Fat Dissolve
"Intralipotherapy"
Intralipotherapy is targeted fat reduction by the injection of bile salts into a fatty area.
Chemical lipolysis dissolves the fat and destroys the fat cell for good.
Appropriate for areas of stubborn fat that cannot be shifted by diet or exercise.
The technique may be applied to face or body fat with a cost of £120 per target body area treatment and £160 per target face area treatment.
Courses range from 2 to 4 treatments, depending upon region.
Sodium deoxycholate is an FDA approved medical detergent that breaks down fat cells and is the active ingredient of DESOFACE and DESOBODY.
Fat dissolving injections, also known as lipolytic injections, destroy fat cells, damaging the fat cell membrane and liquifying the fat in the treatment area.
The destroyed fat cells are then broken down and removed naturally through the body’s lymphatic system.
Target areas that can be treated with these fat dissolving injections include abdomen, flanks, saddlebags, inner thighs, inner knees, upper arms, back rolls and underarm bra fat, as well as the jowl and chin.
Deoxycholate solution is mixed with a local anaesthetic (lignocaine) to enhance comfort during the injections, and is then injected subcutaneously into the fat layer where it act directly on fat cells.
The effect is not immediate but becomes evident over a period of around 4 weeks. the targeted fat cells are permanently destroyed.
A course of injections may be necessary, the usual being 2-3 treatments, before full effect.
Lipolytic injections are not recommended as a weight loss strategy but rather to target stubborn areas that have not responded to diet and exercise.
Unless changes are made to diet and or exercise programmes new fat cells will develop in the same areas.
The medication is injected into the fat cells via a long needle and aside from a little discomfort the treatment should be pain free. If the injections are placed too deeply or too superficially it will be painful so it is important to communicate any sensations other than mild discomfort to your injector. Complications may otherwise arise.
The number of vials of product required for treatment will be discussed prior to your treatment as this will obviously depend upon the size of the target area.
Alternative therapies are available for lipolysis, namely cryolipolysis (fat freezing) and surgical liposuction. Laser and ultrasonic therapies may also help for skin tightening and lifting.
The treatment has recognised side effects including discomfort, redness, swelling and bruising which are very common. Infection may occur post treatment and may require treatment with antibiotics or surgery.
Skin or tissue necrosis occurs in 0.0076% of treatments and this may require surgical intervention. Allergic reactions occur in 0.02% of cases. Prolonged post procedure pain is experienced in some patients. Nodules may develop in up to 0.05% of cases and these are mostly treatable. Damage to deep structures is found in 0.01% of cases and discolouration in 0.02%. Post procedure advice is to wear supporting garments wear possible and to take simple pain killers as required. Intralipotherapy is not an exact science and results may be asymmetrical. Overall effect is dependent upon concomitant weight management through a healthy diert and exercise.