Aqualyx – Fat Dissolving Injections

Aqualyx can be used over the entire body for the dissolution of fat deposits.
Areas include:

• Upper limbs – around triceps
• Folds on the back (below the ribs)
• Belly
• Loins
• Breeches
• Outer buttocks region
• The inner side of the thighs
• The inner side of the knee
• Double chin / Jaw contouring

Only 2 to 8 sessions are normally required to get the best results and what’s more – once you have completed your treatments the results can be maintained through a healthy lifestyle.

There are some other interesting uses for Aqualyx:

• For those people who are regular gym goers but cannot shed the last bit of fat to define a six pack, Aqualyx can be used very successfully to give that definition.
• For people with lipomas, Aqualyx can be injected into these.
• For people with a buffalo hump, Aqualyx can be used to reduce the size of this.
• People with uneven lumps of fat after other treatments such as Vaser or liposuction can have smoothness restored with Aqualyx.

The time taken for a treatment session will depend upon the size of the area and indication being treated. Treatment can take between 30 – 60 minutes per treatment and you will typically require 2 – 8 treatments, 4 weeks apart. Some people may see significant results after 1 or 2 sessions. Treatment for fat pockets underneath the neck and chin, for example, may require 1 – 3 treatments of 2 – 3 injections, while treatment for fat pockets on the hips and thighs may require 8 treatments.

An ideal client is one who is close to their ideal body weight but has isolated stubborn areas of fat deposition. These can be genetically predetermined and can prove very difficult to get rid of in other ways. You must be able to pinch at least 1.5cm of fat for an area to be suitable for treatment. Clients who have lost considerable weight often have loose skin rather than significant fat deposits. If we feel this is the case for you then we will suggest Aqualyx is not appropriate for you.

Initially we will have a consultation to discuss your areas of concern and to take a thorough medical history. This will also involve weighing you, examining you to make sure treatment is appropriate, and taking some photographs as a record of your starting point.

We will then mark the area of the fat deposit and ask you to look in a mirror and confirm that this is the area that bothers you. You will then be positioned on the couch in a way that gives best access to the area to be treated.

The treatment itself takes anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the area we are treating. Usually each area only requires one or two needle insertion points, although we will fan the product in several directions from this one point.

Typically, two injection spots are required for each area being treated; patients report good tolerance of the treatment and an anaesthetic solution is normally added prior to injection for greater comfort.

The treatment will be repeated between two and eight times depending on the number of small pockets of fat tissue to be reduced. The injections are repeated every three to four weeks.

After each treatment patients can expect some swelling, redness and skin irritation and tenderness in the area treated, which will subside after four to six days.

We mix the Aqualyx solution with a small amount of a local anaesthetic drug called lignocaine to make it more comfortable. The needle we use is very fine. Most people describe the procedure itself as a little uncomfortable but not painful. You could take some Paracetamol tablets an hour before treatment if you are concerned.

Have some Paracetamol available should you feel you need it. Buy some supportive garments for the treated area – Spanx are an excellent option. This is because you will find the extra support will make you feel more comfortable afterwards. Avoid tight clothing – you will be swollen and wearing your tightest jeans may be uncomfortable.

Once the local anaesthetic starts to wear off you may feel quite tender. Make sure you have some Paracetamol you can take, but avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as Ibuprofen and Aspirin).

The treated area will look swollen initially, but you should expect this swelling to double in size within the first 24-48 hours. The swelling will go down over the course of the next week, although in rare cases may persist longer. Remember – SWELLING IS GOOD! The more you swell the more you are responding to treatment.

The treated area will look red and feel warm afterwards, and this may persist for 2 days.

You may develop some bruising in the treated area, may feel itchy, and may have some minor aches and pains.

The skin overlying the treated area will feel numb, even after the local anaesthetic wears off. This can persist for up to a month.

Rarely you can develop systemic symptoms such as nausea, diarrhoea, intracycle menstrual bleeding (in women) and hyperpigmentation.

Side effects include swelling, and there’s always a possibility of infection, there can be some bruising as well and pain and discomfort. The pain and discomfort usually last up to a week or so and then generally it settles down.

For the first three to four days, there will be some discomfort and so it is usually just better to rest and take it easy for the first few days or weeks. But after that, there is minimal down time

• Aqualyx should not be administered to pregnant women, or to breast-feeding mothers.
• Diabetic patients should avoid treatment with Aqualyx, as the potential complications of diabetes can complicate treatment.
• Clients with autoimmune conditions such as scleroderma should avoid treatment.
• Clients with severe liver disease should not be treated with Aqualyx, as the extra fat it has to process could overwork the liver.
• Any client with a history of an allergic reaction to an ingredient of Aqualyx should avoid treatment.
• Clients with acute or chronic skin diseases in the affected area, or with infection in the skin overlying the treatment area are not suitable for treatment.
• Clients on blood thinning medication, in particularly warfarin, will almost certainly not be suitable for treatment due to the risk of severe bruising.
• Clients with severe kidney disease are not suitable for treatment.

This will depend on the protocol we follow after discussion with you at our consultation. Traditionally between 3  and 8 treatments were suggested, depending on the area being treated. These treatment sessions would be spaced around 2 – 8  weeks apart. It is possible to use a modified technique where we would inject a much higher volume in one treatment, but you should expect to only require one treatment. This will obviously carry a higher initial cost, as more product is being used. However, you will only need to deal with the side effects on a single occasion.

• We recommend wearing pressure garments of some description to improve your comfort. This could be a pair of Spanx, or we may suggest using an old pair of tights tied around your chin overnight to help reduce swelling.
• Drink plenty of water after your Aqualyx treatment.
• Follow a low-fat diet for the period between your Aqualyx treatment and your follow-up appointment. This is because you do not want to cause additional stress to your liver by having to cope with processing two sources of fat.
• We would suggest avoiding exercise on the day of treatment. After this you can resume gentle exercise as and when you feel ready. You may not feel ready for strenuous exercise for the first week, as you may feel a little tender.
• Avoid taking any anti-inflammatory medication as this will dampen your body’s response to the Aqualyx and potentially mean you do not respond to treatment as well as you would otherwise have done.
• Avoid exposure to extremes of temperature (including saunas, steam rooms and sunbathing) for a week after treatment.
• Keep pinching the treated area to continue stimulating it. This will improve the body’s response to the Aqualyx.

No, you will not see any difference on the scales after Aqualyx treatment. Subcutaneous fat accounts for a small proportion of our overall body fat, and dissolving this in one area will not produce a change in your weight.

You will start to notice an improvement anywhere between 3 and 6 weeks, and could notice ongoing improvements up to 6 months.

The fat cells that have been destroyed by Aqualyx are permanently eliminated from the body. If you gain weight in the future you may put it on in a different distribution to where you would have done prior to Aqualyx treatment.