Some fat seems to ignore every healthy habit. You eat well, you move, you take care of yourself, yet certain areas stay the same. It is not about effort, it is about biology. Over time, your body decides where it wants to hold on to fat, and those choices are rarely the ones we would make ourselves.
That is where modern non-surgical fat removal comes in. These treatments use advanced, science-backed technologies to target specific fat cells without surgery, scars, or downtime. Instead of forcing change through invasive methods, they help your body do what it already knows how to do: release what it no longer needs.
At Dermapure, this approach is about more than appearance. It is about restoring balance between how you feel and how you look. Subtle, safe, and personalized, non-surgical fat reduction helps refine your shape naturally so you can feel confident in your skin.
What Is Non-Surgical Fat Removal and How Does It Work
Non-surgical fat removal includes a range of treatments that help reduce unwanted fat without surgery or anesthesia. These options target fat in two distinct ways: by acting directly on fat cells located beneath the skin, or by addressing how the body stores and processes fat more globally.
Local Treatments: Targeting Fat Cells Beneath the Skin
Non-surgical fat removal treatments work by destroying fat cells directly. These cells sit just beneath the skin and are often the ones that resist healthy habits. Once they are damaged, your body naturally eliminates them over the following weeks through the lymphatic system. The result is a gradual reduction of fat in the treated area, creating a smoother and more refined silhouette.
Here are the main ways to achieve this:
- Cold (Cryolipolysis): Fat cells are frozen until they die and are gradually removed by the body.
- Heat (Laser or Thermal Energy): Controlled warmth damages fat cells while keeping the skin protected.
- Ultrasound: Focused sound waves break apart fat cell membranes without harming surrounding tissue.
- Injections: A purified molecule (deoxycholic acid) dissolves fat cells in small, localized areas such as under the chin.
Results appear gradually over several weeks as your body processes the treated fat. These treatments are not for weight loss, but for refining shape and balance by permanently reducing the number of fat cells in specific areas.
Do the Results Last?
Yes. The fat cells destroyed by cold, heat, ultrasound, or injections are permanently removed and do not grow back. The body clears them naturally, reducing the total number of fat cells in the treated area.
However, the fat cells that remain can still enlarge if more fat is stored. This means that while the area will always have fewer fat cells, changes in weight can still affect overall shape. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle helps preserve the results and keeps body contours smooth and balanced over time.
Medications for Healthy Fat Regulation and Sustainable Weight Management
When weight gain affects the body more globally, the goal shifts from targeting specific fat cells to supporting how the body regulates fat storage and energy use. This is where GLP-1 medications, such as Ozempic or Wegovy, may be prescribed under medical supervision. By mimicking a natural hormone that helps control appetite, balance blood sugar, and improve metabolism, these treatments encourage healthy, sustainable weight loss under medical supervision.
As the body changes, rapid or significant weight loss can sometimes reveal new concerns. Some patients notice that their face looks older or more tired, with hollowed cheeks, skin laxity around the jawline or abdomen, hair thinning, or even mild loss of muscle tone. These effects are not dangerous but can affect confidence and overall appearance. At Dermapure, our medical team provides personalized support throughout this process, combining non-surgical treatments that help restore skin quality, firmness, and healthy tone while maintaining natural balance.
GLP-1 medications are medical tools designed to improve metabolic health and long-term well-being. Once weight has stabilized, pairing them with non-surgical fat reduction and skin-rejuvenating procedures can refine contours, enhance firmness, and bring harmony back to your body. The goal is to help you feel strong, balanced, and confident in this new version of yourself.
Do the Results Last?
With GLP-1 medications, results depend on long-term lifestyle balance. Some regain is possible after stopping treatment, which is why combining medical and aesthetic approaches often delivers the most durable, natural results.
The Main Non-Surgical Fat Reduction Technologies
Cryolipolysis (Fat Freezing) – CoolSculpting
CoolSculpting is a clinically proven technology that uses controlled cooling to permanently destroy fat cells through a process called cryolipolysis. Developed by Harvard University researchers, it safely targets fat beneath the skin without damaging surrounding tissues. Once frozen, fat cells crystallize, break down, and are naturally eliminated by the body over time. At Dermapure, we are proud to be Canada’s #1 CoolSculpting provider, with extensive expertise and thousands of successful treatments performed across our clinics.
- How it works: Controlled cooling freezes fat cells, which are gradually eliminated by the body.
- Best for: Abdomen, flanks, back, thighs, upper arms, chest, and under the chin.
- Experience: Gentle pulling or cooling for a few minutes, followed by temporary numbness.
- Sessions: Usually 1 to 3 sessions depending on the area and desired sculpting.
- Proven effectiveness: Clinical studies demonstrate a reduction in fat thickness of up to 27% per treated area.
- Results: Visible from 4 to 6 weeks, with continued improvement up to 3 months.
Laser Fat Reduction (Heat-Based) – SculpSure
SculpSure is a non-surgical body contouring treatment that permanently eliminates stubborn fat using the world’s first Health Canada–approved laser device for fat reduction. It is an excellent alternative to liposuction for those looking to refine specific areas resistant to diet and exercise. Using a 1060 nm wavelength laser, SculpSure precisely targets fat beneath the skin while protecting the surrounding tissue. The treatment combines controlled heat with continuous cooling for safety and comfort, allowing for gradual and lasting reshaping without surgery or downtime.
- How it works: Laser energy gently heats fat cells until they are damaged and naturally cleared by the body.
- Best for: Abdomen, flanks, back, inner and outer thighs, and under the chin.
- Experience: Gradual warmth with bursts of cooling air for comfort throughout the session.
- Sessions: Usually 2 to 3 sessions spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart, depending on your goals.
- Proven effectiveness: Clinical studies report a reduction in fat of up to 24% in treated areas after a single series of treatments.
- Results: Visible after 6 weeks, with continued improvement up to 12 weeks.
Ultrasonic Cavitation
Focused ultrasound energy targets fat cells beneath the skin, creating small vibrations that rupture the cell membranes. The fat released is then naturally processed and eliminated by the body.
- Best for: Abdomen, flanks, and outer thighs.
- Experience: Gentle warmth or light tingling during treatment.
- Sessions: Usually 1 to 3 sessions, depending on fat thickness and treatment goals.
- Proven effectiveness: Patients typically see results of up to 2 cm less around the abdomen after completing their treatment plan.
- Results: Gradual improvement with visible results within 8 to 12 weeks.
Injectable Fat Dissolvers – Belkyra (Kybella)
A double chin can appear even with a healthy lifestyle and is often linked to genetics, aging, or small weight changes. Belkyra is an FDA and Health Canada–approved injectable treatment that permanently eliminates fat cells under the chin without surgery. Its active ingredient, deoxycholic acid, breaks down fat cell membranes so the body can naturally eliminate them, leaving the jawline more defined and refined over time.
- How it works: Deoxycholic acid destroys fat cell membranes, which are then naturally cleared by the body.
- Best for: Reducing submental fullness (double chin) and small localized fat pockets.
- Experience: Mild warmth or stinging for a few minutes; temporary swelling or tenderness is normal.
- Sessions: Typically 2 to 4 sessions spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart; some may need up to 6 for optimal results.
- Results: Visible within 6 to 8 weeks, with continued improvement as the body metabolizes the treated fat.
Radiofrequency and Muscle Stimulation – Emsculpt NEO
Emsculpt NEO is an advanced non-surgical treatment that combines radiofrequency energy to reduce fat with high-intensity electromagnetic stimulation to strengthen and tone muscles simultaneously. This dual action helps reshape the body by improving both contour and muscle definition, offering visible results that look natural and balanced.
- How it works: Radiofrequency heat gently destroys fat cells while electromagnetic energy induces deep muscle contractions, strengthening and toning targeted areas.
- Best for: Abdomen, flanks, buttocks, thighs, and arms.
- Experience: A warm sensation and rhythmic muscle contractions during the session, often compared to an intense workout.
- Sessions: Typically 4 sessions spaced several days apart.
- Proven effectiveness: Studies show up to 30% fat reduction and 25% increase in muscle mass after a complete treatment series.
- Results: Noticeable after 2 to 4 weeks, with continued improvement over several months as muscle fibers build and fat is naturally eliminated.
