Quick & Safe Weight Loss Methods

You can lose weight through surgery, diet, exercise or drugs--each method has advantages and drawbacks. Weight loss induced by drugs tends to have the most negative impact on your health, depending on the medication. For example, people who use diuretics to lose water weight often suffer dehydration. Diet and exercise take time and dedication to make a significant impact on your weight. The surgical approach provides the quickest way to lose weight.

Liposuction

Liposuction is a surgical procedure limited in its invasiveness--it requires only a small incision. A surgeon suctions out the fat through the incision. Liposuction is most effective on the abdomen, thighs, flank, upper arms, knees and chest. This method only removes the fat directly under the skin, as opposed to fat in deeper areas of the body, according to MayoClinic.com. This surgery--if properly prepared and executed--carries minimal risk for complications.

Tummy Tuck

During a tummy tuck, a surgeon removes excess skin and fat from around your abdomen. This procedure usually is performed under full anesthesia. This method can remove considerably more fat than a liposuction. However, a tummy tuck may result in surgical damage and a longer convalescence period. The most common complications include numbness of the skin, infection, dead skin and the development of pockets of blood.

Ultrasound

Ultrasounds aren't strictly diagnostic tools any more. Certain ultrasound machines can send concentrated blasts of energy under your skin to target fat cells, rupturing and killing them; your body removes the fat. As of 2010, this procedure isn't offered in the United States. However, it's available in European countries, as well as Israel. This method may be performed separately or it may precede liposuction to make the surgery easier.