The following is a transcript of a report by medical editor Marilyn Brooks that first aired Nov. 13, 2006, on WTAE Channel 4 Action News at 5 p.m.

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Maybe you have a litte extra weight that no matter how hard you work on, you just can't get rid of it, but how about a little help from medical technology?

A new procedure called laser liposuction is getting a lot of attention.

You may or may not know this, but liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the country. Well, how about laser liposuction? It's a high-tech advance that may at least give you a smoother, leaner look.

Forget the vacuum. The Federal Drug Administration just approved the new, less invasive liposuction technique called laser body sculpting.

"If you do traditional liposuction, you can actually make the skin look worse," said Dr. Bruce Katz. "It is pretty much like a deflated balloon. This type of laser technology allows us to melt the fat and tighten the skin at the same time."

That's what they say. Using local anesthetic, doctors insert a small tube with a laser under the skin

"As the laser tip comes into contact with the fat cells, it literally melts the fat," said Dr. Karen Kim.

That melted fat then drains away from the body.

There's very minimal bruising. There's very minimal swelling afterward, and the incision site that you enter into the skin is very small, so you don't even have to put a stitch into it.

But the new procedure isn't for everybody. Doctors said the laser system is best suited for targeting small fat deposits in otherwise healthy people. It is not a cure for obesity.

"It will never be a magic wand of cosmetic surgery, whether it be liposuction or any other technique," said Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank. "Sometimes the hype goes beyond what can actually be accomplished."

One problem with the original liposuction procedure is that fat that was sucked away didn't stay away. It's not clear whether melting the fat corrects that problem.

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