On a kitchen table are two slices of raw bacon, a box of syringes and a bottle of yellow liquid neatly arranged. “Let's dissolve some bacon grease together,” says a woman wearing rubber gloves. She takes a syringe and injects one of the rashes with the yellow solution. Within minutes, the fat begins to break down.
This is not a school science experiment. Instead, it's one of hundreds of videos promoting Lemon Bottle: a new fat-dissolving injection that promises miraculous results.
Over the past six months, Lemon Bottle has become a viral marketing sensation. On TikTok alone, videos tagged #Lemonbottle have been viewed 81.5 million times. Ads for treatments from £50 per area are common on Facebook Marketplace, Instagram and in high street salon windows.
Google data shows that while UK searches for Lemon Bottle were virtually non-existent until this year, they have since soared – overtaking searches for 'liposuction' in September and far surpassing interest in other fat-dissolving jabs.
But while the hype has won Lemon Bottle legions of fans, its rapid rollout has divided the aesthetic medicine industry. Some of the country's leading experts are concerned about the product's long-term safety and effectiveness, a lack of published research and the way it is being marketed as a risk-free quick fix.
“I'm really concerned about it,” says Dr Sophie Shotter, an aesthetic doctor and trustee of the British College of Aesthetic Medicine. “This is a product that claims to be the 'fastest and strongest' grease remover in the industry, but there appears to be no clinical evidence for it.”
Reports of safety issues associated with Lemon Bottle have also increased in recent months. Save facea register of licensed practitioners, said it had recorded 90 complaints about the product so far in 2023 – 50 in the past three months – compared to just one complaint in all of 2022.
These include claims that customers received uneven results, saw no results at all, or suffered long-term bruising or swelling, infections, abscesses and, in one case, necrosis, the death of body tissue.
Save Face director Ashton Collins said it was unclear whether the problems were due to engineering, counterfeiting or problems with the official Lemon Bottle product itself. But she said in any case the customer had paid for a treatment they thought was Lemon Bottle. “People see it as a magic wand treatment and don't realize the risks,” she said.
Made by Sid Medicos, a company based in Seoul, South Korea, Lemon Bottle is touted as stronger, safer, and more effective than other fat-dissolving injections. While competing products may contain substances such as deoxycholic acid, which have been safety tested and proven to dissolve fat cells, Lemon Bottle does not, but instead says it has “all-natural ingredients.”
A full ingredient list does not appear to be available online and requests for more details went unanswered last week. But the company's website states that the “key ingredients” are bromelain, riboflavin and lecithin, which are injected into an area of ”stubborn fat” on the face or body.
Sid Medicos says the ingredients then work together to break down fat cells into fatty acids, which are flushed away naturally when you urinate.
At his clinic in Chelsea, west London, Dr Vahe Karimyan, a surgeon, said he regularly saw clients requesting Lemon Bottle. So far, he had treated about 200 patients with it and said they were happy with the results.
He described the treatment as “virtually painless” and “very good” for “double chin, abdominal area, love handles, inner thighs and armpits”. He said: “This is a Korean product and there is (some research) that shows it is quite effective. My patients are more than satisfied after the procedure. Unlike other products, it is very well tolerated.”
Others have yet to adopt it. Dr. Yannis Alexandrides of the 111 Harley Street clinic said the evidence was “too weak” to confidently offer Lemon Bottle. “My personal review and initial research finds no scientific articles supporting the efficacy and safety of this product,” he said.
Amy Morgan, lecturer in human biology at Liverpool Hope University, agreed that there appears to be a lack of peer-reviewed research. “For example, although there is evidence that bromelain, one of its components, can affect fat cells and fat breakdown, this work was carried out in a mouse cell model. It is difficult to predict whether these results will translate to human cells and to humans themselves,” she said. “I would err on the side of caution.”
Despite questions about the scientific basis, marketing often boasts impressive results, with double chins, 'bingo wings' and 'muffin tops' seemingly eradicated in a few sessions. A UK clinic's website advertises the product as a quick fix, asking: “Diet and exercise not enough? Looking for fast, painless results visible within 24 hours?
Most promotions come from beauticians offering the treatment, but Lemon Bottle makes similarly bold claims on its own official channels. On its Instagram page, Lemon Bottle says it is “completely safe,” has “no side effects” and delivers “instant results.”
Andrew Rankin, administrator of the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners and an aesthetic nurse, said the marketing could appeal to people who are vulnerable due to body image issues “and in particular young people”. He said no product was 100% safe, and there were still “a lot of unknowns.” “It may turn out to be completely harmless, or we may see problems rise to the surface.”
Experts are also concerned about the legal status of Lemon Bottle. Marketing materials show that Sid Medicos has promoted the product as an alternative treatment for obesity. But it is currently classified as a cosmetic product, meaning it is not required to undergo the safety testing required for medical devices.
The status also means that Lemon Bottle can be freely administered by non-healthcare professionals, who are not subject to any professional supervision. While the government is considering introducing new regulations, the beauty industry is currently unregulated, meaning there is no formal need for practitioners to undertake specific training. Last week, Lemonbottle courses were offered to laypeople for just £50, while training manuals and boxes of products were openly resold online.
While the jury is still out on the long-term benefits and risks of Lemon Bottle, experts all agree that patients should be skeptical of grand marketing claims. Those considering fat-dissolving injections should seek treatment from an aesthetic doctor or health care professional who is trained and properly insured.
As for the bacon fat stunt, even Karimyan isn't convinced. He says he tried it himself, leaving the slices for three days, but to no avail. Even if it worked in some cases, he said the process of breaking down fat in the human body was different from that of breaking down bacon fat because several factors are involved, such as oxygen and blood flow. “It's a marketing ploy,” he said.
Lemon Bottle did not respond to requests for comment.