Study of the Combined Effect of Low Level Laser Therapy and Manual Lymph Drainage on Reducing Body Circumference

The purpose of this study is to determine whether low level laser light therapy applied using the Erchonia Verju Laser combined with manual lymph drainage applied using the Iskra Medical Green PRESS 8 Lymph Drainage System is effective in reducing the circumference of the waist, hips and upper abdomen.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) 2011 report states that the market for cosmetic procedures has shown significant growth over the past two years, with 13.8 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures performed in the United States in 2011, up 5% since 2010. While surgical cosmetic procedures significantly increased from 2010 to 2011, the overall growth in cosmetic procedures is primarily driven by a substantial rise in minimally-invasive procedures that increased 6%, with nearly 12.2 million cosmetic minimally-invasive procedures having been performed in 2011. This highlights the growing consumer demand for non- or minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures that do not involve surgical procedures such as liposuction and the associated risks, potential complications and lengthy and painful recovery processes. Low level laser light therapy (LLLT) offers a simple, non-invasive, safe, effective and side-effect free alternative to achieving body circumference reduction. Erchonia low level lasers, including the Erchonia® Verju™ Laser, have been determined safe and effective by the FDA for application for body circumference reduction indications for multiple body areas. The Iskra Medical Green PRESS 8 is a manual lymph drainage system that is also a simple, non-invasive, safe and side-effect free alternative to achieving body circumference reduction that has demonstrated optimal effectiveness when used in combination with other established alternative non-invasive means of body circumference reduction such as LLLT application. LLLT, as applied with the Erchonia® Verju™ Laser, effects a transitory pore in the adipocyte cell membrane that enables the fat to pass from the intracellular space into the extra-cellular space. The Green PRESS 8 operates according to the principle of manual lymph drainage, employing pumping of air under controlled pressure into inflatable cuffs according to pre-set pressure, compression pause duration and therapy time parameters. The alternating release and compression of the different vascular and lymphatic structures effects and enhances lymphatic drainage that results in an influx of blood along with nourishing elements, and the elimination of fluids and metabolic waste products. When used in combination with LLLT, this process enhances and accelerates the process of reduction in the size of adipocyte cells through increased liquefaction and emulsification of the fat through the transitory pore in the adipocyte cell, which has been initiated by the preceding application of LLLT. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if green diode LLLT as applied with the Erchonia® Verju™ Laser is more effective on reducing the circumference of the hips, waist and upper abdomen when used in combination with the Green PRESS 8 manual lymph drainage system twice weekly for six weeks than when used alone.