What is Fat Freezing?

Cool sculpting is a relatively simple procedure. In cool sculpting, physicians place rounded paddles in one of four sizes onto our problem areas to suction the skin and crystallize underlying fat cells, while we sit in a reclined chair anywhere from 35 to 120 minutes depending on the target area. We experience an initial suction and coldness in the treated area that eventually fade to numbness. It’s a mild discomfort that patients seem to tolerate pretty well. Because this procedure doesn’t use anesthesia, we’ll be awake during the procedure.

It involves cooling our skin around 4 degree Celsius, which is cold enough to destroy fat cells without damaging the skin.  The fat freezing machine have a controlled temperature range of +5 to -11 °C for localized reduction of fat deposits, intending to reshape the contours of the body. After the application, manual massage break up frozen fat cells which then die, and are eliminated through the body’s normal processes. Cool sculpting removes 10 to 20 percent of the fat targeted with each treatment, and 25 percent fat after several treatments, which is very different than liposuction, which can remove 70 to 90 percent of the fat in one treatment. Evidence supports the treatments effectiveness lasts for 3 to 4 months.

This treatment is for anyone who is looking for mild improvements. It’s not designed for a massive amount of fat removal like liposuction. The ideal patient is someone who is at a stable weight and just has some persistent stubborn areas of fat that don’t respond to normal exercise and diet.

The cryolipolysis treatments are available in a number of aesthetic clinics and spas across the UK, including the Omniya clinic in Knightsbridge, and also the Bellisimos Salon in Cardiff.

Celebrities who opted for cool sculpting: Popular celebrities such as Gemma Collins, Khloe Kardashian opted for this treatment. Also Molly Sims, Antony Costa and Ferne McCann is seen to have undergone this procedure successfully.

Does it really work? The technology works! If done safely by a professional, cool sculpting can indeed help you lose fat up to 25%.

Targeted areas: Cryolipolysis is a FDA approved treatment of visible fat bulges and can be performed on multiple areas of the body. It can target anywhere, such as tummy, thighs, or upper arms, back fat, abdomen, breasts, chin area, underneath the buttocks, love handles, banana rolls (fat under the buttocks).

The risks: Even though this treatment has minimal risks, some potential side effects includes contouring irregularities due to uneven removal of fat cells, numbness of nerves lasting for weeks. Swelling, redness, tenderness, or bruising in the treatment areas, all of which will improve within a few days.

The results: Right after the treatment, in the following days, the treated areas might be slightly sore. A week later, our skin might feel a little itchy. A single treatment will yield very minimal change which is so subtle that patients may not notice any difference. It often takes a few treatments to achieve our desired results. The more treatments we have, the more results we’ll see. We can plan 2-4 sessions overall. Eventually after 12 to 16 weeks, our body will process and dispose the fat cells; that is when the full effects of the treatment will be seen. We will get a mild fat reduction, a slightly improved waistline and less bulging of the concerned area.

Since fat doesn’t weigh as much as muscle, so cool sculpting or fat freezing won’t make us lose heaps of weight, therefore we shouldn’t expect any significant weight loss. If we shed 25 percent of fat in a handful of tissue it will not add up too much on the weighing scale. However, this will count when we lose those bulges that are spilling over the top of our pants or bra. We can drop 1 or 2 sizes in clothing. Cool sculpting is intended to reduce the appearance of visible bulges, not as a treatment for obesity. If we’re looking for general weight loss, we start with exercise and healthy eating rather than treatments like cool sculpting.

Is it permanent? Yes! It’s a permanent fat reduction technology, if we control our weight.

The precaution: This procedure must be done by a board-certified dermatologist at the doctor’s office. It must be ensured that the doctor is using the real cool sculpting device which includes technology that moderates the temperature to keep it at an appropriate level to reduce the risk of any side effects. A trained physician is the best bet for good results because even though the cool sculpting treatments are safe and effective, things can go wrong if the physician doesn’t operate the equipment correctly. Those who have a vascular condition that makes them extra sensitive to cold temperatures (for example, Raynaud’s syndrome) should not use this treatment.

It order to maintain the new body contour, we should control our weight and maintain a healthy diet with plenty of exercise. We must drink at least 3-4 liters of water daily and hit the gym in to flush the dead fat cells through our lymphatic system.

How long does it last?

The cool sculpting sessions give results that may last for three months.

How much does it cost?

Because cool sculpting is a cosmetic procedure, it isn’t covered by insurance. Cost depends on the number of treatments we get and the areas being treated and also the location. In the UK, the cost averages $750 per area to be treated. And along with repeated or additional treatments. We can spend from $2,000 to $4,000, which is around the same cost of liposuction.

Conclusion

If we have stubborn areas of fat that aren’t responding to dietary changes or exercise, the cool sculpting might be a great non-surgical body contouring treatment that target and destroy fat cells without surgery.