There’s a lot of hype these days about non-surgical alternatives to liposuction. Less invasive procedures may seem appealing, but when it comes to real results and proven techniques, what’s the skinny on liposuction alternatives?
CoolSculpting®
CoolSculpting® hit the market in 2010, and involves freezing fat cells to break them down. The treatment advertises results comparable to those of liposuction at a fraction of the cost and with no downtime. In reality, most patients require at least three sessions to address their target areas, so in the end, the time and money spent often surpass the cost of liposuction. Additionally, patients must then wait anywhere from weeks to months to see their results. CoolSculpting® carries only a 69 percent “Worth It” rating on RealSelf, indicating that most patients didn’t feel the procedure delivered on its promises.
Lipodissolve
The idea of Lipodissolve as a new trend was popularized as a cosmetic procedure in the mid-2000s, and involves injecting a cocktail of fat-dissolving chemicals mixed with natural supplements directly into areas of localized fat. There is no standardized formula, so ingredients may vary. Lipodissolve is not FDA-approved, and its reputation is tenuous at best. While lots of substances can break down fat cells, whether they’re safe for your body is another matter.
The Verdict
Non-surgical alternatives to liposuction may offer tempting price tags and boast of results equal to the real thing, but be sure to look into the details before making your final decision. Today, liposuction remains one of the most popular cosmetic procedures around the world, not to mention that it’s held as the gold standard of body contouring. When modern liposuction techniques have steadily improved over decades of testing and the dramatic and lasting results are unparalleled by any other fat removal procedure, why settle?