title: Focused Ultrasound Lipolysis in the Treatment of Abdominal Cellulite: An Open-Label Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite a growing popularity of noninvasive ultrasonic lipolysis procedure, there is a lack of evidence about the efficacy of this method. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of focused ultrasonic lipolysis on abdominal cellulite treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight consecutive subjects (age: 37.8 ± 8 years) underwent weekly transdermal focused ultrasonic lipolysis (Med Contour, General Project Ltd., Florence, Italy) and vacuum drainage for a maximum of eight sessions. Largest abdominal girth and 2 lines at 4 cm to 7 cm distance above and under it were located as fixed points of measurements. The mean value of the three fixed lines was considered as the abdominal circumference. Subjects were evaluated using measurements of circumference, immediately after and 3 weeks after the final treatment and compared using paired t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred ninety-four ultrasonic lipolysis procedures were performed on 28 subjects. A statistically significant (P < .001) average of 1.89 cm (95% CI: 1.63-2.02 cm) decrease of circumference value was observed in each session of ultrasonic lipolysis. The mean pretreatment to posttreatment circumference reduction was 8.21 cm (95% CI: 6.38-10.04, P < .001) that declined to 7 cm (95% CI: 3.2-10.8, P < .001) at the 3-month follow-up visit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Focused ultrasonic lipolysis appears to be an effective method for reduction of abdominal cellulite, although some amount of circumference reduction reversal may be observed in long term follow-up visit.
authors.affiliation: Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Skin Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamideh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moravvej
authors.affiliation: Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Akbari
authors.affiliation: Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahrzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohammadian
authors.affiliation: Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Razzaghi
keywords: Abdominal circumference; Cellulite; Lipolysis