What is Lipodissolver?
Lipodissolver is a term used to describe when the compound known as phosphatidylcholine deoxycholate (PC/DC) is injected into areas of fat causing them to dissolve.
How Lipodissolver Works
Both components of PC/DC in Lipodissolver have an effect on fat. Studies have shown reduced fat tissue volume through the destruction of fat cells. The exact mechanism is not known, but it is believed to be the direct destruction of fat cells as well as triggering fat cell death. This is a process called apotosis. PC/DC has been shown to selectively reduce fat cells without damaging other tissues, although there have been reports of skin trauma such as blistering, which is very rare.
Lipodissolver Success Rate
The amount of fat reduction to achieve satisfaction is about 30%, but this varies based on the patient’s desires, as well as how the reduction is measured. The treatments are generally repeated until satisfaction occurs, which is typically seen at 2-4 sessions for an area.
Areas We treat With Lipodissolver
Patients generally have 1-4 treatments, spaced 1-2 months apart. Typical treatment areas are:
- Abdomen
- Flanks
- Thighs
- Arms
How Many Treatments Are Needed with Lipodissolver
Generally, patients get 1-2 areas treated with Lipodissolver at one time. This is based on the amount of PC/DC that is known to be safe during a single treatment. For example, the largest area that can be treated during a single session would be the abdomen or the flanks. For smaller areas, multiple treatments can be done the same day. Examples of small areas would be the under chin fat, or arms.
It is common to schedule 2 sessions, 2 weeks apart, and then wait 4-6 weeks to determine if additional treatments are desired. During the waiting period, other areas of the body can be treated.
Lipodissolver Compared to Other Fat-Reduction Treatments
Lipodissolver vs Mesotherapy®
There is a lot of overlap in the terms. Mesotherapy refers to the injection of various drugs under the skin. When it was noted that PC/DC injections reduce fat, doctors performing mesotherapy started adding PC/DC to the mix, but this limited the amount of the effective fat reducing drug (PC/DC) that could be used in a single session. Fat reducing drugs commonly used in mesotherapy include L-carnitine, aminophylline, yohimbine, isoproterenol, and other “lipolysis” drugs. But only PC/DC was shown to permanently destroy fat cells, while the other ingredients aided in the fat cells releasing free fatty acids but offered no long-term benefit. The other drugs also had a narrower safety profile, so the dosage is the limiting step. PC/DC alone can be used in a more concentrated fashion to achieve better results.
Lipodissolver vs Coolsculpting®
Another fat reducing procedure is called Coolsculpting (CS). CS uses a machine to keep fat at a temperature that leads to a similar destruction of fat cells without injections. CS doesn’t have the inflammation (swelling, discomfort, redness) but is limited to the size and shape of the area treated. CS tends to take more treatments than PC/DC to get to the same results.
Lipodissolver vs Kybella®
Both of these treatments are used to describe fat dissolving injections; however, they use different compounds. While Lipodissolver uses PC/DC, Kybella® uses deoxycholate, an FDA approved drug made to reduce fat in smaller areas of the body like under the chin. While Kybella is effective in these smaller areas, it is not as effective when injected into larger areas to reduce fat including the abdomen and flanks like Lipodissolver can.
Before & After
