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Efficacy of Low-Level Laser Therapy for Body Contouring and Spot Fat Reduction

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Abstract

Background

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is commonly used in medical applications, but scientific studies of its efficacy and the mechanism by which it causes loss of fat from fat cells for body contouring are lacking. This study examined the effectiveness and mechanism by which 635–680 nm LLLT acts as a non-invasive body contouring intervention method.

Methods

Forty healthy men and women ages 18–65 years with a BMI <30 kg/m2 were randomized 1:1 to laser or control treatment. Subject's waistlines were treated 30 min twice a week for 4 weeks. Standardized waist circumference measurements and photographs were taken before and after treatments 1, 3, and 8. Subjects were asked not to change their diet or exercise habits. In vitro assays were conducted to determine cell lysis, glycerol, and triglyceride release.

Results

Data were analyzed for those with body weight fluctuations within 1.5 kg during 4 weeks of the study. Each treatment gave a 0.4–0.5 cm loss in waist girth. Cumulative girth loss after 4 weeks was −2.15 cm (−0.78 ± 2.82 vs. 1.35 ± 2.64 cm for the control group, p < 0.05). A blinded evaluation of standardized pictures showed statistically significant cosmetic improvement after 4 weeks of laser treatment. In vitro studies suggested that laser treatment increases fat loss from adipocytes by release of triglycerides, without inducing lipolysis or cell lysis.

Conclusions

LLLT achieved safe and significant girth loss sustained over repeated treatments and cumulative over 4 weeks of eight treatments. The girth loss from the waist gave clinically and statistically significant cosmetic improvement.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a grant from Meridian Medical, Inc. Mary Katherine Caruso-Davis received support for her assistantship through the Bissoon Mesotherapy Foundation. The mechanistic in vitro studies were partially supported by a CNRU Center Grant # 1P30 DK072476 entitled “Nutritional Programming: Environmental and Molecular Interactions”, sponsored by NIDDK with the assistance of Jeffrey Gimble, M.D., Ph.D. and Ying Yu, MS. The authors wish to thank Eleanor Meador for coordinating the study and performing the LAPEX 2000 LipoLaser treatments, Lindsay Southard and Canaan Heard, undergraduates working on the study, and Mary Beth Burnett who assisted in manuscript preparation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Human Ecology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA

    Mary K. Caruso-Davis

  2. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Baton Rouge, LA, 70808, USA

    Thomas S. Guillot

  3. Research Practice Partners, Miramar, FL, 33027, USA

    Vinod K. Podichetty

  4. Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, LA, 70808, USA

    Nazar Mashtalir, Nikhil V. Dhurandhar, Olga Dubuisson, Ying Yu & Frank L. Greenway

Authors
  1. Mary K. Caruso-Davis
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  2. Thomas S. Guillot
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  3. Vinod K. Podichetty
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  4. Nazar Mashtalir
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  5. Nikhil V. Dhurandhar
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  6. Olga Dubuisson
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  7. Ying Yu
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  8. Frank L. Greenway
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Frank L. Greenway.

Additional information

This study was supported by Meridian Medical, Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada V6K 4L9.

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Caruso-Davis, M.K., Guillot, T.S., Podichetty, V.K. et al. Efficacy of Low-Level Laser Therapy for Body Contouring and Spot Fat Reduction. OBES SURG 21, 722–729 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-010-0126-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-010-0126-y

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