Painless procedure designed to break down fat cells

By Cyndi Kight

Correspondent

VIRGINIA BEACH

Jasmine Angeles can vouch that the old adage "no pain, no gain" just isn't true these days.

The 30-year-old Kempsville resident said she lost one whole pant size in two weeks - without pain, scarring or worry about surgical complications - with a new fat-zapping laser being offered by South Beach Med Spa in Red Mill Commons Shopping Center.

The sessions were so easy that, Angeles said, "I was on my iPhone the whole time."

The pain to your wallet? One series of Zerona treatments costs $2,400.

Called "Zerona," the series of six treatments involves a low-level or "cold" laser that pierces fat cells, said spa owner Tammy Paxton.

The fat seeps out of the cell and is then picked up by the bloodstream, filtered by the kidneys and liver and eliminated when you go to the bathroom, said Bill Eldridge, whose company represents the distributor, Santa Barbara Medical Innovations.

There is also a preprocedure protocol to help prepare the body, said Paxton, as well as a post-procedure plan. The protocol includes drinking lots of water to encourage elimination.

The Food and Drug Administration does not approve procedures, but does approve laser equipment. The Zerona Web site states the company plans to submit clinical trial results to the FDA.

Angeles, who is a representative for a surf-clothing company, said that she first learned about Zerona on the TV show, "The Doctors." Then she drove by South Beach Med Spa and saw the process advertised on the window.

Though she works out regularly, Angeles said, she was interested in toning up, and the quick effect promised by Zerona intrigued her.

During an open house at the spa, Eldridge spoke to guests about the treatment process, which targets subcutaneous fat cells.

He described how, in each 40-minute session, the laser's energy is directed on the patient's back for 20 minutes and on the front for 20 minutes, creating "micropores" in fat cells.

"The interesting aspect is that it works," Eldridge said. "We're seeing a 93-95 percent success rate." On the average, most people lose 4.5-5 inches.

Angeles beat that. "I've done a total of 8 inches all over," she said.

Though she could safely start a new two-week session to lose more inches, Angeles is finished. "I'm done," she said. "I'm happy with it."

But some doctors believe more research is needed on the procedure. One is Dr. Lambros K. Viennas, plastic surgeon at Eastern Virginia Medical School Health Services.

"Although the LipoLaser clinical trials have been encouraging - showing reduction in the waist line, hips and thighs - some patients may not respond to treatment for various reasons," said Viennas, associate professor of surgery at EVMS. "Further investigation is also essential to determine the long-term side effects, and effects on nonfatty tissues."

According to Eldridge, results last as long as healthy habits are maintained.

Paxton, who opened South Beach Med Spa in 2007, began offering the procedure in early July. "I discovered it on the Internet by sheer accident," she said.

Salem Woods resident Cheri Pizarro, who attended the open house, said the price of Zerona was a draw since it is less than most surgical weight-loss procedures.

Plus, she said, "I'm not into needles and things or major surgery."

"We're excited about it," said Paxton.

Cyndi Kight, kightcw@yahoo.com