Immediate effect and safety of HIFU single treatment for male subcutaneous fat reduction.

Background: The increasing search for procedures for fat reduction is related to dissatisfaction with body shape. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been proven effective in body sculpting when used noninvasively to reduce subcutaneous fat and improve body contour.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the immediate effect and safety of HIFU single treatment for male localized fat and body remodeling.

Patients/methods: Twenty-four male subjects (18 to 59 years old) with BMI ≤ 30 kg/cm² and at least 2 cm of abdominal fat received a single HIFU treatment session. Individuals were subjected to abdominal measurements before and after procedure. In addition, biochemical analyses of blood samples were performed to assess possible inflammatory effects or oxidative stress induction by the treatment.

Results: High-intensity focused ultrasound was found to be an effective treatment in reducing localized adiposities in the abdominal region. A significant decrease (0.6%) was observed in infraumbilical circumference of subjects submitted to HIFU single treatment when compared with control subjects. The laboratory parameters did not present any appreciable changes.

Conclusion: This study further strengthens the current view that HIFU is an effective and safe tool for localized fat reduction.