The Price of Beauty

A quick and easy series of injections that magically melt away unwanted fat: sounds amazing, right? Well, hold out on buying those new bikinis and Speedos, because you may want to think twice before signing up for this procedure.

Lipodissolve is a series of injections that the American Society of Nonsurgical Aesthetics (ASNA) refers to as a “hypotonic cocktail” and which melt away fat in specific unwanted areas, such as the stomach and thighs. It has gained much popularity as a non-surgical alternative to its friend liposuction, with much of its appeal attributed to promises of no pain, scarring, or healing time after the treatment. You can get it done on your lunch break.

The procedure involves a doctor injecting the chemical cocktail into the fat layers and connective tissue, causing a chemical reaction that dissolves areas of unwanted fat. The injections are said to be relatively painless, and the benefits are usually seen within three weeks of the treatment. According to Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery, several treatments are usually required—about four to six weeks apart—to produce the best result. No more love handles, beer bellies, bra rolls, cellulite or muffin tops.

However, a few problems have been surfacing with the administration of this supposed miracle procedure. To start with, lipodissolve is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“The FDA is aware of the practice of using lipo-dissolve. Lipo-dissolve is not FDA approved for any use. In fact, there are no FDA-approved drugs with an indication to dissolve fat. FDA cannot assure the safety and efficacy of these types of drugs. These are unapproved drugs for unapproved uses and FDA cannot guarantee consumers’ safety,” they comment in a statement concerning lipodissolve. “Consumers need to know that this is a buyer beware situation.”

Lipodissolve is purely experimental thus far, and clinical studies that look at the safety and effectiveness of lipodissolve are underway but not yet completed. Some medical practices that offer lipodissolve are also working toward establishing the right protocols for the procedure as none currently exist.

As of now, neither The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) nor the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPA) recommend the use of lipodissolve. Currently, at least two states (Kansas and Nebraska) are in the process of banning lipodissolve until it receives FDA approval, and Nevada is considering a ban. Also, according to Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery, phosphatidylcholine-based products for use in fat removal procedures have been banned in both Brazil and Canada.

Not only is lipodissolve not FDA approved, but there is no set recipe for the aforementioned chemical cocktail.

The Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery reports that the ingredients in the injections can vary from doctor to doctor; however, phosphatidylcholine/deoxycholate (PCDC), multivitamins, alpha lipid acid, enzymes and plant extracts are common ingredients. They mention that phosphatidylcholine is approved by the FDA when used to break down fats in the blood that may increase risk for heart disease, but it is not approved for injection or any other purpose, such as lipodissolve.

Lipotreatmentfacts.org states: “There is no standard process/procedure that has been studied in controlled clinical trials or to the satisfaction of the FDA. Therefore, the procedure will differ depending on the provider. The lipo-dissolve procedure ‘typically’ involves an average of 2-4 treatment sessions spaced 4-8 weeks apart. However, because studies have not concluded a standard protocol outlining specific number of sessions, number of micro-injections per session, and amount of PC needed for results, this average may vary greatly.”

Also, doctors are even given the liberty to add non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, antibiotics and hormones to the mix, and the injections are prepared in compounding pharmacies, which specialize in customizing formulations of drugs based on a doctor’s orders and are often not regulated. This means that doctors can mix whatever drugs they see fit, in any dosage they see fit. The Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery also states that many of the individual ingredients are not FDA-approved on their own, not to mention as part of a “chemical cocktail.”

Another problem is that no one knows exactly where the fat goes after it is dissolved. There are no studies that look at the long-term side effects and results of lipodissolve, and no studies have shown where the medication travels or how it may affect organs. No research currently exists on the optimal ingredients, proper dosages or short-term side effects.

It is possible that the fat is filtered through the liver, creating a fatty liver, which could lead to liver failure. Another possibility is that it could end up in blood vessels and increase the risk of stroke or heart attack. Some who perform the procedure theorize that the dissolved fat leaves the body through normal waste removing functions.

There have been many side effects reported following this procedure, and some are permanent. The ASAPS reports that infection, disfiguring masses of inflamed tissue, and tissue death can occur after lipodissolve and warn consumers against it.

It is also known that the procedure is being performed by laypeople. This means that people other than doctors are administering this procedure, which is not even approved by the FDA, and patients are ending up with bad and sometimes irreversible results. Some plastic surgeons are seeing indentations and depressions in the skin of people who have undergone lipodissolve, and they say that such defects can be extremely difficult to correct.

It seems that the majority of the people who have received the treatment are unhappy with the results. On a website called Realself.com, 186 consumers reviewed the lipodissolve procedure, and 63 percent of them said it was not worth it, with many of the unsatisfied customers saying they were in immense pain and were left with lumps under their skin.

All the issues concerning lipodissolve do not seem to be stopping people from using it. The American Society of Aesthetic Lipodissolve (ASAL) states that “lipodissolve is estimated to have a potential growth of 500,000 patient treatments per year in the United States with an estimated turnover of $300 million.”

It is interesting to see how they twist and turn the negative facts surrounding lipodissolve, making serious issues seem better than they are to shed a positive light on lipodissolve. ASAL claims that they are the “original developers” of the lipodissolve idea and that their treatment—and only their treatment—is safe and effective. They also say that any other lipodissolve treatments are merely imitators, and that this is where the problems occur, although they all include the main component—phosphatidylcholine.

Whatever the reason, it seems people will do anything—no matter the cost both financially and physically—to lose unwanted inches.

Interview with a 23-year-old Fargo student who received Lipodissolve treatments in May of 2008.

HPR: How did you hear about Lipodissolve?

*Jessica: I mainly heard about it in the tabloid magazines, last summer a lot of the movie stars were getting it and it was working for them.( I know that sounds lame) So I did some research and just like anything else it had it pros and cons.

HPR: What made you want to receive the Lipodissolve treatment?

Jessica: I had some stubborn stomach fat that just never seems to budge.

HPR: What stood out about the treatment that made you think it would work? What made the Lipodisslove treatment different from all the other weight-loss solutions out there?

Jessica: It was promised to be easy and fast acting.

HPR: Did you have a consultation before the procedure and if so what sort of information did they give you?

Jessica: I did have a consultation and they showed me before and after pictures of clients they had given it too. They gave me a hand out on things to expect. There they told me the side effects would be minimal.

HPR: I read that you normally need a couple Lipodissolve sessions to see optimal results, how many sessions did you have?

Jessica: I had 2 sessions and waited 2 weeks between sessions; it was the recommend time.

HPR: Did you go through with all the necessary sessions, or did you stop?

Jessica: I stopped. I saw no results and experience a lot of pain and discomfort. 

HPR: How much did the procedure cost?

Jessica: Around $200 each time.

HPR: What was your experience of the Lipodissolve procedure like, were there any discomforts?

Jessica: Yes much discomfort! When they gave me the shots I bled from each little shot, also the serum would leak out of the injection site and I was given around 30-40 shots. It looked like I had been stung by bees and had an allergic reaction. It took about a half hour for me to start feeling the itching, burning, and swelling, which was very intense.

I called the nurse that gave the shots and she recommend I take Benadryl and put an anti itch cream on it. I was also told to buy SPANX to compress the area. Weeks after the procedure I experienced blistering and the injection site form small hard pockets that I was told to lightly massage… it didn’t help.

HPR: Was the procedure what you thought it would be?

Jessica: It was not anything like I thought it would be. I knew there would be some pain but not as much as I experienced! 

HPR: What did you not like about the Lipodissolve procedure?

Jessica: I did not like the side effects of the procedure. I think they were way harsher then what I was told. 

HPR: Were there any side effects or damages, permanent or non permanent?

Jessica: I still can see small dime sized black and blue marks.

HPR: Would you recommed Lipodissolve to anyone you know, why or why not?

Jessica: I would not recommend it to anyone. I did not see any results what so ever.