Going Under the Knife – Not! The Top 4 Non-Invasive Fat Removal Treatments

Diet, exercise and diuretic “skinny” teas aren’t chipping away at those stubborn pockets of body fat? 

If you’re struggling with some problem areas despite your hard work, but the thought of going under the knife causes major heebie-jeebies, don’t worry–you have options! 

“Seriously?” You may ask. “No cutting and surgical scars, no anesthesia?” Bingo! 

According to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, liposuction has been popular since the 1980s, so it’s a proven and pretty safe method to remove stubborn fat, but it can take up to six weeks of recovery time. 

It’s also pretty expensive. Contouring your body with lipo can cost up to and over (gulp) $5,000 for just one treatment area. 

You’re about to find out about several new procedures that work just as well with little to no downtime and–best of all–at a fraction of the cost of very invasive (and painful!) liposuction. 

Spot treatments like these are also a huge help when you’re trying to get rid of that skinny fat. 

Just remember that non-invasive fat removal procedures tend to work best for spot reduction and sculpting and shouldn’t be used as a weight loss method. If weight loss is what you’re looking for, try one of these top weight loss programs to get your body ready for the fat reduction treatments outlined below. 

Now, are you ready to learn about treatments with all of the benefits of fast fat removal and none of the scars? Keep reading for some of the latest and greatest techniques. 

1. Freeze Those Fat Cells To Death

CoolSculpting®

CoolSculpting® (aka cryolipolysis) is a trendy new way to reduce unwanted fat by essentially freezing away fat cells. But how does it work, exactly?

Unlike liposuction which sucks out fat cells, CoolSculpting® freezes the fat cells which die are then processed through your body’s natural elimination process (i.e. the liver).

Best of all, FDA-approved CoolSculpting® can be performed on most areas of the body including the stomach, arms, back, legs, and underneath the chin.

Who is a great candidate for CoolSculpting®? Well, according to a recent Vogue Magazine article, the treatment can only provide up to a 25-percent reduction in fat, so don’t expect major miracles with one treatment.

Most CoolSculpting® clients will need more than one treatment for desired results. Better still, think of this particular alternative to lipsuction as a great way to spot-treat areas like the stubborn under-bra bulge, muffin top or tiny double chin. 

Also note: CoolSculpting® is not without pain. Expect numbness and tingling to the treated area (sometimes even months after treatment) and swelling.

And according to MedicalNewsToday, less than one percent of CoolSculpting® clients develop a condition called paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH) which enlarges rather than kills fat cells.

But in most cases, the benefits outweigh the rare risks associated with this procedure. 

The average cost of CoolSculpting® is around $650-800 per treatment area (Note: double that cost for a double chin reduction, which uses two paddles).

You may also have to wait about 8-12 weeks to see the final results of each CoolSculpting® treatment. But many clients say it’s worth the wait. 

CoolLipo™

Not to be confused with CoolSculpting®, another chill method of non-invasive fat removal is Cold Laser Liposuction (cold lipo). 

Cold (low level) lasers target your fat cells and transform them, releasing the fat from problem areas. The lasers then work with your body’s lymphatic system to drain the fat away.

Similar to liposuction, cold lasers liquefy your fat. Instead of sucking it out, however, they use your body’s natural metabolic process of eliminating waste. 

CoolLipo™ procedures typically cost between $3,500 and $8,000 per area. Smaller areas like underneath the chin or jowls are generally less expensive than treating larger areas like the stomach or thighs. 

2. Turn up the Heat and Take Away the Fat

If you prefer the heat to the cold, you may want to consider these options:

SculpSure®

Whereas CoolSculpting® actually suctions your fat (ouch!) and then freezes it, SculpSure® uses flat paddles–no suction at all! 

The paddles release heat targeted to your fat cells which then rupture and release the fat. Over the next several weeks, your body works to flush out the fat.

Similar to CoolSculpting®, however, it may take 2-3 treatments to get desired results. It also can take at least six weeks to see results. 

The good news is that treatment time can take less than 30 minutes, so you can schedule an appointment on your lunch break! You can also treat more than one area at a time–another bonus. 

The average cost of SculpSure® is $1,200-1,800 per treatment area. 

Zerona®

Zerona is, frankly, one of the more complex non-invasive fat removal procedures, but that’s likely because the technology is one of the first of its kind.

It requires a series of six treatments within two weeks and patients must follow a strict diet after treatment. 

The good news is that it’s relatively pain-free and the cold lasers that are used to kill fat cells cause little to no side-effects. Results are also quick, and patients report visible changes within two weeks after treatment.

The average cost of Zerona is $1,500 to $1,700 for a package of six treatments. 

3. RF Energy for Non-Invasive Fat Removal

truSculpt®

Hamilton Aesthetics of Palm Beach has been successfully treating clients with both truSculpt iD and 3D and states that non-surgical cosmetic procedures have become so popular, that they’ve accounted for 42% of procedures performed in recent years. 

Who do they think is a perfect candidate for truSculpt®? 

Ideally, patients should seek out this procedure if they’re looking for contouring, not major fat reduction. TruSculpt® puts the “finishing touches” on all of your hard work to get your body in its best shape ever. 

truSculpt® iD vs 3D

Both methods do essentially the same thing, but the newer 3D method uses hands-free technology so that multiple areas can be treated at once. 

TruSculpt® uses monopolar radiofrequency to heat up and kill fat cells in your body which are then eliminated. The entire procedure takes only 15-minutes, which makes treatment time remarkably shorter than any other mentioned in this article. 

However, don’t expect more than an 11 to 25-percent reduction in body fat to the treated area. Not much, but a little polish on your near-perfect figure couldn’t hurt. 

Bonus: This procedure can be performed on any area of the body. What’s also great? This procedure has been known to also tighten the skin–unlike the cold methods of non-invasive fat reduction. 

The average cost per treatment is around $2,000-$2,500.

Vanquish

If you only want to get rid of unwanted abdominal fat, Vanquish is an option, as it can only be used to treat the stomach area. 

It uses both radiofrequency and laser energy to heat and destroy fat, causing most patients to lose up to four inches of stubborn belly fat.

Expect about 30 minutes of treatment time and a few treatments (between 4-6) for optimal results. 

The average cost of Vanquish is about $2,000 per treatment.

4. Facial Fat Reduction and Contouring: The Fountain of Youth 

If you’re just interested in reducing facial fat or facial contouring in particular, then you may want to consider one of these options:

Kybella®

Injectables are becoming an increasingly popular option to sculpt jawlines and create a youthful silhouette. However, Kybella® is the only FDA-approved injectable treatment that actually destroys fat cells under the chin.

Favored by social media influencers like the Kardashians, Kybella® is the name of the medicine that is injected into the treatment area (beneath the chin).

It is a naturally occurring deoxycholic acid that works to reduce facial fat once injected. It also tightens the skin around the treated area by kick-starting collagen production. 

The after-effect? Bye-bye, double chin and hello, tighter skin! 

The average cost of Kybella® is $1,500+ per treatment. 

Profound

Profound is a lesser-known option for facial contouring. Like truSculpt® and Vanquish®, Profound uses radio frequency to snap you back to a refreshed and youthful face. 

If the thought of a facelift freaks you out, this device may be a great alternative. After numbing your face and giving you nitrous oxide gas for relaxation, the device probes your skin and heats up the tissues in your face with radio frequency. 

The result?

Experts say this technique gives patients tighter skin, improved elasticity, and lift. How, exactly? This treatment basically creates new tissues by stimulating the production of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid in your skin. 

Results are more comparable to Ultherapy and Thermage than lipolaser treatments, but if you’re looking more for smoothing and improving skin texture–without going under a knife, this could be your fountain of youth. 

This isn’t the treatment for you if you’re interested in major fat reduction, but could be an option if you’re looking to simply smooth things out and tighten it up. 

The average cost is $2,500 and $6,500 per treatment, per reviews on RealSelf.  

Don’t Forget Your Fitness

However you choose to contour your figure to compliment your health routine, know that you have some safe, non-invasive fat removal options. 

Most of the treatments outlined above are enhanced with proper nutrition and exercise programs. Exercise can also help flush out the fat that you’ve frozen to death, heated up, lasered, or injected away. 

Remember, the fat isn’t sucked out (like lipo), but with non-invasive approaches, it’s moved through the body’s metabolic system and eliminated as waste. 

Moving your body also helps move the fat out of you.

Check out our fitness and exercise tips to get a jump start on your weight loss goals!