Doc says new injections melt fat

Some U.S. doctors say a new procedure called lipodissolve is a viable alternative to surgical liposuction.

The procedure, which has yet to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, involves a series of injections designed to dissolve fat from the stomach and other body areas, CBS News said Wednesday.

Patients are injected with PCDC, a solution containing bile salt, which helps break down fat.

Dr. Roger Friedman, medical director of a lipodissolve clinic with offices in Maryland and Virginia, said patients can lose at least a half an inch on their waistline per treatment.

Critics say there is no scientific proof the injections work.

"We don't know how it works," Dr. Alan Gold, president of the American Society Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, told CBS News. "They're surmising how it works. We need to have proof before, in good conscience, we can recommend it to more patients."

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

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