People want to look their best. Many people are obsessed with making constant improvements to their body, and diet and exercise don’t always cut the mustard. While most doctors insist that being physically active and eating right are essential to feeling good, looking your best, and living a long life, it’s just not enough for some. Television programs and the media in general, now more than ever, are turning the public onto the cosmetic surgery industry and weight loss trends. The question is, do trendy things like Lipostabil shots work ‘wonders’ or not?
There are several surgeries, procedures and treatments being used by people around the world to shed pounds or little pockets of cellulite. The most common surgical options are the LAP-Band and gastric bypass. These are both invasive surgeries done by doctors. The general idea is to shrink the stomach so that people with relatively serious weight control issues won’t be able to eat as much. With a smaller stomach comes lesser appetite. It’s possible to reverse the LAP-Band procedure but not gastric bypass. The end result of these operations is that patients experience significant weight loss in the months following surgery. Exercising, of course, is highly recommended in order to achieve the best results and optimal heart and cardiovascular health. Recovery from LAP-Band ‘installation’ is short, usually only a couple of days — although the ‘life adjustment’ takes many weeks. Gastric bypass often has recipients out of the office for longer.
Maybe you’ve seen on TV that fat can be sucked out with liposuction. Several liters can be removed at once, and it’s achieved through use of a vacuum-like instrument. Perhaps you’ve seen liposuction performed on one of the many new plastic surgery shows on television, Nip-Tuck, Dr. 90210, or one of several health shows on various health-oriented cable channels. Recovery time for those who have undergone liposuction ranges from 2-4 days but it can vary more widely depending on soreness and swelling levels.
All of the above procedures and tools used in them are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While FDA approval in the U.S. is important to many people, it doesn’t always deter some from pursuing other forms of fat removal treatments.
A treatment designed to remove small pockets of fat from hard-to-exercise parts of the body is called lipostabil. It also goes by several other names. This is a quick, non-invasive treatment — it’s not an ‘operation’ or ’surgery’ - that people use to smooth areas behind the arms, the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, love handles. How is it done? Clinicians use micro-fine needles to inject a Phosphatidylcholine-based drug cocktail into areas of cellulite. Those endorsing these shots say that the drugs literally melt fat away.
Although these treatments are extremely popular, in the U.S. and abroad, the FDA has not approved the drugs. It’s doubtful that the FDA will give any kind of approval until safety and effectiveness studies have been done. One of the largest companies offering lipodissolve in the U.S., known as fig lipodissolve, filed for bankruptcy and closed most of its operations in late 2007.
Those who want to look and feel healthy should consult their physicians about diet and exercise plans. People who are obese may end up considering LAP-Band or gastric bypass surgeries as well as liposuction for maximum weight loss and long-term health. Fat busting injections, such as lipodissolve, serve a whole different purpose and don’t improve heart health, reduce the odds of getting diabetes, or lower one’s appetite. No matter the option chose be sure to conduct thorough research and consult with a physician.
Tags: Health