There are plenty of body contouring procedures out there, but many rely on surgeries or invasive procedures and could leave behind scars, marks, or require the use of stitches.

That’s why plenty of people prefer non-invasive procedures, where you can still reap the benefits without having to own a scar or need plenty of followup treatments.

These non-invasive practices are great for removing excess fat around the love handles, neck, arms, legs, buttocks, and more. It’s a great option for those who either don’t want any invasive procedures or are simply anxious about those options.

Below are the four most popular and well-known non-invasive body contouring procedures, which you can check out and decide if any of them are right for you.

Coolsculpting

Coolsculpting goes by a different name in the science field: cryolipolysis. It’s pretty easy to see why people prefer to call it cool sculpting instead.

This procedure has been around for a little over a decade now, but jumped in popularity in 2010 after it became FDA approved. It is ideal for fat reduction in the love handles, thighs, stomach, arms, back, and buttocks.

What is cool sculpting though? Do you wear sunglasses and listen to trendy pop music during the procedure? You can, but that’s not all it is.

Coolsculpting uses devices that attach to the targeted area and help reduce fat by freezing temperatures. The procedure is quite easy and painless. It takes anywhere from 30-60 minutes and patients are often told to bring a book or their phone so they have something to do during the procedure.

There is no recovery time and the only side effect is a bit or soreness or tingling that usually goes away within the first hour after the procedure is completed.

Radiofrequency

Radiofrequency is another recent development in the body contouring field. While the technology for radiofrequency has been around forever, it has been a slow-moving process as it is still not FDA-approved. Many dermatology offices use radiofrequency for removing excess fat.

This procedure is more of a sniper rifle, delivering energy to very controlled areas. Instead of going cold like cool sculpting, radiofrequency is supposed to create heat within the fat cells and subsequently destroy them. In addition to removing fat cells, it also helps loosen tight skin.

There has to be a buddy-cop movie with and radiofrequency in the works.

Like cool sculpting, there are little side effects to radiofrequency. Some patients report mild redness or muscle tenderness, but these are rare.

Ultrasound

Besides looking at babies, ultrasound has plenty of other functions that make it plenty useful. Ultrasound uses high-intensity sound waves to remove fat cells over time. Like cool sculpting, the ultrasound procedure has been approved by the FDA.

Ultrasound, like radiofrequency, is more precise and helps get rid of what some plastic surgeons call “stubborn fat”, or the fat that tends to build up on the sides and with certain fat rolls.

This procedure is painless and the only thing you will notice is the movement of the technician and the machine from time to time. Like cool sculpting, you’re encouraged to bring something in to keep you distracted over the 1.5 hour session.

Those who use ultrasound do not a quicker drop in body fat, as compared to weeks progress with cool sculpting and radiofrequency.

Lasers

Last but not least, we have the most exciting of them all: lasers!

Lasers are our third procedure that is FDA approved and helps remove unwanted fat from all areas of the body. So how do the lasers work?

The lasers pinpoint areas of excess fat in the body and simply liquefy them which are later naturally removed via your body’s waste system. While you can decide to target any part of your body, patients usually use lasers to target their waistline, hips, and thighs.

While the procedure is painless, it is anything but quick. Patients will need to come for 40 minutes six times over two weeks for the procedure to be effective. If a patient goes 72 hours in between treatments, it’s likely the fat cells will regrow and treatment will have to start over again.

Although FDA approved and fast-acting, some patients remark that their fat came back quicker than they expected. Overall, results were up in the air.