As more people become overweight, medical science has to devise new methods to reduce body fat. In many cases, individuals are not healthy enough or do not wish to undergo invasive procedures. In these cases, non-invasive methods are required.
Suitability for Procedures
Health-related reasons to avoid invasive weight-loss procedures include hemophilia, heart conditions and adverse reactions to previous anesthetization. Hemophilia is a condition in which a person's blood does not clot properly. Every surgical procedure performed on hemophiliacs is life-threatening. In other cases, individuals have allergic reactions to anesthesia and cannot undergo surgery due to the inability to be anesthetized.
Reasons for Procedures
Fat can be cosmetically unsightly as well as harmful to health. The buildup of excess body fat can lead to metabolic syndrome, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and a few types of cancer. To prevent these conditions, medical science has devised non-invasive fat reduction methods.
Pros
Non-invasive fat loss procedures generally cost less than surgical procedures. They also are infinitely less traumatic, requiring less recovery time and less time missed from work. They also carry a lower risk of serious complications. There is an extremely reduced chance that medical error will result in harm to your health.
Cons
According to Donald Hensrud, M.D. a preventive medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic, these methods cannot be used to remove large amounts of fat. According to Hensrud, these methods are only effective on individuals who are generally fit and require only the removal of stubborn fat pockets.
Methods
There are three promising methods of non-invasive fat removal. Only two of which are currently approved by the FDA. One is available in Europe only, as of 2010. These methods are CoolSculpting, Zerona and ultrasound fat removal. CoolSculpting uses a method known as cryolipolysis, to freeze and kill fat cells, reducing the amount of fat. Zerona is also known as a medical laser uses a cold energy to destroy fat cells, which are later removed by the body's cleansing mechanism. Ultrasound procedures are a promising method that are gaining popularity in Europe. This method uses ultrasound waves to cause the fat cells under your skin to burst and die.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Liposuction Alternatives
- MayoClinic.com: Hemophilia
- A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon: Non-Surgical Fat Removal
- "Principles of Pharmacology"; David Golan and Armen Tashjian; 2005
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine 16th Edition"; Lawrence Madoff, James Macguire, Kenneth Brandt, Bruce Gillaind, Scott Thaier; 2005
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