Nanoparticles of gold have been credited with more and more advances in scientific medicine lately, and one of the most recent advances may be available for the general public as early as 2017.
University of California San Diego professor and nanomedicine expert Adah Almutairi and her brother Khalid, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, started the company NanoLipo – which is aiming to develop a safer and more effective alternative to traditional liposuction by using gold nanoparticles. Here is how the process would work.
- Fatty areas are injected with a solution containing nanoparticles of gold.
- The area is then treated with a laser with an 800-nanometer wavelength (similar to kind used in laser hair removal).
- The gold nanoparticles react to laser and begin to rapidly emit heat.
- Fat melts at lower temperatures than the surrounding connective and nerve tissues – so only fat cells are liquefied.
- The melted fat is then removed via needle.
The procedure of liposuction has been around for a long time, but it’s far from perfected. The current model of mechanical suction-assisted liposuction is known for its risks of extreme bruising, long recovery times, and lumpiness from leftover fat. In addition to fat, sometimes connective tissues and nerves are also removed. When NanoLipo becomes a reality, it could significantly reduce trauma risk for patients.
