Consumers Warned to Avoid Injection Fat Loss Treatments

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Patients were warned in a May 14 statement by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) to steer clear of injection fat loss treatments such as mesotherapy and lipolysis. Although these treatments are marketed as fat loss methods, they are not proven to be effective, and there are no objective data regarding their safety. None of the injection fat loss treatments available today in the U.S. have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Not Enough Safety Data

According to ASAPS president Foad Nahai, MD, “We do not have definitive information on injection fat loss treatments. All we have is a few small studies and anecdotal evidence. Until we know more, we cannot recommend these procedures to patients…The bottom line for patients is this: Don't allow yourself to be injected with an unknown and untested substance.” Despite media claims that these treatments can effectively and safely eliminate excess fat, there are no published, peer-reviewed studies of the treatments in controlled prospective clinical trials.

In addition, there is no documentation of how injection lipolysis and mesotherapy accomplish the goal of eliminating unwanted body fat. The mechanism by which the treatments allegedly “dissolve” fat is not adequately explained.

Numerous Reports of Complications

Complications of injection fat loss treatments that have been documented include granulomas (disfiguring masses of inflamed tissue), bacterial infection, and localized necrosis (tissue death). The risk of complications is increased when lay people without sufficient medical training perform the treatments.

The president of the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation (ASERF), Alan H. Gold, MD, noted that “Mesotherapy treatment centers are opening all over the country, and these consumer outlets may not be staffed by trained medical professionals. Patients seeking fat-dissolving treatments should be educated about the lack of clinical data supporting these treatments and cautioned to wait until there is reliable information to guide their decision.”

A Clinical Study to Examine the Risks

The ASERF is currently sponsoring a 20-patient, placebo-controlled clinical study of one type of injection lipolysis treatment that uses the formula phosphatidylcholine (PPC)/sodium deoxycholate (DC). The study will track the patients for local and systemic reactions and long-term complications, and will have FDA supervision. The results will be published and presented to the ASAPS.

(Source: www.surgery.org)

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