Doctor uses laser to melt away fat

NBC Reporter Monica Robbins
Published: December 26, 2008

A doctor in Cleveland claims he can melt fat away with a laser and in just six days. But it may not be for everyone.

Like many of us Jennifer Lampron wanted to get rid of some bulges around her waist. “The muffin top I did have those I have two children I just wasn’t able to get rid of them,“ says Lampron.

So when her father, Gynecologist Kevin Wisler brought the new Zerona laser into his office she was happy to test it out.

“It’s a cold laser it doesn’t hurt it actually stimulates the cells causes the cells to actually lose the fat and it actually leaks out into the interstitial space and is cleared by the lymphatic system,“ says Wisler.

Wisler says the laser’s been used for years to help make liposuction quicker and easier.  But now Erchonia Medical, the company that makes it, found that external exposure to the laser can have the same effect without surgery.

“We were getting the same results about five and a half six inches of loss with six treatments,“ says Wisler.

Twenty minutes on each side helped Jennifer lose inches.  “Three around the waist and two and a half off of each thigh,“ she says.

Like everything there is a catch it may not work for everyone and expect to pay $2,500 to $3,500 for six treatments. And it’s not a permanent fix—only lifestyle changes will keep those inches off Wisler says.

“I’m trying to maintain it I’m trying to watch my diet I’m not eating the way I used to,“ says Lampron.

The low-level laser emulsifies the fat without damaging the tissue and Dr. Wisler is now doing research on another benefit he found.

“Where’s all this fat going and what’s it going to do to the lipid profile so we actually did pre and post treatment fasting lipid profile and the majority of patients actually improved their cholesterol profile,“ he says.

Wisler is continuing his research to see if the laser has any long-term cholesterol lowering benefits.

Wisler has used the laser on more than a dozen patients since April and says the majority of them had some success.