Everyone less than the age 40 (or in some occasions, even people in their 60s) nowadays are fanatics of slender and curvy body structures. This phenomenon is followed by several slimming medicines, treatments and surgeries that are almost available now everywhere.
If you are one of those people who are always on the lookout for new slimming techs, then this is for you.
HOT SHOTS: ATX-101
"It's simply an injection, so the ease of use is a great thing," says New York dermatologist Francesca Fusco, MD, of forthcoming jawline sculptor ATX-101. Using a synthetic version of the same molecule, deoxycholic acid, that our digestive system uses to process dietary lipids, ATX-101 shrinks the small pockets of fat that cause double chins. In clinical trials, patients experienced significant loss in submental fat as well as an increase in skin firmness following a series of up to six injections spaced four weeks apart. "Not only are you destroying the fat cells, you're also getting some tightening of the skin," says Miami- and New York City–based dermatologist Fredric Brandt, MD. But while Frank anticipates "a huge stir of applause," he cautions against touting the procedure as a fix-all. In one clinical study, over 20 percent of patients experienced moderate postshot pain, and, he says, "it causes bruising and swelling" that can last two to five days after each treatment. There's also a reason why ATX-101 is best limited to use above the chest. "It's not something that I'd inject all over someone's stomach," Brandt says. "The more fat you're treating, the more of an inflammatory response you're going to get. So when you're treating large areas of the body, there's going to be a lot of swelling."
LIPO-202
Another injectable is being tested in clinical trials specifically to tackle the stomach. Lipo-202's active ingredient, salmeterol xinafoate, found in common asthma medications, whittles fat cells by targeting and diminishing the triglycerides they store (the more triglycerides a cell contains, the bigger it is). "Lipo-202 shrinks the size of the fat cell—it's not destroying it, like with other modalities," says dermatologist Marina Peredo, MD. As a result, "There is no recovery. There is no downtime." Better yet: Many patients report dropping a dress size. "That, I think, was the biggest wow factor," Peredo says. A full course of treatment involves a five-minute session of 20 tiny shots dispersed evenly over the abdomen, performed once a week for eight weeks. And while current trials address only belly issues, Peredo says, "I could see this being used in other areas, like arms or the back," as well as under the chin. But could the inches come back if we give in to a few too many doughnut binges? "We don't have the answer yet," says Peredo, who adds that new studies will look at the long-term effectiveness of the treatment.
Would you dare take the risk for these?
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