7 Things You Need to Know About Fat Melters

They only get rid of fat.

The main purpose of fat melters is to melt fat. But, there is also a theory that the heat used in some of these treatments can tighten collagen in the skin. While it may be more of a residual effect, the goal of these machines is to hone in on unwanted fat. 

The results aren’t instant.

Even though fat melters can provide permanent results, what you’ll see in terms of fat reduction isn’t instant—it can take a few months to surface. The death cycle of a fat cell can happen over a few weeks, and then your body needs to expel the fat, which is why it takes a while to see the final result.  

Not all fat melters work the same.

While all of the main fat melters used are FDA-approved, they all use different modalities to attack fat. Some, like CoolSculpting use cold, UltraShape uses ultrasound, SculpSure uses a laser and Kybella uses a fat-dissolving chemical.

The treatments aren’t that long.

For the most part, a fat melter can take anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour depending on the area treated and the device used. But, most treatments need multiple sessions over a period of time. 

There isn’t one machine that works on every body part.

Many fat melters have handpieces that vary in size and allow them to be used on multiple parts of the body. But, there isn’t one device that’s FDA-approved just yet—hopefully in the future there will be. 

You may experience some bruising or swelling.

Because fat melters target the fat cells effectively, one potential side effect is bruising, swelling and numbness. That’s because there is inflammation of sorts that happens internally as part of the fat-destroying process. 

They’re not meant for weight loss.

Even though noninvasive fat fighters can target unwanted pockets of fat, these treatments are not marketed as weight-loss tools, nor should they be used for that purpose. You’ll need to be at (or close to) your ideal weight with only small resistant areas of fat.