Doctors say what makes this different is it doesn't just shrink fat cells, it destroys them.
44-year-old Jen Pedrick has weighed the same amount all of her adult life, but over the past few years she says her body shape has changed.
"So, one of the changes that has happened is I have developed more of a pouch in my stomach," said Jen.
To get rid of that pouch, she is trying a new treatment called Vanquish.
Dermatologist Dr. Karen Harkaway says it is non-invasive.
The machine hovers about an inch above problem areas. Unlike many other fat-zapping treatments, Vanquish is large enough to treat the tummy and love handles at the same time.
It emits radio frequency energy.
"The energy sort of comes together at a point in your fat," said Dr. Karen Harkaway. "We know, in fact, that these fat cells are not just shrunk, but they are actually destroyed."
Dr. Harkaway says the treatment was first used to manage pain, but doctors started noticing people getting smaller in the areas treated.
It is FDA-approved for deep tissue heating. The inventors are now seeking approval for fat loss.
"It just feels like a warm blanket or heating pad," said Jen.
Treatments are 30 minutes each. You will need four to six sessions. On average people lose two to four inches.
Jen went from 35 inches around her belly button to 31.
"I normally wear tights, but one day I put dress pants on and that was when I really noticed a difference," she said. "The results for me were great. It was 100% painless, effortless. I didn't have to do anything. I didn't change my diet, I didn't exercise. I couldn't ask for anything more."
Dr. Harkaway says the only risk is for hot spots. If an area gets too hot, it could burn the skin, but she says this is very rare.
Vanquish costs about $2,000 to $2,500 for four to six sessions. A handful of doctors in our area now have it.
As for the fat loss, a long as Jen doesn't gain any weight, it likely won't come back. If she does put on weight, it will likely go to other areas.
For more information:
Dr. Karen Harkaway's office: http://drharkaway.com/
Dr. David Vasily in Bethlehem: http://www.ilovemyskin.com/services/body-contouring
