Laser Treatment SculpSure Is Now Cleared by the FDA for Use on Double Chins
By Macaela Mackenzie. Photo by: Getty Images.
This just in: SculpSure, a non-invasive laser treatment that targets fat cells, just received a major green light from the FDA.
SculpSure, which isn't necessarily new, is already FDA-cleared to zap unwanted fat cells from thighs and abdominal areas. But as of today, following a clinical trial, the treatment has officially been cleared for use on excess skin surrounding the chin — a.k.a. the "double chin" or the "submental area."
"Most patients in the 57-person clinical trial received two brief treatments six weeks apart," said Lawrence Bass, a board-certified plastic surgeon and a principal investigator in the SculpSure clinical trials. "The short treatment time, 100 percent satisfaction rate, and dramatic contour reductions typically seen in the study patients give SculpSure the edge as the treatment of choice for the submental area."
Here's how it works: During a treatment session, which lasts about 25 minutes, a laser raises the temperature of fat cells beneath the skin (while keeping the surface cool so it doesn't burn you) until they are destroyed. Once the fat cells have been destroyed, they're naturally eliminated by your bod over the next six weeks, which is when you'll start to see results. The best part is SculpSure is totally non-invasive —meaning no knives or needles involved.
Like any procedure, there can be side effects, but the risks are pretty minimal, Joshua Zeichner, dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, tells Allure. "Side effects include burning and stinging during the procedure and patients may develop bruising while healing," he says.
In addition to earning official FDA clearance to treat double chins, SculpSure also received another major green light. Body-contouring treatments, like SculpSure, do have a weight limit — those currently on the market are only cleared for people with a BMI of 30 or lower. SculpSure, on the other hand, was just cleared by the FDA to treat patients with BMIs up to 43 (for the chin only), making it the most inclusive solution for those looking to take action against unwanted body fat.
"Most of the treatments that we have for double chins are best used in patients with mild to moderate degrees of excess fat," Zeichner says. "A non-invasive treatment for patients with a higher BMI is a welcomed addition to the arsenal of fat reducing technologies on the market."
As non-invasive treatments, like SculpSure, become more inclusive and widely available, they also become a little easier to talk about. If a little extra chin softness bugs you, talk to your derm about the optimal course of treatment for you. (Pricing typically depends on your medical provider, but starts at approximately $750 per treatment.) And, of course, it should go without saying that if it doesn't bug you, you don't have to do a damn thing about it either.
This story originally appeared on Allure.
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