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What is Lipodissolve?
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LipoDissolve® is a series of micro-injections developed to dissolve fat deposits of the face and body. It was originally investigated in Italy in the early 1980’s and modified and improved in Europe in 2002 as a more effective treatment option for localized fat reduction. The LipoDissolve® mixture is composed of primarily two naturally occurring chemicals, phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholate. Phosphatidylcholine is made out of two fatty acid tails connected to a choline molecule. Phosphatidylcholine, also known as lecithin, is one of the components of soybean oil. It is also a lipid or fat that constitutes 70% of cell membranes in humans. Deoxycholate is the most common occurring bile acid and its job is to help dissolve the fats we consume. Normally, both are secreted by the gallbladder to aid digestion after we eat a high fat meal. |
How do I know if Lipodissolve is right for me? |
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LipoDissolve® may be a suitable therapy for you if you have small to medium sized areas of fat deposits that need reduction, or you are unable or unwilling to undergo surgery. During your consultation the physician will evaluate to see if LipoDissolve® is right for you. |
What happens during Lipodissolve? |
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LipoDissolve® micro-injections target fat deposits. When injections are done to the fat area you wish to have reduced the medications in the injections initiate the fat to gradually loosen, liquefy and finally dissolve. The immune system is activated to clean up the debris from the dissolved cells. This inflammatory response is responsible for the swelling and some of the soreness felt after an injection. The inflammatory response not only completes the destruction of the fat cells; it also causes some collagen and other proteins to be deposited in the area leading to the tightening and compacting of the subcutaneous tissue. The fat and cellular debris that have been cleared are treated by the immune cells as waste and cleared through normal metabolic pathways. In controlled studies, biopsies of sites actually show that the destruction of the fat cells is permanent. |
How much weight can I expect to lose? |
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LipoDissolve® is not a weight loss procedure, and although some patients have dramatic reduction in circumferential measurement, the actual weight loss may be insignificant. This occurs even with liposuction surgery because fat itself is very light in weight. |
Will the fat return after Lipodissolve treatment? |
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The fat will return if you gain more weight in the future and other fat cells grow. However, observations in LipoDissolve® have shown that the fat in treated area often stays off quite well even after some overall weight gain. |
Can results become uneven? |
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Different injection techniques can be used either for skin retraction or fat reduction. In procedures for fat reduction there have been no reports to date where unevenness has been observed. Often LipoDissolve® actually is used to correct uneven effects from other procedures, such as surgical liposuction. |
I can’t find a doctor in my area. Can I do the injections myself? |
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No. LipoDissolve® is strictly for clinical use. The safety data on LipoDissolve® is based upon accurate clinical use by physicians trained in the therapy and could pose risks with wrong incorrect or improper use. |
Is Lipodissolve supported by research? |
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Yes, LipoDissolve® is supported by clinical studies and a ongoing monitoring of effects in both Europe and the USA. Dr. Woodworth is a member of an international network that has been following the side effects and safety of LipoDissolve® for just under 10 years now. No serious short or long term complications have been reported. If you have any concerns of LipoDissolve® safety, make sure all your questions are answered to your satisfaction during consultation. |
Is Lipodissolve safe? |
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Yes, it is considered very safe. It is a mixture of naturally occurring substances that we eat every day. The mixture that is injected is primarily a combination of phosphatidylcholine, also known as soy lecithin, deoxycholate, and B vitamins.
Phosphatidylcholine, the main component in LipoDissolve® has been used in Europe for cosmetic procedures for over 20 years. Thousand of treatments have been given and no serious adverse event has been reported. Dietary supplements of phosphatidylcholine, or lecithin, are advocated for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Phosphatidylcholine is given intravenously to treat liver diseases such as fatty liver, also known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. It is given intravenously to dissolve plaques in artery walls and as a treatment for heart disease in Europe. It is also given in the US and Europe intravenously to dissolve fat emboli after trauma. Deoxycholate has been used in the treatment of gallstones. Subcutaneous injection of the mixture is considered an “off label” use of the mixture. However, many medicines we take everyday are not “labeled” for all of the purposes for which we use them. For example, aspirin is not “labeled” for use to treat headaches; nevertheless, it is generally considered safe. |
What are the side-effects? |
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Common side-effects are some light burning in the area injected, bruising, swelling and ache. Women should avoid treatment before and during their period, as this created a much greater experience of discomfort and pain.
Your doctor will explain during your consultation what reactions are common and rare with Lipodissolve, and what degree of side-effects you should expect and possible long-term effects. |
Is the procedure painful? |
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The procedure is seldom very painful, with exception to some body areas and body types which may cause a bit more ache after therapy. Women should avoid Lipodissolve right before and during their period as this will increase the sensation of discomfort dramatically. |
How long is the downtime or recovery? |
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Depending on body area treated, patients often return to normal activity immediately after treatment. Patients having facial treatments for double chin or facial fat will have extensive and unattractive swelling and may wish to stay off from work 3-4 days although this is not necessary.
The normal time for swelling and soreness to disappear is one week. Some minor swelling may persist longer. |
How many treatments will I need? |
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It varies from patient to patient case and body areas targeted. It is normal that results are seen in 1-4 sessions although your case can differ. |
How fast will I see results? |
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Treatments are repeated every 4-6 weeks apart. If you address large body areas, like the abdomen, and require several sessions you may notice minimal results between the first and second session which improves with additional sessions. Many smaller areas, like double chin, often give satisfactory results two months after a single session. |
Where are the doctors trained in Lipodissolve? |
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Our physicians are trained by the American Society of Aesthetic Lipodissolve (ASAL), the developer of the Lipodissolve therapy. |
How does Lipodissolve differ from mesotherapy? |
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Injection technique and medications are unique for Lipodissolve. Mesotherapy is an imitation of Lipodissolve that is often slow to respond and may require as many as 20 sessions. Lipodissolve contain a standardized mixture of pharmaceutical agents that have been monitored and researched for safety. The general response time is 1-4 sessions for results, depending on body type and metabolism. |
How big is a typical treatment area? |
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A treatment area is roughly equal to the area covered by laying two hands on your body. |
Why can’t the treatment be spread out over a larger area, or split between areas? |
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If the treatment is spread out over a larger area or split between 2 or 3 areas it will be less effective |
Why does it sometimes take 3 or 4 sessions per area to get results? |
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Sometimes dramatic results can occur after one treatment such as 2 or 3 inches lost in one area. This occurs in the minority of treatments. Most people see only small results in one treatment. The majority of people respond after 2 or 3 treatment in one area. 95% of people respond with 2 or three inches of loss after 4 treatments. You must remember that the response also depends on the area treated and may vary if there is any overall change in weight of the person treated. |
Why do we perform tape measurements, weights and/or photo documentation at every visit? |
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An obvious change in body weight can have a significant result on the success of the procedure. The results are gradual and may not be appreciated until before and after comparisons can be made. Often patients state that they first note that their clothes are looser fitting. |
What about certification? |
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Dr. Woodworth has been trained and certified by the American Society of Aesthetic LipoDissolve® (ASAL), the developer of the LipoDissolve® therapy. Dr. Woodworth is also certified by the American Board of Surgery. He is a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons and a partner in Mercy Health Systems of Northwest Arkansas. |
Where should I go to get Lipodissolve® now that there are so many places offering it? |
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First of all, find out who performs the procedure. Does the doctor perform the procedure himself or does a nurse or aesthetician do it? Dr. Woodworth performs all of the LipoDissolve® procedures. Also, some providers who administer “Lipodissolve” may not be certified by national or international agencies or using the formulation advocated by the American Society of LipoDissolve®. |
What makes NWA LipoDissolve different? |
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Many other LipoDissolve® providers give one quarter to one half the dose we use. Because the other centers use less product it usually takes more treatments and thus takes longer to see results. Since we are giving more product and dissolving more fat per treatment there is often more swelling and tenderness after one of our treatments but fewer sessions are needed. Again, Dr. Woodworth is a board certified surgeon and does not delegate the procedure to nurses or technicians. |
