MARIETTA - Can you really lie down under laser lights for a few minutes every other day for two weeks and find yourself slimmer?

Dr. Robert C. Shuman says you can. Shuman is a longtime anasthesiologist in Marietta who now operates Physician's Choice Inc., a medical weight loss clinic on Cherokee Street. In April, he began offering treatments using the Zerona non-invasive laser.

"We didn't get it, it got us," Shuman said of the Zerona laser, a product of Erchonia Medical Inc., based in McKinney, Texas. According to the manufacturer, the low-level laser liquefies fat inside fat-storing cells. The liquid fatty matter then seeps out of the cell and is passed out of the body.

"Overstuffed fat cells - they look like grapes. After Zerona, they look like raisins," Shuman said. A treatment consists of six, 40-minute sessions over two weeks.

And it's not cheap. Shuman's clinic charges $2,100 for the two-week treatment. Zerona is not covered by insurance, but financing is available, he said.

So far, 14 of Shuman's patients have undergone the treatment, and he said they lost 4.5 to 10.5 inches.

"We see our role as not just that of a doctor, but coaching patients," Shuman said. He encourages patients to walk 40 minutes a day, drink lots of water, and cut out fatty foods and alcohol.

"If you're extremely overweight, it's not going to work," he said. "An ideal (body mass index) is 20 to 30."

But Dr. Tom Cooper, a bariatrician who lives in east Cobb and is married to state Rep. Sharon Cooper, warns that the Zerona is just a fad.

"It won't hurt anybody, I don't think," Dr. Cooper said. "It just does not do what they say it does. It's a quick fix. I've been doing this 43 years, and have seen a lot of these come through."

Cooper said the treatments are expensive because the machine itself is so costly. In fact, Dr. Shuman said his practice paid $89,000 for the machine.

Shuman's wife, Judy, is a registered nurse and wellness coach who works in the clinic. Zerona, she said, can help target areas of stubborn fat, such as around the abdomen and the thighs.

"A lot of people are doing exercise and things but can't get that to move. Or, they're using the laser as a jumpstart to get motivated and moving more," she said.

It's also not permanent.

"Every type of weight loss can recur," Dr. Shuman said. "Fat can't be removed more easily and painlessly, but you have to maintain it. Patients can come back for another treatment."

Amy Ammerman, 40, tried the treatment and said she was quite surprised to lose nine inches.

"I've had four babies and I had a lot of leftover weight," said Ammerman, who coaches cheerleading at Kell High School and also works in Shuman's clinic. She noticed a difference after the third treatment, she said.

"I lost those love handles. My fiance is very pleased," she said. "There was no pain whatsoever, but the tough part was three weeks with no alcohol."