lipodissolveA lot of people are looking to shed their fat – permanently. While the best way to achieve this is to get healthy with good old-fashioned exercise and proper diet, it always is an uphill battle. So, over the years, some convenient cosmetic fixes have been developed to help people with their struggle against weight, and their fight for a better life.

So far, liposuction seems to be the predominant surgical procedure for permanently removing fat. Many people have risked going under the knife in the name of weight loss, however, while numerous patients have successfully lost fat through this procedure, the risks of surgery still remain, as well as the fact that all liposuction patients go through a lengthy period of recovery.

Now, however, doctors have come up with an alternative to liposuction – Lipodissolve. Lipodissolve, mesotherapy—or lypolysis—is a cosmetic procedure that literally melts fat away through the use of injected chemicals.

How it works

This procedure involves a series of micro-injections targeted at specific fatty areas (for example: thighs, hips, upper and lower abdomen, waist, double chin, cheeks, etc.). A concoction of chemicals that basically consists of phosphatidycholine and deoxycholate is injected into the fat. Phosphatidycholine is a chemical found naturally in, and extracted from, soy, while deoxycholate is a bile acid that has a metabolic property. These two chemicals are used in lipodissolve to break down body fat into more soluble states, thus affecting the removal of fat from the body.

Lipodissolve is intended to remove small amounts of fat at a time from targeted areas. It takes about 2-4 sessions of the treatment to remove up to three inches of fat. Those who undergo the procedure can readily return to work and their daily routines after a couple of days of rest.

What you need to know

Lipodissolve is, considerably, still in the experimental stage. The concoction of chemicals used for injection is not standardized, and many of the other chemicals included in the mix have not been officially approved for human intake.

The procedure is fairly easy to perform. Just about anyone who has ample knowledge of injections can administer the substance. Should a person choose to go ahead with the procedure, however, he/she should make sure that the doctor has the proper credentials and training for giving out lipodissolve. Also, one must make sure that his/her physical condition is sufficiently examined by the doctor prior to undergoing the procedure.

Abdominal Etching as alternative

While Lipodissolve may present a more desirable and more gradual method of losing body fat compared to liposuction, it still runs a considerable risk to any patient due to its experimental nature. If the patient feels in anyway apprehensive about the procedure, but would prefer not to undergo liposuction just the same, then abdominal etching may be a better alternative.

Abdominal etching, like liposuction, is also a cosmetic surgery that removes fat. However, it significantly differs from the latter as it removes only small portions of body fat at a time from specific localized areas (the abdominal area in particular). This is ideal for patients who only wish for their abdominal muscles to be tightened and more defined through the elimination of some abdominal fat.