Intralipotherapy is a solution used in aesthetic medicine to dissolve localized fat. Injections are used to directly target adipose tissue.
What is intralipotherapy?
Fat dissolving injections or intralipotherapy are essentially injections of an acid into stubborn pockets of fat to remove adipose tissue. The substance used is deoxycholic acid, which is a man-made substance found naturally in the body and helps to absorb fat.
Deoxycholic acid works by destroying fat cells in the areas injected into the body. The results are most visible under the chin, an area commonly known as the “double chin”.
The process involves a series of injections to target fat cells in whatever area is being treated and also tightens the skin. The treatment is painless and has minimal downtime in most cases.
On which parts of the body can it be applied?
Intralipotherapy can be used anywhere on the body where there are persistent pockets of fat. This includes the lower face, jowls, upper arm, bra area fat, gynecomastia, abdominal and waist fat, lower buttocks, inner thighs, knees and ankles.
How long does it take to see results?
When the deoxycholic acid is injected into the fat cells, the product immediately begins to destroy the fat cells in that area, which causes a reaction in the body, which will drive blood and oxygen to this area, and cause inflammation.
This is the body’s natural reaction to the deoxycholic acid injected into the body. Because of this swelling, results may not be seen until 14 days after treatment.
Results are not guaranteed after the initial treatment, which means that subsequent treatments are required. Depending on the area to be treated, a client may require two to six sessions before seeing results.
The number of sessions required depends on the area to be treated, smaller areas such as the lower face and jowls require up to two sessions, while larger areas such as the abdomen or love handles may require up to eight sessions to see results that the client is satisfied with.
How long do the effects of intralipotherapy last?
The results of intralipotherapy are permanent and lifelong, as the destroyed fat cells disappear. But that does not mean that new fat cells cannot grow in that area.
This is why it is so important to maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout life. That is, to maintain the effects over time it is necessary to acquire a lifestyle that does not favor the appearance of new fat cells to avoid having to undergo the procedure again.
Is it an alternative to liposuction?
Intralipotherapy and liposuction have the same objective: to remove excess fat from the body.
Liposuction is an invasive surgery under general anesthesia to remove stubborn pockets of fat, however, it is most commonly used to sculpt a person’s body shape.
On the other hand, intralipotherapy is a non-surgical alternative to liposuction, no general anesthesia is required, the client can go about their day normally with little or no downtime. It is a more reasonable option for most people, as this treatment carries fewer risks than liposuction and is affordable for most.
Commitment to quality
This text on intralipotherapy has been written by professional editors and reviewed by Sisneo’s medical-aesthetic team. In addition, we have relied on experts in medicine, engineering and aesthetics as a source of information, as well as specific studies to maintain the quality of what we publish.
At Sisneo Bioscience we are committed to publish truthful and contrasted information. And to update or correct it as soon as new knowledge becomes available.
