Dermatologic Surgery
The use of focused ultrasound for non-invasive body contouring in Asians
Shek S, Yu C, Yeung CK, Kono T, Chan HH. Lasers Surg Med. 2009;41:751-759.
In the quest for better body contours, studies have shown that focused ultrasound energy is a viable option for non-surgical fat reduction in Caucasians. Study researchers decided to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ultrasound energy in 53 Asian patients who underwent up to three focused ultrasound treatments of the abdomen with 1 month between each treatment. Results were evaluated by abdominal circumference and fat thickness measured using ultrasound and calipers; weight difference was tracked; patient questionnaires were filled out post treatment to measure pain levels, noticeable body improvement, and satisfaction.
Overall, patients were dissatisfied with treatment, and no significant changes were shown in objective measurements. The study authors conclude that focused ultrasound is not an effective option for non-surgical body contouring in the Asian population and suggest that such results may be attributed to their finer body frames.
Publication available in Wiley’s Online Library at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/lsm.20875/abstract