By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 14:17 EST, 13 August 2013 | UPDATED: 07:09 EST, 14 August 2013

Vanquish, a new noninvasive procedure that uses radio frequency waves to kill fat cells without damaging skin or muscle, has been labeled a 'breakthrough' by experts.

Due to arrive in elite doctor's offices this month, Vanquish is currently only designed for use on the abdomen and love handles, but studies show it can melt several inches from a patients waist.

'It's fast, efficient and comfortable,' David McDaniel, an assistant professor of clinical dermatology at Eastern Virgina Medical School told Harper's Bazaar. 'I've been doing this for 30 years and most advances have been little baby steps. This is a big technological breakthrough.'

A panel that hovers above a patient's stomach heats the skin to 101degrees and the underlying fat to 120 for 30minutes, according to the Vanquish website.

'There will be some redness and swelling for the first few days. You are required to drink plenty of water before and after each procedure to help with the elimination of the dead fat cells,' it explains.

Once the fat cells have been killed, they are filtered through the lymphatic system, metabolized in the liver, and then excreted through urine.

Cleared by the FDA earlier this year for deep-tissue heating, Vanquish, which costs between $450 to $800 for a 30-minute session, is still being studied for fat reduction.

But recent research on animals has found that Vanquish killed 60per cent of fat cells treated.

And a  study done in Prague on people with extra weight around their midriff saw results within two weeks.

'This new technique is a real game changer - it's the safest, easiest way to remove fat,' said Robert Weiss, an associate professor of dermatology at John Hopkins Hospital, who treats patients with Vanquish at his office in Baltimore.

'I've seen patients loose several inches after four treatments without changing their diets,' he added.

The results are not as dramatic as liposuction, however. which can remove large volumes of fat at a time.

'It may be appropriate for small scale changes as long as the patient's expectations are well managed,' said Adam Kolker, a plastic surgeon and an associate clinical professor of surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital's Icahn School of Medicine in New York. 

It also doesn't work on cellulite.

'It's great for people who are in good shape, within five to ten per cent of their ideal weight and don't want to go through surgery,' explained Patricia Wexler, a New York dermatologist.