What do you think of lipo-dissolve, the fat-burning injections that have become so popular?
This technique is an update of mesotherapy, a method I’ve crit- icized. Like mesotherapy, lipo-dissolve is used for “spot reduction” of fat de- posits and cellulite. It’s promoted as an alternative to liposuction to re- duce sagging jaw lines, “love handles” and upper-back fat. My objections to mesotherapy center on the fact that there doesn’t seem to be any standardization of the “fat-burning” substances injected. Different doctors use different combinations of drugs, usually a melange of plant extracts, vitamins, Novocain and aminophylline (a stim- ulant drug from tea formerly used to treat the symptoms of asthma). Another substance that’s often used is phosphatidylcholine, a constituent of cell membranes that can also be isolated from egg yolks and soybeans. When injected into the skin, it can cause extreme swelling and inflammation at the injection site. Based on what I’ve read, lipo- dissolve contains a mixture of phosphatidylcholine and sodium deoxycholate, a bile salt that aids
