NOT Burning Fat:
Flab Jab - Anti-Fat Shots
Cosmetic use of Lipostabil - a brand name for the fat dissolving PPT- has already
been banned in Brazil after being linked to serious skin infections. Canadian
officials ordered doctors to stop using it based on fears about possible nerve
damage.
The product is also marketed as Flabjab, Lipomelt, Lipodissolve and Fat-Away.
Doctors’ using the procedure claim that is offers good results with much less risk
than comparable liposuction treatments and many patients are pleased with the
results.
Dr. Caplin, medical adviser to Fig., a large group of clinics that offer the
service in the Midwest US, said no serious side effects had occurred at its
centers. “Certain techniques that use higher volumes (of injected PPT) than we do
can get massive swelling,” said Dr. Caplin. He also added that the occasional
patient at Fig. had experienced skin blistering.
“The fat decrease is variable and hard to quantify, but when you look at the
before and after photos, the fat mass is not there,” he said. “The best measure is
patient satisfaction.”
Rob Semaan, the chief executive of Fig., said that the procedure is safe and - from
all those doctors that have performed the procedure worldwide - none reported any
deaths or other serious side effects.
Doctors who are interested in offering the procedure have experimented on
themselves. One doctor reported he felt like he had been stung by 50 bees and his
skin turned black. These effects dissipated after a few weeks and he reported no
change – fat wise – in the effected area.
Clinics that offer the treatment continue to be optimistic and make strong
endorsements: “Lipodissolve is a hugely exciting development that has been shown
to generate astounding results. You can also have this treatment as many times as
you like. The substance has been employed by doctors for many years to prevent fat
embolism in the blood - so it's a medically proven, safe treatment.”
Since the treatment is now being banned in many areas until studies can show it’s
both safe and effective, black market applications of self-injected PPT are now
being marketed on the Internet. These web sites make all the normal claims plus
that it’s safe to inject the substance yourself. This, say experts, is truly
dangerous.
The problems are many fold: injections into the wrong spot may cause permanent
nerve damage, small doses may be ineffective, too large a dose may involve serious
swelling and improper attention to needle sterility could result in infection.
These risks must also be considered along with a possible – but rare – allergic
reaction.
In the end, if one does not change their long term lifestyle of too many calories
and not enough exercise, this treatment will end up being nothing more than the
equivalent of a fad diet. Lose it now only to gain it back in a few years.
For some – those with a large wallet and a vanity to match – these treatments are
worth any price and amount of suffering. Ironically, they will choose this path
rather than the more sensible, safe and life-extending healthy diet and regular
exercise programs which are cheaper, safer and more effective.
Someday there may be a pill, injection or treatment that will negate the effects of
a poor lifestyle, but there will probably always be a downside. Better to start
doing something about your jelly roll now than wait for a silver bullet. And
definitely better to wait until all the evidence comes in before injecting foreign
substances into your body.
|
