Depending on your genetics, body type, and overall health, you will eliminate the fat the way your body usually processes fat. The clinical research supports a minimum of 6 sessions. If more are needed, it’s safe and effective to continue immediately, or take a break and continue at a later time. Some people notice an immediate loss, some notice changes weeks after the laser sessions are over.

Erchonia (developer and manufacturer of Zerona Z6) recommends:

For BMI under 25, begin by receiving 6 sessions.For BMI of 25-35, begin by receiving 9 treatments.For BMI of 35 or more, begin by receiving 12 treatments.Additional sessions can always safely be added, and you can safely stop at any time.

Since the Zerona promotes loss of actual fat and NOT just water weight, the effects are sustainable, presuming you maintain a calorie-neutral diet proceeding the treatments.

According to the research that Erchonia has done, the longest followup study was 9 months post treatment, and the results held up. You can expect that as long as you don’t increase your caloric intake, the results will hold.

While the Zerona Z6 laser is a considered a type of body contouring, it is vastly different in mechanism, efficacy, and side-effects from all others on the market. Many body contouring procedures are surgical involving all of the risks that entails. Also, some freeze or heat tissue, doing damage (sometimes permanent) to vital cells (yes, including fat cells, we need them). 

Side effects of OTHER procedures include frostbite, numbness, tingling, burning, and pain. Other methods are temporary, where Zerona is lasting. With Zerona you don’t need to add exercise, supplements, or change your diet. All you need to do is stay hydrated and don’t add more calories than you had before you began.

The Zerona has ZERO side effects. Best case scenario, it will work as promised; worst case scenario, it will do absolutely nothing. Here are the advantages of the Zerona over all other methods of body sculpting or body contouring:

Non-surgical

Non-invasive (A flashlight aimed at your body would cause more harm since it generates heat.)

No adverse side effects

No down time

No tissue damage

No heating or freezing the tissue (so no problems that those treatments bring)

No recovery time

Long term to permanent improvement

To be clear, the Zerona low level laser is NOT any of the following (this is not an exhaustive list):

Cryolipolysis (fat freezing) –  (CoolSculpting)

Electromagnetic Energy (EMsculpt) 

Radiofrequency lipolysis (Vanquish, TrueSculpt, Exilis, Velashape)

Laser lipolysis (SculpSure)

Ultrasound (Ultrashape, Liposonix)

Cellulite Vacuum Cup (with and without massagers: Body Lyft, Cellulift Max, Vacuum RF)

Lypossage Cellulite and Body Contouring Temperature based

Zero risk, zero adverse side effects**, zero down time.

Research for over 50 years shows cold laser to be safe and effective.

**If you are on cholesterol lowering medication you will need to have your physician monitor your progress as there is anecdotal evidence that the Zerona Z6 raises good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol.

No.

All you need to do is stay hydrated. If you maintain your diet and exercise levels, this will work.

Since your body eliminates excess fat through the lymphatic system, anything you can do to support that will help. Hence the hydration. Movement is also helpful, even just simple things like stretching and walking. Some people use supplements and herbal teas to augment lymphatic cleansing, but they are not necessary, nor do we recommend anything specific. If you want to include those things, please see your naturopath, acupuncturist, or nutritionist for the best way for you to do that.

While the laser process DOES work with everyone, there are people for whom the process will be much slower and take more time as follows:

1) Steroid medications – Since steroid medication may cause weight or girth gain we do NOT recommend that you use the Zerona while you are on them.

2) Diabetes or other metabolic disorders (including hormone imbalances) – When you have these health issues, you can gain weight or girth pretty quickly and the laser cannot compensate for that. IF you are being treated for these conditions you should be able to notice improvements, but even so, you will likely need more sessions than average, and it will likely take longer than average to notice results. You might even want to come in twice a week (3-4 days apart) and you will need to REALLY step up your lymphatic flushing game.  Please see a physician and treat these other health conditions, whether or not you ever do the Zerona.  

3) Lymphatic impairment – Since the Zerona relies on your body’s natural lymphatic process to eliminate the fat once it’s been liberated from the fat cell, if your lymphatic system is compromised you will notice that you do not respond well.  You will need to do more than the average person to get your lymphatic system to work better to see results.  You will also find that it will likely take longer than average to notice results. You might find that coming in twice a week (3-4 days apart) can help.   Please see a physician who is well-versed in lymphatic issues for support, and you might even have lipedema (see the links on this for more info).   Helpful things are compression garments, supplements, dry brushing, hydration, eliminating alcohol, and more.  

This information is based on averages, individual results will vary:

In clinical trials, clients lost and average of over 3.5 inches in just six, 40 minute weekly treatments. (TOTAL inches measured, not inches in just one place.)  As previously stated, individual results will vary.

Follow-up studies tracked people for 9 months, and everyone had maintained the inch loss at that point.

Many people notice results immediately, while others notice that weight and inch loss is still happening after the sessions are completed. This is due to variants in body type, age, gender, general health, hydration, and how well your body’s lymphatic system processes fat. If you have a sense of how weight loss works for you with dieting, you may find that the results follow a similar pattern.

Since everyone has a different body type and we’re all different make-ups of chemical soup, it’s impossible to predict exactly what type of results to expect. Additionally, you MUST maintain a calorie neutral diet proceeding the treatments and stay hydrated for it to be effective. This treatment will not erase calories from a heavy meal or keep you from gaining weight from overeating. Additionally, doing whatever you can to maintain a healthy lymphatic system will only add to efficacy.

Since the Zerona Z6 only targets subcutaneous fat, people with more of that are more likely to notice a larger change than people with more deep visceral or muscular fat, as well as people with small areas of fat. Remember, this is for targeting areas of subcutaneous fat that are resistant to change through diet and exercise.

No. The Zerona emulsifies only the subcutaneous fat, the fat just below the skin. The visceral fat is not impacted by the Zerona laser.

The Zerona is safe on all body areas, except for the eyes.  

The laser portion of each session is 40 minutes. There is also about 20-40 minutes for massage, and time to undress and dress, bathroom break, and speaking with your practitioner. To avoid over scheduling and feeling rushed, please plan on being at the office for 2 hours.

You will be in a private room with your practitioner, just like you would be for a massage.

Your practitioner (a Licensed Massage Therapist) will go over some basic information with you including answering any questions you may have, and discussing your goals.At your first session your practitioner will take your measurements and possibly weigh you as well. We will also take photos (without faces) so that you will have before and after pictures. We can do this on your phone or camera if you would like.

You will undress to undergarments so as to allow skin exposure to the laser in the areas you want treated. It’s best to wear undergarments with the least amount of fabric to give the laser better exposure to skin.

You will be on the table face up for 20 minutes, and face down for 20 minutes. We have a very comfortable massage table with a face cradle so that your neck will not be twisted while face down. (If you are only targeting one small area the time will be less.)

When you’re on the table receiving the laser treatment, you can chat with the practitioner, listen to an audiobook or music, check email, or just zone out. The choice is yours.

After the laser portion, your practitioner (a Licensed Massage Therapist) will perform a type of flushing massage which is a combination of manual lymphatic drainage massage and Swedish massage. This is to maximize the impact of the laser on the emptying fat cells. This will happen in the same room, on the same table.

When the massage portion is completed, your practitioner will leave the room allowing you get dressed.

YOUR HOMEWORK

Stay hydratedDon’t add caloriesIf you want, do supportive things for your lymphatic system.

In order for your lymphatic system to flush the newly released fat cell contents, you MUST stay hydrated (as you should be doing anyway – 1/2 – 1 gallon of water per day). This will ensure that your lymphatic system can do its job most effectively.

Maintain a zero-calorie change. That means to just keep eating the way you have been. Don’t think of this as a reason to eat a pint of ice cream. This treatment does not preemptively treat overeating.

If you stay hydrated and keep your food intake the same as it was before the laser treatments, you will have a better chance for the best results. You do not need to exercise or diet for this to work. If you do diet or exercise, you will notice more changes, but they will not all be due to the Zerona. Remember, this treatment is for the areas that do NOT respond to diet or exercise. The Zerona is part of a healthy lifestyle, another tool in your toolbox.

Cold laser is a type of low intensity light therapy that has been around since 1967. Over 2500 clinical studies have demonstrated that LLLT is safe and effective in providing relief from pain, reducing inflammation, assisting in tissue repair, promoting fat loss, and more.

Cold laser, also called Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT) or Photobiomodulation (PBM), does not either heat or cool the tissue. Since there is no thermal change to the tissue with the application of cold laser, there are no adverse side effects.

Its effectiveness is due to the biochemical changes that the light triggers within the cells, activating the mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell), in a similar manner as the process of photosynthesis in plants.

The Zerona received its original FDA clearance in 2010 with additional FDA clearances added to this laser over the last few years. The newer clearances only added what we can prove it does. It has been in wide use since 2010.

If you really want to geek out about this, check out our “geek out” link.