Fat-melters arrive, bringing concerns

Fat-melters arrive, bringing concerns
November 6
By Tracy Turner
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A new venture opening this month at Easton Town Center promises to eliminate body fat without the cost or pain of traditional liposuction. However, the procedure, already being offered by another chain in Gahanna, is raising eyebrows in medical circles.

Fig is the latest chain to offer SmartLipo and a less invasive but similar procedure called Lipodissolve. The St. Louis-based chain of medically supervised body-shaping outlets is scheduled to open Nov. 19. The Skin Center, a Pittsburgh-based company, operates a Gahanna office that offers SmartLipo.

Lipodissolve is a series of fat-melting injections. SmartLipo uses a laser to eliminate body fat.

Because there's no surgery or general anesthesia involved, and the process generally takes less than an hour, the procedures sometimes have been referred to as "lunchtime lipo."

But some consumer advocates say not enough is known about the effectiveness or long-term effects of the procedures.

Lipodissolve is among the most controversial procedures in cosmetic medicine now, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

The California-based trade group issued a warning in May against injection fat-loss treatments, citing reports of complications including infection, inflamed tissue and tissue death.

"Unfortunately, there is currently insufficient scientifically valid evidence to support the long-term safety and efficacy of injection lipolysis," Alan H. Gold, president of the group's education and research foundation, said in a statement.

The group has since received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to hold a clinical trial to investigate the procedure.

Lipodissolve uses two chemicals, phosphatidylcholine, or PC, and sodium dioxycholate, or DC, to dissolve fat deposits. But the FDA hasn't approved the drug combination for cosmetic use.

Chris Dornfeld, Fig's chief development officer, says there's no reason for safety concerns. Fig cites a 2006 study of 17,000 patients by two doctors who called the treatments safe.

Fig's expansion -- including a second Columbus office planned within six months -- is part of a trend by such companies to meet growing demand for non- or minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures.

About 9.1 million minimally invasive cosmetic procedures were performed last year, up 66 percent since 2000, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. SmartLipo and Lipodissolve are among the fastest-growing such procedures.

Fig has 15 locations in seven states and has performed more than 85,000 Lipodissolve treatments, Dornfeld said.

He said Columbus was chosen for the state's first two locations because it "has a fairly progressive, strong demographic."

"There's a growing acceptance of these kinds of cosmetic procedures because (more people) are focused on body-shaping and managing their bodies," Dornfeld said. "Our approach is focused on helping people achieve their desired shape."

The procedures are offered by board-certified plastic surgeons, he said. The company has 20 employees, half of whom are licensed medical professionals, Dornfeld said.

Only licensed physicians may perform SmartLipo, said Joan Wehrle, spokeswoman for the State Medical Board of Ohio. But Ohio law doesn't prohibit doctors from performing procedures that weren't part of their formal training.

The Skin Center began offering SmartLipo in May. The company so far has performed the procedure on 35 clients, said Tania Conti, a Skin Center spokeswoman.

"There's a very high consumer interest level in the market," Conti said. "The technology uses with lasers have evolved significantly in cosmetic surgeries, resulting in amazing results with less recovery time, making the procedure more popular with consumers."

tturner@dispatch.com

Š2007, The Columbus Dispatch, Reproduction prohibited