title: Efficacy of low-level laser therapy for body contouring and spot fat reduction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is commonly used in medical applications, but scientific studies of its efficacy and the mechanism by which it causes loss of fat from fat cells for body contouring are lacking. This study examined the effectiveness and mechanism by which 635–680 nm LLLT acts as a non-invasive body contouring intervention method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty healthy men and women ages 18–65 years with a BMI <30 kg/m2 were randomized 1:1 to laser or control treatment. Subject's waistlines were treated 30 min twice a week for 4 weeks. Standardized waist circumference measurements and photographs were taken before and after treatments 1, 3, and 8. Subjects were asked not to change their diet or exercise habits. In vitro assays were conducted to determine cell lysis, glycerol, and triglyceride release.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were analyzed for those with body weight fluctuations within 1.5 kg during 4 weeks of the study. Each treatment gave a 0.4–0.5 cm loss in waist girth.Cumulative girth loss after 4 weeks was −2.15 cm (−0.78 ± 2.82 vs. 1.35 ± 2.64 cm for the control group,p < 0.05). A blinded evaluation of standardized pictures showed statistically significant cosmetic improvement after 4 weeks of laser treatment. In vitro studies suggested that laser treatment increases fat loss from adipocytes by release of triglycerides, without inducing lipolysis or cell lysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LLLT achieved safe and significant girth loss sustained over repeated treatments and cumulative over 4 weeks of eight treatments. The girth loss from the waist gave clinically and statistically significant cosmetic improvement.
authors.affiliation: School of Human Ecology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
authors.forename: Mary K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Caruso-Davis
authors.forename: Thomas S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Guillot
authors.forename: Vinod K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Podichetty
authors.forename: Nazar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mashtalir
authors.forename: Nikhil V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Dhurandhar
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dubuisson
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Frank L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Greenway
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008066:Lipolysis / Q000528:radiation effects; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D050507:Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides
references.citation: Br J Nutr. 1965;19:225-35
references.pmid: 14290861
references.citation: Lasers Surg Med. 1985;5(1):31-9
references.pmid: 3982191
references.citation: Clin Oral Implants Res. 2000 Dec;11(6):540-5
references.pmid: 11168247
references.citation: Plast Reconstr Surg. 2002 Sep 1;110(3):912-22; discussion 923-5
references.pmid: 12172159
references.citation: Swed Dent J. 1994;18(1-2):29-34
references.pmid: 8052949
references.citation: J Invest Dermatol. 1990 Apr;94(4):426-31
references.pmid: 2313114
references.citation: Methods Mol Biol. 2008;456:155-71
references.pmid: 18516560
references.citation: Diabetes Obes Metab. 2007 May;9(3):300-3
references.pmid: 17391155
references.citation: J Clin Laser Med Surg. 1998 Dec;16(6):317-20
references.pmid: 10204437
references.citation: Parodontol Stomatol (Nuova). 1984 May-Aug;23(2):167-78
references.pmid: 6443439
references.citation: Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2006 Sep-Oct;30(5):574-88
references.pmid: 16977358
references.citation: Int J Obes (Lond). 2008 Mar;32(3):397-406
references.pmid: 17984979
references.citation: J Photochem Photobiol B. 2003 May-Jun;70(2):81-9
references.pmid: 12849698