What You Need to Know About Nonsurgical Fat Reduction

Fat accumulation is a health risk that is why you need to shed excess fat as soon as you can. In the past, liposuction is highly recommended. However, it involves surgery. For those who are worried about the surgery, modern technology allows for nonsurgical fat reduction options.

If you want to choose a safe weight loss program, you should consult the doctor first so you can decide the right nonsurgical fat reduction option for you. The doctor will tell you things you need to know about nonsurgical fat reduction like the following:

The right time to consider a nonsurgical fat reduction

Nonsurgical fat reduction is the last resort if you are struggling with stubborn excess fat that is resistant to exercise and diet programs. You can also consider a nonsurgical fat reduction if you have undesirable fat deposits on your thighs, back, flanks and abdomen. Finally, you can consider a nonsurgical fat reduction if you wish to appear slimmer without undergoing surgery.

The advantages and disadvantages of nonsurgical fat reduction

You need to discern the advantages so you know what to expect. Here are the advantages of nonsurgical fat reduction:

•    No incision is required for nonsurgical fat reduction.
•    The treatment has minimal discomfort with little to no downtime.
•    It is effective in reducing unwanted or stubborn body fat.
In the same way, you should learn the disadvantages of nonsurgical fat reduction so you will know what you are getting into. Here are the disadvantages of nonsurgical fat reduction:
•    It may involve multiple treatment sessions for a satisfactory outcome.
•    There will be temporary redness and numbness.
•    Small burns have been noted although they are extremely rare.

Fat Reduction

The types of nonsurgical fat reduction procedures

The procedure will depend on your needs. The doctor may recommend body-contouring procedures like ultrasound (Ultrashape and Liposonix) and cryolipolysis (like Zeltiq and CoolSculpting).

Ultrasound involves premedication. The surgeon will mark the treatment areas then the technician will apply a thin layer of gel on your skin. You will see an ultrasound transducer head, which is moved over to the treatment area. The session will last from 30 minutes to several hours.

Cryolipolysis is also called “fat freezing”. The treatment will take one hour per site. It involves sucking up of a fatty area through a handpiece. The area will be slowly cooled. The “frozen fat” will then die and is absorbed by the body over time.

The treatment plan

The treatment plan will be based on your goals and your physical characteristics. With this, your doctor must share recommendations and information including the approaches to your treatment, the anticipated outcome, financial investment, associated risks/complications, treatment location and many more.

Your preparation for the nonsurgical fat reduction procedure

The doctor should provide pretreatment instructions like stopping smoking, avoiding aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs and hydrating more for safe recovery.

You should expect that it would be performed on an outpatient basis. The sessions can take less than an hour or more depending on your case. During the process, you may be administered with medications for your comfort. After the procedure, you can immediately return home and resume your usual day-to-day activities.