Lipo, mesotherapy won’t remove dangerous fat – expert

Liposuction and mesotherapy will not remove the dangerous fat in the liver and the intestines, a medical expert clarified yesterday.

Dr. Rosa Allyn Sy, president of the Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity (PASOO), said what liposuction does is take away the subcutaneous fat under the skin, not the dangerous fat tucked deep inside the abdomen wrapped around the bowels.

“Liposuction does not target the fats in the liver and the intestines, it’s purely a cosmetic procedure. The fat in the abdomen can lead to different medical problems,” Sy told reporters during the World Heart Day “Team Up for Healthy Hearts” press conference organized by the Philippine Heart Association.

She also warned of the dangers of mesotherapy, a non-surgical procedure that melts fat through injections in the mesoderm, saying it could trigger diseases in the liver like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

“Mesotherapy dissolves fat in the abdomen. When it does, where do the fats go? It goes to the organs like the liver. And what is its effect on the liver? The liver becomes over-flooded by fats and complications would develop, like liver failure,” Sy explained.

Sy noted a prevalence of people who acquire non-alcoholic fatty liver, or the fatty inflammation of the liver that is not due to excessive intake of alcohol.

She explained that acquiring non-alcoholic fatty liver disease could be an early sign of diabetes and could progress to serious diseases of the liver like cirrhosis and liver failure.

Sy said a friend of hers who is a gastroenterologist has cited cases of his patients who have developed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease after undergoing mesotherapy.

She suggested that the best way to lose weight and treat obesity is still proper exercise, diet and a healthy lifestyle.

“Liposuction does not mean permanent fat removal in all cases. You still need to balance it out with diet and exercise and a healthy lifestyle.”

Sy also discouraged people from taking herbal supplements, saying they have no approved scientific claims that it will make them lose fat.

She encouraged people to watch their weight and keep track of their waistlines. The cut-off measurement for normal waistline for women is 32 inches and a 35-inch waistline for men.

Meanwhile, Dr. Cristina Dablo, who was also at the press conference, agreed that people should practice a healthy lifestyle, citing that six out of 10 causes of death are heart diseases, cancer, diabetes and kidney problems and diseases of the vascular system.           – Patricia Esteves