Are fat dissolvers safe? A guide to risks and benefits

Fat dissolvers are becoming more and more popular these days. But what exactly are they? Simply put, they’re injections that claim to melt away stubborn fat in specific areas of your body – like under your chin, around your stomach, or on your thighs.

As more people try these treatments, questions about their safety keep coming up. Are they safe? Do they work? What are the risks? These are important questions that anyone considering fat dissolvers should ask.

To help you decide if fat dissolvers are right, we’ll explain everything you need to know, including how they work, their benefits, and their risks.

What Are Fat Dissolvers?

Fat dissolvers are shots that help get rid of small pockets of fat you can’t lose by just eating healthy and working out. They work by breaking down the fat cells in those areas.  The main types use substances called deoxycholic acid or phosphatidylcholine.

Your body already makes deoxycholic acid to digest fat from food. When doctors inject it, it does the same thing but instead breaks down fat under your skin. So, it’s a natural process, just used differently.

These injections are most commonly used for:

• Double chin reduction
• Small belly fat areas
• Love handles
• Inner thigh fat
• Upper arm fat

How Fat Dissolving Injections Work?

Let’s talk about how these injections get rid of fat:

• Breaks Down Fat: When you get the injection, it breaks open the fat cells. Then, your body takes care of the broken-down fat and gets rid of it, like when you burn fat by working out or eating healthy.
• The Body’s Cleanup Process: When fat cells get broken down, your body sends its ‘cleanup team’ (immune cells) to get rid of the debris. This cleanup happens through your body’s drain system (lymphatic system). The swelling you might see is just your body’s way of showing it’s busy cleaning up the mess.
• Timeline for Results: You may notice changes within a month or two of starting treatment. But it takes a bit longer for your body to get rid of everything, so the final results will appear a couple of months after you finish.
• Number of Sessions Needed: To see the best results, you’ll likely need 2 to 4 treatments. Each treatment should be about 6 to 8 weeks apart so your body can recover and remove the treated fat cells.

What  Benefits Fat Dissolvers Can Offer?

Fat dissolvers are loved because of their various perks. Let’s have a look:

1. No Surgery Required: Instead of surgery, you get a few shots. That’s it! No cuts, no stitches, and you can go home right away. Because it’s just injections, you don’t need to be put to sleep, making it safer than surgery.
2. Quick Recovery Time: Most people can get back to normal activities the next day after treatment. While you might have some swelling or tenderness, you won’t need to take weeks off work or stay in bed like you would after surgery. 
3. Targeted Fat Reduction: Fat dissolvers let you pick exactly where to reduce fat. This means you can focus on stubborn areas that bother you most, like a double chin or love handles, without affecting other parts of your body.
4. Cost-Effective: Fat dissolvers might cost more upfront, but they can save you money later. They skip the hefty hospital bills and ongoing treatments that come with surgery, so you spend less.

Potential Risks and Side Effects

Before getting fat-dissolving shots, learn about the problems they could cause. Most people are fine, but you need to know both the normal and severe reactions that might happen.

• Common Swelling and Bruising: After the treatment, you’ll likely have some swelling where it was done. This is normal and means your body is working to get rid of the treated fat cells. The swelling usually goes away in 1-2 weeks. You may also have bruising, which should disappear in 7-10 days.
• Pain and Discomfort: You can expect some pain or discomfort after the treatment. This is normal, especially in the first few days. How much pain you feel will be different for everyone. It could be a minor soreness or more painful.
• Uneven Results: Sometimes, the fat doesn’t dissolve evenly, which can leave bumpy or irregular areas. This is why it’s very important to go to an experienced aesthetician who knows exactly where and how to place the injections for the most even results.
• Numbness: Sometimes, you might feel numbness or ‘pins and needles’ in the area after the treatment. This can last for a few weeks. It’s because the treatment can temporarily bother the tiny nerves in your skin.
• Tissue Damage: In rare cases, the treatment can accidentally hurt the skin or other body parts near the treated area, not just the fat. This is why it’s really important to see a doctor who knows what they’re doing.
• Allergic Reactions: Some people’s bodies don’t like the fat-dissolving stuff. This is called an allergic reaction. Most of the time, it’s just a little annoying, like a rash or itch. But sometimes, it can be more serious. 

How To Stay Safe?

To stay safe and get good results from fat-dissolving treatments, it’s important to think about a few things first.

1. FDA Approval Status: Only use FDA-approved treatments. Kybella is the only FDA-approved injectable fat dissolver for treating double chin fat.
2. Licensed Provider Required: Get your treatment from a licensed healthcare provider with specific training in fat-dissolving injection.
3. Medical Facility Standards: Make sure your treatment is done in a clean, proper medical setting with emergency equipment available – never get these injections in someone’s home or at a beauty salon.
4. Blood Thinning Medications: Tell your provider if you take blood thinners or aspirin, as these might need to be stopped temporarily before treatment.
5. Pregnancy and Nursing: Avoid fat dissolvers if you’re pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or nursing – there isn’t enough research to prove it’s safe in these situations.

You may also like to read: How does Lemon Bottle Fat Dissolving Work?

Final Thoughts

If you have stubborn little fat spots that won’t disappear no matter how much you diet or work out, you might want to consider getting injections that can melt that fat away. They’re not surgical procedures but have some possible temporary side reactions. These shots aren’t meant to make you lose weight all over. They work on small, specific areas of your body. Before you get them, research the treatment, find a qualified doctor, and talk to them about what you hope to achieve.

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