Lipostabil is an injectable, natural substance that appears to melt fat from inside the body, but Health Canada says the product is too good to be true, and illegal.

Dr. Renier van Aardt promotes treatments of Lipostabil as a safe and effective alternative to liposuction at his clinic in Yarmouth, N.S.

"Literature out there from Brazil and Europe shows a success rate in excess of 95 per cent," said van Aardt, a cosmetic doctor. "I think that's pretty much what I'm seeing at this very early stage."

Dr. Renier van Aardt

The theory is that Lipostabil injections break down fat, which is eventually excreted in the patient's urine.

The treatment has been used for years in Europe in pill form to control cholesterol. Clinics in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec are also offering the injection treatments of Lipostabil.

Holly Bethune of Yarmouth paid $300 for one treatment of her hips at van Aardt's clinic and said she's excited by the results. "When I put my jeans on, they're looser. I see inches leaving off the top of my thighs and my stomach line."

Holly Bethune

Dr. Wayne Carmen, a plastic surgeon in Toronto, said there hasn't been enough research done on Lipostabil to say it's safe.

"There may be other issues," said Carmen. "There may be for example, toxicity to nerves in the area. I'm not saying that there is, but there may be."

In fact, since Lipostabil isn't approved in Canada for any purpose, marketing and administering it is against the law. Brazil, where it's been widely used, has banned it.

Two days after CBC News called Health Canada to ask about Lipostabil, the department called van Aardt to tell him to stop the treatments.

Health Canada said it will make similar calls to other clinics across the country that offer the treatment.

Van Aardt said he was surprised by the call because he considers it to be a minimally invasive procedure. Van Aardt agreed to stop using Lipostabil, but says he'll conduct clinical trials to try to get it approved.