LIPOTHERAPY
Also known as body sculpting or lipodissolve, lipotherapy works well to combat at-dissolving substances are injected into localized fat deposits which slowly dissolves the fat and allows the body to naturally eliminate the residue.
Not loving the waddle under your chin? If diet and exercise aren’t helping reduce your problem areas, lipotherapy can help. Lipotherapy targets localized fat deposits such as submental fat deposits.
A fat-dissolving substance is injected directly into the problem area, which causes the fat to slowly melt away, and your body naturally eliminates the residue. The active substance is a natural compound produced from bile salts, known as Deoxycholic acid – it’s a substance your body uses naturally to metabolize fat.
Please be aware that this is not a weight loss tool. It is specifically for fat deposits that don’t respond to diet or exercise.
For more information, or to book a consultation with Dr. Nield, please contact us.
Also known as body sculpting or lipodissolve, lipotherapy is a non-surgical, natural medical technique in which solutions are injected into localized fat deposits to block internal signals of fat uptake, trigger fat release, increase circulation and burn energy.
Using small needles Dr. Nield injects the solution directly into the fat deposits. The injections emulsify (dissolve) the fat, which is then eliminated by the body via the liver. Results can be seen within 4 weeks and are long lasting and measurable. The procedure takes about 15-30 minutes, and there’s very little recovery time.
That depends on the overall size of your body and the area being treated. We have found that more than 80% of patients are very satisfied with the results after 4 treatments, with treatments spaced at least 4 weeks apart. Please be aware that because fat cells and connective tissue are structured differently in men and women, we have found that men do not respond to lipotherapy as well as women do.
Liposuction is surgery that requires general anesthesia, hospital admittance and significant recovery time. For small areas, lipotherapy is a gentler yet equally effective alternative. There’s no hospital stay, no anesthesia, and little downtime. The fat deposits flush out, and your body won’t gain the weight back in other areas, as long as you eat sensibly and continue to exercise. It’s a safe option for patients with small areas of excess fat, who are no more that 10 to 15% above their ideal body weight.
Another difference is that lipotherapy is an excellent treatment for smoothing cellulite; surgical liposuction does not treat cellulite; in fact, it may ends up enhancing it and making it more prominent.
You will feel a marked degree of discomfort during the treatment. Most patients experience an immediate burning sensation when Dr. Nield administers the injections. We apply ice packs to decrease your discomfort. The initial burning subsides within a few minutes, but there may be an aching sensation for 10 to 15 minutes. The skin will immediately turn red and swell slightly at the treatment site, which will resolve quickly. Most patients are able to leave within 15 to 30 minutes of finishing a treatment and resume their normal activities. You may experience a swelling sensation and some itching for a few days afterwards.
Should painful nodules form under the skin, they can last up to 4 months. (These are uncomfortable, but not harmful.)
Double Chin:
Lipotherapy is useful for submental fat reduction. Dr. Nield has been an expert injector using natural deoxycholic acid into submental fat for years, long before this ingredient was approved as Belkyra in Canada, and as Kybella in the United States.
Other areas that physicians have injected include:
- Bra bulge
- Love handles
- Fat pads under the eyes
- Facial jowls composed of excess fat
This is not a weight loss treatment. It is intended to target localized fat deposits.
There is no downtime; you can return to work immediately after treatment. (That’s why lipotherapy is often called a “lunchtime treatment.”) However, you may experience pain, throbbing, tenderness and some bruising in the treated areas, which can be reduced by applying ice packs and taking anti- inflammatory medication. Avoid hot baths, and make sure you get back to your exercise program as soon as possible, even if it’s just walking.
If you’ve been treated for the fat pads under your eyes, they can become very swollen and red for up to a week.
Results are permanent; however, you’ll need to eat sensibly and get regular exercise to keep new fat deposits from forming.
Although lipotherapy is a relatively new procedure, thousands of treatments have been done all over the world with no serious side effects. You may experience some minor side effects, including painful nodules that can form under the skin and last up to 4 months. These are uncomfortable, but not harmful. Other possible side effects include bruising, numbness, redness, induration,facial marginal mandibular nerve injury, leading to facial asymmetry.
To ensure there are no problems, it is essential that the therapy be carried out by trained medical experts like Dr. Nield, who have knowledge of the anatomical distribution of fat deposits in the body, the correct injection technique and the right dosage for the treatment are of the utmost importance. Dr. Nield is a member of the International Meso-Lipotherapy Society and has received accredited lipotherapy training.
The ideal candidate is someone who is over 18 years old, in good health, exercises regularly, is within 11kg of their ideal body weight, and has deposits of fat that have not responded to exercise.
Lipotherapy is generally safe and effective, but if you should not undergo treatment if you:
- Have bleeding disorders (i.e. hemophilia)
- Are taking blood-thinning medications
- Are taking insulin
- Have severe hypertension or cardiac problems
- Have severe renal disease
- Have any debilitating condition
Please also be aware that because fat cells and connective tissue are structured differently in men and women, we have found that men do not respond to lipotherapy as well as women.
Lipotherapy drugs can be delivered by injection. They target localized fat deposits, causing dissolution of the fat which is then eliminated by the body. SODIUM DEOXYCHOLATE is the agent responsible for fat cell necrosis (death). This drug is the main ingredient used when body sculpting is performed. Localized areas of excess fat are treated in a very controlled manner, at specific intervals. All drugs are obtained from approved compounding pharmacies in Canada. Using off-label drugs is a common practice for Canadian physicians. One example of off-label usage is the drug Cimetidine, which is approved for treatment of stomach ulcers. Dermatologists will, on occasion, prescribe Cimetidine for difficult-to-treat warts; even though it is not an approved indication, it can work. As long as a patient is aware that the medicines being used are off-label, then there is usually no problem.
Belkyra has been approved by Health Canada for fat reduction under the chin. This is known as Kybella in the United States where it has been approved by the FDA for reduction of fat under the chin.
We’re happy to answer any questions or provide you with additional detail. Please download our consent form here: