Noninvasive body contouring: cryolipolysis and ultrasound

Over the past 5 years, there has been a paradigm shift in the treatment of fat. The clear trend is toward noninvasive fat removal technologies over more traditional forms of fat removal such as liposuction. While these devices do not yet approach the results seen with liposuction, noninvasive treatments are gaining popularity due to their ability to safely and effectively reduce fat with little downtime and typically no need for anesthesia. The optimal candidate is relatively fit with localized areas of adiposity, rather than an obese patient. It is important to note that there are numerous noninvasive fat devices including low-level light, radiofrequency, laser, cryolipolysis, and ultrasound. Some of these technologies have more robust data to support their efficacy than others. This review will focus on only 2 noninvasive fat technologies: cryolipolysis and ultrasound.