lunchtime lipo?

[Plarkin]

Have you guys heard of lunchtime lipo -- seriously. It's apparently big in Europe and has a few promoters in the U.S. They inject cow bile and something and it apparently does melt away fat, although not always and not always without some dimpling or stretch marks? I'm wondering of this is being touted in the States for gyne? If so, what the docs on here think? Hey, people once laughed at Botox and injecting people with botulism.

[milesed1]

There are some who are injecting things to melt away areas of fat these days, but it is NOT an FDA approved treatment or substance. I've heard of some local women who had serious problems from getting this (it's called mesotherapy). It's not actually lipo.

There is also another type of real lipo done now with a very small instrument that only removes a little tissue and isn't meant for much of a change. Maybe this is the one you'd heard about.

[Plarkin]

Yeah, that's the procedure -- mesowhatever. What sort of problems? I know it's not FDA approved, but -- trust me and as one thats lives outside the USA -- the FDA is not the be all and end all of regulatory approvals. It's quite popular in Europe, apparently. Should be big in LA soon, I figure.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

There are  some chemicals which, when injected into fat, cause it to die.  The body then removes the dead fat cells. 

While other places in the world may allow this to be done (mesotherapy), the FDA and most legitimate doctors do not do this in the US.  In fact, several countries that used to allow this (eg France, Brazil) have recently banned the practice.

Why?  Because there have been many problems, infections, tissue loss, etc with this.  It is presently being studied in the US under very carefully controlled scientific studies.  You would do best to wait until the results are in before starting out.

Elliot Jacobs, MD, FACS

[milesed1]

Yeah, that's the procedure -- mesowhatever. What sort of problems? I know it's not FDA approved, but -- trust me and as one thats lives outside the USA -- the FDA is not the be all and end all of regulatory approvals. It's quite popular in Europe, apparently. Should be big in LA soon, I figure.

There are quite a few local doctors who also run various types "spas" out of their offices. Some are dermatologists, family practice docs and OB/Gyn's. NONE of them are plastic surgeons. I wouldn't trust anyone who isn't a board-certified plastic surgeon to perform any type of cosmetic procedure like this. I think it says a lot that none of them offer it here.

The ladies who had negative outcomes complained of very spotty fat loss (they looked like they had cellulite at the injection sites) as well as infections.

[MSJ108]

There are  some chemicals which, when injected into fat, cause it to die.  The body then removes the dead fat cells. 

While other places in the world may allow this to be done (mesotherapy), the FDA and most legitimate doctors do not do this in the US.  In fact, several countries that used to allow this (eg France, Brazil) have recently banned the practice.

Why?  Because there have been many problems, infections, tissue loss, etc with this.  It is presently being studied in the US under very carefully controlled scientific studies.  You would do best to wait until the results are in before starting out.

Elliot Jacobs, MD, FACS