Nonthermal Pulsed Ultrasound Treatment for the Reduction in Abdominal Fat: A Pilot Study

Objective: Noninvasive fat reduction has become increasingly popular. This study evaluated the outcomes of multiple treatments with a nonthermal focused ultrasound device for the noninvasive removal of excess abdominal fat. Design: Participants underwent a total of three pulsed, focused ultrasound treatments spaced two weeks apart. Setting: This study took place in an outpatient dermatology office in a suburb of a major city. Participants: Ten healthy female subjects between 18 and 60 years of age with an abdominal thickness of at least 0.6cm and body mass index between 22 and 30kg/m² were included. Measurements: Fat layer thickness was measured by ultrasound imaging and skin caliper and was compared with baseline at the four-, eight-, and 12-week follow-up visits after the final treatment session. Results: The study subjects underwent a total of 30 treatment sessions. Ultrasound imaging of the targeted fat layer decreased significantly by 13, 16, and 13 percent at the four-, eight-, and 12-week follow-up time points, respectively, while measurements of the fat layer as performed by skin caliper decreased by 12, 10, and 13 percent, respectively. All subjects noted improvement, while investigators noted significant improvement and expressed high satisfaction from the ultrasound treatment outcomes at the final visit. Treatments were well tolerated and no adverse events were recorded during the study period. Conclusion: Nonthermal pulsed focused ultrasound appears to be a safe and effective treatment option for the noninvasive removal of unwanted abdominal fat deposits. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02700152.