In August of 2010, the Zerona laser lipo procedure earned FDA approval. This non-invasive fat reduction technique is used to break down fatty cells around the torso and upper legs. Unlike more targeted non-invasive procedures, this one doesn’t require the fatty area to be a discrete pocket such as a love handle or belly bulge for treatment to be effective. Instead, the laser beam is directed at a broader treatment area for overall circumference reduction.

During treatment, the patient lies on his/her back (wearing protective goggles) while the lasers move back and forth across the area where fat reduction is desired. After 20 minutes, the patient turns over so that the other side of the body can be treated in a similar fashion. A typical treatment plan includes 3 sessions per week over a 2 week period.

Trial Results

The fact that the low power laser used in this treatment does not cause any pain made it possible to compare Zerona directly with placebo (fake) treatment using LED lighting. The results of a clinical trial published in 2009 showed an average loss of more than 3.5 inches total across the 3 areas of laser treatment (hips, waist, and thighs) compared with about 2/3 of an inch total for placebo patients. 70% of patients receiving the real treatment expressed satisfaction with their results compared to 26% in the placebo group.

The laser is non-thermal which means it does not burn the skin or underlying tissues. Instead, the beam is calibrated to cause fat cell membranes to rupture. The cell contents leaks out into the surrounding tissue through these damaged areas in the cell walls. The immune system can then clean up and excrete the fat as it would any other waste product in the body.

Potential Drawbacks

The Zerona procedure does not prevent patients from regaining weight. In fact, one less publicized result of the clinical trial for this procedure is that circumference regain may begin happening very quickly after the completion of treatment (within a couple of weeks). Patients must use other methods including dietary changes and exercise if they wish to preserve the effects of this laser lipo procedure.

Because Zerona features a treatment cost of $2330 on average and a circumference reduction that is slight, some patients may find that simply making lifestyle changes to reduce fat naturally may be the most sensible treatment plan. However, patients who wish to see a quick (even if temporary) reduction in inches without experiencing any of the side effects and downtime associated with invasive forms of liposuction may find this treatment satisfactory. Realistic expectations are likely to play a substantial role in patient satisfaction for this non-invasive treatment.

Print PDF