Liposuction has been traditionally performed by plastic surgeons in a hospital setting, requiring anesthetics, an overnight stay and a subsequent recovery period. The cost and inconvenience has served to decrease demand.

Fat reduction procedures are increasingly being performed in physician offices, surgery centers and medispas by other types of physicians. Because some of these physicians do not already own equipment, they serve as an active new market for both capital and consumable fat-reduction equipment.

Noninvasive techniques include laser, light or other energy sources such as radio frequency and ultrasound. Direct-to-consumer marketing has been heavy and the devices have been showcased on popular television shows. They promise shorter recovery times and shorter treatment durations, often as short as an hour.

"These noninvasive products will

have the effect of expanding the fat reduction market," said MRG Analyst April Lee. "While some physicians have doubts about their efficacy, the desire for eliminating body fat without surgery and the extensive marketing efforts of the device manufacturers will bring in many patients who previously would not have considered a procedure. As a result, while the body contouring device market is expected to average around nine percent annual growth through 2016, revenues for the noninvasive segment will show growth of more than 40 percent annually."

Current noninvasive fat reduction products on the market in the United States are ZERONA from Erchonia and CoolSculpting from ZELTIQ. Emerging products include LipoSonix from Medicis, ULTRACONTOUR and U.LIFT from Medixsysteme, Maximus and apollo from Pollogen, Contour 1 from Ultrashape and BodyTite from Invasix.

Millennium Research Group's US Markets for Body Contouring Devices 2012 report includes procedure, unit, average selling price and revenue information, along with market drivers and limiters and competitive landscape for cellulite reduction devices, skin tightening devices, fat reduction devices and gastric bands in the United States.