItraShape and VelaShape. Many of these treatments were still under development in 2010 and not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Although non-invasive procedures can treat problem areas very effectively, most only manage to shrink fat cells without destroying them. In time the fat cells will fill up again, especially when you gain weight. Maintenance treatments and lifestyle changes are necessary to achieve lasting results.