Method of treating fat of a patient by radiation

A method of treating fat of a patient by the irradiation of an anatomic region of fat located within the body of the patient, said method comprising:

• a) providing a device comprising a housing and a needle, said needle being an elongated member having a proximal end, a sharpened distal end and a hollow passageway extending therethrough from said proximal end to said distal end, said housing comprising an infra-red laser source located therein configured when activated to produce a collimated far infra-red laser beam in the range of 50 μm to 1000 μm to enter into said hollow passageway at said proximal end of said needle and pass therethrough to exit said distal end of said needle;
• b) introducing said needle into the body of the patient by causing said sharpened distal end to pierce the skin and underlying tissue so that said distal end of said needle is located at the anatomic region of fat;
• and
• c) activating said laser source to produce said infra-red laser beam in the range of 200 milliwatts to 500 milliwatts of energy, whereupon said infra-red laser beam exits said distal end of said needle to impinge said anatomic region of fat without the intervening skin and underlying tissue attenuating said infra-red laser beam.