Injectable Treatments for Adipose Tissue: Terminology, Mechanism, and Tissue Interaction

Background: Just as injectable fillers have addressed the need for non-surgical methods to restore desired volume, a number of injectable therapies purpor to play a comparable role to reduce undesired volume. Objective: To review published literature on the history, mechanism of action, and tissue interaction of injectable methods that aim to reduce localized collections of fat. Results: Mesotherapy is an injection technique that has medical and cosmetic applications and is often confused with injectable fat loss therapies; injection lipolysis describes non-ablative fat reduction with agents (such as beta-agonists) that activate adipocyte lipolytic pathways; and adipolytic therapy using biologic detergents (such as deoxycholate) leads to permanent adipocyte ablation. None of these therapies have been cleared for use in fat reduction by any regulatory authority worldwide. Conclusions: The mechanism of action and tissue effects of injectable fat reducing compounds are diverse but are becoming increasingly understood. Lasers Surg. Med. 41:714-720, 2009. (C) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.