The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about the dangers of using unauthorized versions of fat-dissolving injections, saying it has received reports of severe side effects, such as persistent scarring, severe infections and skin deformities.
Fat-dissolving injections, sometimes called lipolysis injections, are nonsurgical procedures that aim to melt away small amounts of fat beneath the skin. These injections are typically administered in so-called problem areas such as the chin, legs, upper arms and abdomen.
The FDA has approved one such injection, a drug called Kybella, from Kythera Biopharmaceuticals.
However, the FDA on Wednesday noted the presence of unapproved fat-dissolving injections popping up at clinics and med spas across the U.S., including those sold online under brand names like Aqualyx, Lipodissolve, Lipo Lab and Kabelline.
Common ingredients in the injections include phosphatidylcholine and sodium deoxycholate, two chemicals that have not been approved for use by the FDA.
The FDA said it received reports of consumers experiencing serious side effects following the use of unapproved fat-dissolving injections, including:
- Permanent scars
- Serious infections
- Skin deformities
- Cysts
- Painful knots
In some cases, the agency said, the injections were administered at clinics or med spas by individuals possibly lacking proper licensing.
Dr. Dan Maselli, an obesity medicine physician at True You Weight Loss, a weight loss clinic in Atlanta, said he’s also heard of people injecting themselves with fat-dissolving products they purchased online.
Maselli noted that carries considerable risk.
Aside from not knowing what chemicals are used in…
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