Laser Treatment for Fat
Laser technology has developed and advanced in so many ways that lasers are commonly used in the medical field to treat a plethora of conditions. A non-surgical cosmetic solution, laser treatment is now available to treat fat conditions, as well. Laser treatment for fat is an effective solution for those patients who find diet and exercise ineffective for ridding fat, and who do not want to undergo the risks and complications involved with liposuction and other types of plastic surgery. Does this Spark an idea?
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Fat Conditions
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Extra fat, technically referred to as "lipid-rich tissue," according to Science Daily magazine, stored in bodily cells and tissues can create either visible fat bulges and lumps, or uneven cellulite dimples. This is a common problem, even for fit and thin people, who find that they cannot rid the excess fat of certain areas of the body through diet and exercise. The fat is stored in overabundance in pockets beneath the skin's surface, which either cause cellulite dimples or bulges. This can happen in any thick skin area of the body, but most commonly occurs in the thighs, buttocks, stomach, hips and upper arms.
Functions of Laser Treatment
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Laser treatment for fat has one ultimate objective: to remove and reduce the appearance of fat, so that the body contour is slimmer, smoother and tighter. The laser procedure functions to smooth out the appearance of cellulite and problem bulges, tighten the skin and reduce the amount of fat enough to result in an actual loss of inches.
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How Laser Treatment Works
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While conventional liposuction is invasive, and uses a surgical "straw" to suction out fat, laser treatment is non-invasive, non-surgical, low-risk, and requires no overnight hospital stay, although the procedure is still performed by plastic surgeons. High-intensity, energy-concentrated laser beams are emitted to penetrate the skin tissue of the target area, causing one of a few occurrences. Some types of laser treatment work by triggering a release of the fat from the cells, while infrared lasers use light absorption and heat to affect the fat in the cells, emulsifying or liquefying it to yield smoothness. Some laser treatments focus on shrinking the fat cells, and tightening the collagen fibers (the skin's essential protein support structure).
Types of Laser Treatment for Fat
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SmartLipo might be the most famous type of laser treatment for fat bulges and cellulite, most effective for flabby arms and a double chin. It is nicknamed the "walk in, walk out" treatment, since patients are finished within one hour, according to the UK's Daily Mail article, "Laser treatment that removes fat in your lunch hour," by Fiona Macrae and Ben Farmer.
VelaShape is a type of laser treatment that promises a slimmer and smoother body within one month, according to Finesse Cosmetic Laser and Lipo Center in Waltham, Massachusetts. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the VelaShape laser as a safe and effective fat and cellulite solution on all skin types and skin shades, with no short- or long-term health effects.
As of late 2009, the Zerona laser for fat reduction is the latest technology in laser treatment. Another slimming procedure, patients lose three to nine inches in circumference on average, after three 40-minute treatments per week, for two weeks, according to the NBC Bay Area article, "Laser Treatment Zaps Fat," by Marianne Favro.
Effectiveness
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A 2006 article in Science Daily magazine, "Free-electron Laser Targets Fat," reported that scientific studies indeed prove the laser's effectiveness on ridding fat with infrared light, and completely without invasive procedures. All the aforementioned laser treatments for fat promise effectiveness with little to no side effects, although the optimal laser type depends on the patient's fat condition and objectives.
Significance
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In the aforementioned Science Daily article on lasers used to destroy fat, Dr. Rox Anderson of Harvard University stated that laser technology's effectiveness for destroying lipid-rich tissues has wide implications for other medical conditions, such as heart disease and stroke.
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