A longtime chiropractor is returning to practice in Montrose with a new approach, opening a clinic centered on noninvasive fat-loss treatments while also offering chiropractic care and functional medicine services.
Doug DeShazo recently opened Montrose Fat Loss Center at 310 S. Ninth St., where patients can receive noninvasive body-contouring treatments using FDA-cleared laser technology, along with chiropractic care, low-level laser therapy for pain management and functional medicine consultations.
The building also serves as the new home of Elevated Vinegar and Olive Oil (EVOO), which recently relocated from its Main Street location.
For DeShazo, the decision to return to chiropractic after stepping away from practice was driven by conversations with a longtime friend and fellow chiropractor who encouraged him to get back into the profession.
But he said the concept evolved into something different as he considered what he believes is one of today’s biggest public health challenges.
“I thought, why don’t we lead with being a fat-loss center—not a weight-loss center, but a fat-loss center—and let the chiropractic and pain management grow out of the back end instead of doing it the other way around,” DeShazo said.
He said obesity has become a larger public health concern than musculoskeletal pain and wanted the practice’s identity to focus on that.
The clinic’s signature service uses the FDA-cleared Zerona VZ8 laser, which is cleared for body contouring and body circumference reduction.
DeShazo said the Montrose office is the first in the area to offer the technology, with the nearest comparable Zerona system located in Colorado Springs.
The laser works differently than surgical fat-removal procedures such as liposuction. According to DeShazo, the treatment is designed to temporarily create microscopic openings in fat cells, allowing stored fat to be released and processed naturally by the body.
The treatment is noninvasive, takes about 20 minutes and does not require anesthesia or recovery time. Patients lie under the laser for 10 minutes on their back and 10 minutes on their stomach before returning to normal activities.
DeShazo said the clinic emphasizes fat loss rather than weight loss because the FDA clearance for the Zerona system is for body contouring and body circumference reduction.
He said the treatment is intended to complement healthy eating and exercise rather than replace healthy lifestyle habits, and that patients are evaluated individually before beginning treatment.
In addition to the Zerona system, the clinic uses Erchonia GVL and FX-405 low-level lasers, which DeShazo said are used as part of treatment plans for patients seeking relief from pain and musculoskeletal conditions. The clinic also offers functional medicine consultations focused on nutrition, lifestyle and overall wellness.
According to DeShazo, the treatment is nonin
While the clinic is branded around fat loss, DeShazo said it also provides a full range of chiropractic services and therapeutic low-level laser treatments for pain relief and healing.
He said he intentionally chose not to market the business primarily as a chiropractic office because Montrose already has several established providers.
“We’re not going to jump into the chiropractic market,” he said. “We’re just going to start with the fat loss where there is not a competing situation.”
DeShazo said the practice also incorporates functional medicine, which focuses on lifestyle factors such as nutrition and overall wellness in addition to traditional chiropractic care.
The clinic is intended for adults looking to improve overall wellness, including those who have struggled to lose fat through diet and exercise alone or who are seeking conservative, nonsurgical treatment options.
Patients can schedule consultations through the clinic’s website or by contacting the office directly.
Justin Tubbs is the Montrose Business Times editor. He can be reached by email at justin@montrosebusinesstimes.com or by phone at 970-765-0915 or mobile at 254-246-2260.
