Background: Obesity is a global public health problem, emerging epidemic with changes in dietary habits and physical activity levels in both developed and developing countries. Obesity and overweight are defined as abnormal and excessive accumulation of fat in the body, which may impair one s health status. Body fatness is evaluated by various parameters such as body mass index and waist circumference. Due to the numerous comorbidities of obesity, there are various medical therapies available, one of which is the use of slimming or body contouring devices. Methods: A search of Pubmed, Google s

Subcutaneous adipose tissue, once considered a passive storage receptacle with a fixed number of cells and limited purpose, is now recognized as a complicated organ with important endocrine and metabolic functions. Both increased and decreased adipose tissue mass as seen in obesity, anorexia and lipodystrophy, have profound effects on multiple body systems such as the immune, reproductive and hematopoietic systems.As body contouring and selective fat removal have become a frequent goal of aesthetically-oriented procedures, there have been numerous efforts to develop a technique that is effective yet noninvasive and leads to minimal or no patient downtime. A decade ago, the only reliable methods by which to reduce fat and its appearance were invasive and included procedures such as abdominoplasty and liposuction. Fortunately, within the last decade, multiple noninvasive technologies have been developed to visibly decrease the appearance of fat and, in some cases, show a histologic decrease in subcutaneous volume and a diminution of adipocyte size and integrity.Non-invasive treatment modalities, such as lasers, radiofrequency and high frequency ultrasound and cryolipolysis aim to subcutaneous fat reduction restore skin elasticity through stimulation of dermal fibroblasts and collagen remodeling. Minimally invasive procedures, such as dermal fillers and autologous fat transfer, aim to restore skin turgor and volume. Surgical procedures such as rhytidectomy and blepharoplasty permanently remove excess or lax skin.