A double chin, a small bulge on the inner knee, a pad on the flank that no amount of training reaches. Where the deposit is small and clearly defined, injection treatment may be considered as a non-surgical option. Several sessions may be needed, and swelling, pain, bruising or other side effects can temporarily limit normal activities.
Please note: A medical consultation is a chargeable service under the German physicians’ fee schedule (GOÄ). Online bookings are binding; the practice team will explain the expected consultation fee when arranging your appointment.
Medically reviewed by Dr. med. Juliane C. Finke and Dr. med. Stephan Frantzen · Board-certified plastic surgeons · Last reviewed:
Fat-dissolving injections — medically injection lipolysis — are a non-surgical treatment in which an agent is injected directly into a small, defined fat deposit. It disrupts the membrane of the fat cells; the released fat is then broken down and transported away by the body over the following weeks.
The agent used is a bile-salt-based preparation. Bile salts are what the body already uses to emulsify fat in the gut; here the same principle is applied locally. Which preparation is appropriate in your case is discussed at the consultation — German law does not allow us to name prescription-only medicines on a public page.
The process is deliberately slow. Cells are broken down over days, and the fat is metabolised over weeks — which is why the result appears gradually and why several sessions are needed rather than one dramatic one.
The method works on small, well-defined deposits. It is best suited to the face, the jawline and the chin; small deposits on the body can sometimes be treated too, after a physical examination:
What it is not: a treatment for being overweight, for cellulite, or for large volumes. Come at a weight you can hold — the treatment shapes a small area, it does not change your figure.
The area is marked, cleaned and numbed with local anaesthetic. The preparation is then injected in a grid of small doses across the deposit, usually with a very fine needle.
The whole appointment takes 30 to 45 minutes. Afterwards you can go straight back to your day — the reason people choose this method rather than surgery.
Expect the treated area to swell noticeably over the next two or three days and to feel warm, firm and tender. That is the intended reaction, not a complication: the inflammation is part of how the fat is broken down. Under the chin the swelling is visible, so plan the timing around your calendar.
From informed consent through the first session to monitoring the result with photo documentation.
In a first personal consultation we inform you about the possibilities of injection lipolysis. We discuss the chances of success, alternatives, risks and side effects in detail.
We ask about allergies and conditions that might rule out treatment – such as a soy allergy, a bleeding tendency or pregnancy.
If you decide on treatment, it can take place directly after the consultation. The active solution is introduced into the area; the treatment takes around 30 to 45 minutes.
The inflammatory process that is triggered can lead to slight swelling, redness or small nodules in the subcutaneous fat, which disappear again after some time. Depending on the person, the first results are visible around two to three weeks after the first treatment.
As a rule, three to four treatments are needed – depending on the location and size of the fat deposit. The sessions are two to four weeks apart.
The success of the treatment is evaluated through regular checks, including photo documentation. Because the effect varies from person to person, this monitoring is essential.
Three to four sessions, two to four weeks apart. One session is almost never enough, and any practice that promises otherwise is over-selling it.
The first result becomes visible two to four weeks after the first session, once the swelling has fully settled and the fat has been metabolised. That is also when we judge whether another session is worthwhile — the assessment happens on your body, not on a plan drawn up in advance.
The treated fat cells are gone permanently. Whether the area stays as it is depends on your weight: the cells left behind can still enlarge.
Injection lipolysis is not risk-free. Pain, burning, marked swelling, redness, bruising and temporary firmness are common. Depending on substance and treatment area, infection, altered sensation or nerve injury, swallowing difficulty, ulceration, skin necrosis, asymmetry and allergic reactions are also possible.
The exact product, its active substance and regulatory status, the treatment area and the alternatives are discussed individually before treatment. We work with the preparations Aqualyx and Michelangelo.
| How long | 30–45 minutes per session |
|---|---|
| Anaesthetic | Local anaesthetic – you are awake |
| Stay | Day case – straight back to your day |
| Downtime | None – but expect visible swelling for two to three days |
| Sessions | 3–4, two to four weeks apart |
| First result | Two to four weeks after the first session |
| Where | Day surgery at our practice, Heinrich-Roller-Straße 15, Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg |
| Paid by | Private fee, billed according to the German scale of medical fees (GOÄ) |
What do fat-dissolving injections cost? There is no flat rate. Time in theatre, technique, anaesthetic and the extent of the procedure differ from person to person. You get a binding quote at the end of your consultation — in writing, with nothing hidden. And the consultation itself? Medical advice is a treatment in its own right and is invoiced under the German scale of medical fees (GOÄ) — including when you decide against a procedure afterwards. We tell you what to expect when the appointment is made.
Will insurance pay? As a rule, no: purely aesthetic procedures are paid privately. German statutory insurers only contribute where a medical indication is recognised; private insurers and international policies decide case by case. We will tell you honestly whether you have any prospect of cover.
These points apply generally. What applies in your case – with existing conditions or regular medication – we go through at your pre-operative consultation. That conversation is what counts.
The size of the deposit decides the method, not the other way round. We look first at whether something smaller would do the job – and we will say so if none of these procedures fits your finding.
Board-certified plastic surgeon (plastic &
aesthetic surgery), Fellow of EBOPRAS
Board-certified plastic surgeon and
board-certified general surgeon
Dr. Juliane C. Finke and Dr. Stephan Frantzen are full members of the German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (DGPRÄC) and the German Society of Senology (DGS). Dr. Finke is also a Fellow of EBOPRAS and passed the European board examination in 2010; Dr. Frantzen operates on a voluntary basis for INTERPLAST in South America. The jameda seals lead to the independent physician profiles with patient reviews of Dr. Finke and Dr. Frantzen.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Juliane C. Finke and Dr. Stephan Frantzen
Three to four, two to four weeks apart. One is almost never enough. Before each further session we assess the result once the swelling has settled, and decide with you whether another is worth doing.
The injections themselves are a series of small pricks and the area is numbed first. What is more noticeable is the following two or three days: the area feels warm, firm and tender, rather like a bruise. That reaction is how the treatment works.
Under the chin, visibly — enough that people will notice for two or three days. On the body it is less obvious under clothing. Do not book a session immediately before something important.
No. Liposuction removes fat mechanically in one procedure and can treat large areas. Injection lipolysis dissolves small deposits chemically over several sessions. Above roughly a palm’s area, liposuction is more reliable and usually cheaper overall.
The treated cells are gone permanently. The cells that remain can still enlarge if you gain weight, so a stable weight is what preserves the result.
No. Cellulite is a matter of how the connective tissue strands attach to the skin, not of the volume of fat beneath. This treatment does not change that, and we will not suggest it for that purpose.
We work with Aqualyx and Michelangelo. For patients with a soy allergy, Aqualyx is the soy-free option. Product, active substance and regulatory status are explained before treatment.
Anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, with significant liver or kidney disease, or with an autoimmune condition affecting the skin. A soy allergy is not a reason in itself – in that case we use the soy-free preparation. We go through your history before agreeing to treat.
No sport for two to three days, no sauna, no alcohol on the day. Light massage of the area from day three onwards is helpful and we will show you how.
Book a personal consultation. We measure the deposit and tell you honestly whether injections are the sensible route — or whether liposuction would serve you better.
Related treatments: Liposuction · FaceTite · BodyTite · Facial treatments · Skin tightening
Medically reviewed by Dr. Juliane C. Finke, board-certified plastic surgeon (plastic and aesthetic surgery), and Dr. Stephan Frantzen, board-certified plastic surgeon and board-certified general surgeon.
Last medically reviewed:
The content of this page is for general information and does not replace medical advice. A binding assessment is only possible after a personal examination.
Independent information: The German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons provides patient information on choosing a specialist, consent, limitations and possible complications. The German Medical Association explains the GOÄ fee schedule. These German-language sources supplement, but do not replace, an individual medical examination.
