ABC-TV has aired a segment of its 20/20 news magazine series that covers the phenomenon of the "lunchtime lift" procedure — titled 'Lunchtime Lipo' Draws Concern from Doctors.
Click here to read the story (Many thanks to the Cosmetic Surgery Blog). From the online version of the article, you can also view the 20/20 segment on video.
The upshot of the 20/20 report is that 3 women went to physicians looking to answer the following question: "What if there was a way to get rid of that unwanted fat without going under the knife? How convenient it would be to stop by a clinic during your lunch hour, get a few injections and dissolve away your trouble spots of extra fat."
All of the interviewees mentioned in this article went for the Lipodissolve treatment performed at different medispa-type locations, and all of them had complaints about the outcomes — allergic reactions, apparently severe side effects, and emergency surgery in one case.
The article is told in a "scared straight" style that aptly warns aesthetic surgery clients to make sure about the who, what, where, and how of proposed procedures before signing on the dotted line and paying the fee.
However, as is typical for the mainstream press, 'Lunchtime Lipo' Draws Concern from Doctors gives only the "scary" side of the "lunchtime lift" story. Most physicians have reservations about these procedures, though.
Looking at the 20/20 reader comments indicates that most who wrote feedback had benefited from this procedure (and with few or no serious side effects).
You be your own judge. Is Lipodissolve and the "lunchtime" lift" a boon for the industry or should the practice be stopped?