Special Topic The Evidence Behind Noninvasive Body Contouring Devices

The demand for body contouring is rapidly increasing, and interest in noninvasive approaches has also grown. The author reviewed the evidence base behind the currently available devices and methods for nonsurgical body contouring. There is little high-level evidence in the present literature to support the effectiveness of any of these devices. Accepted for publication October 2, 2014. Liposuction has become one of the leading cosmetic surgical procedures worldwide. In 2013, the International Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported that more than 1.6 million liposuction procedures had been performed globally, making it the second most common cosmetic procedure after breast augmentation. According to the 2013 American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery statistics, liposuction was the most commonly performed cosmetic surgical procedure in the United States in 2013. The demand for body contouring is rapidly increasing, and interest in noninvasive approaches has also grown. According to the statistics from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 9.5 million nonsurgical procedures were performed in 2013, compared with only 1.8 million surgical procedures. In 2013, almost 95,000 nonsurgical fat reduction procedures and 294,000 nonsurgical skin-tightening procedures were performed in the United States. There are numerous noninvasive body-contouring devices currently available on the market. These devices broadly deliver an external form of energy that causes changes in the underlying adipocytes. The devices can be classified according to the type of energy used (Table 1). The aim of the present study was to review some of these devices and the evidence supporting their use and effectiveness.