When it comes to choosing health and beauty treatments, it can be difficult to wade through all the different types, all claiming to be the best and latest trending techniques. One of the hottest trends in body sculpting is also the coldest – Cryolipolysis, or fat freezing.
We wanted to give you the facts about this non-invasive treatment, that doesn’t require needles, scalpels, or any real downtime.
The basics of body fat
To begin with, let’s look at the basics. We have different types of fat in our bodies; the subcutaneous fat – that’s the kind that rolls over the waistline of our jeans, and visceral fat – the stuff that lines our organs and is associated with heart disease and diabetes.
To be clear, from here onwards, when we refer to fat, we are talking about subcutaneous fat, as this is the type of fat that cryolipolysis targets. A recent study showed that the body’s ability to remove subcutaneous fat decreases with age, which means we are fighting an uphill battle with each birthday we celebrate.
From popsicles to freezing fat
Cryolipolysis literally translates into cold (cryo) fat (lipo) destruction (lysis). It was invented, partly, by observing what happens when children eat cold popsicles. The cofounders of this process were intrigued by something called “cold-induced fat necrosis” that was reported to occur after young children ate popsicles that were inadvertently left resting on the cheek for several minutes.
Skin samples taken from paediatric patients like these showed inflammation in the fat, but normal overlying skin. Thus, it appeared that fat may be more sensitive to cold injury than other tissue types.
Taking this novel concept into testing, researchers tried a cooling device on pigs in 2007 to see if fat cells could be selectively destroyed. The results were promising and predictable; there was about a 1/2 inch reduction in the pig’s fat layer, without damaging the overlying skin, in the treated areas.
By 2010, the first cryolipolysis technology approved for human use was cleared as a treatment for love handles. Clearance for treating other parts of the body, including the thighs, belly, bra fat, back, the underside of the buttocks, and chin soon followed.
No one is exactly sure how cryolipolysis works, but a few days after treatment, the cooled fat cells die, and over the next few months, macrophages in the body’s immune system digest the dead fat cells, and they pass harmlessly out through our urine.
A cool procedure
There have been more than eight million cryolipolysis treatments performed worldwide. Unlike liposuction, which can require anaesthesia and comes with risks of bleeding or serious infection, cryolipolysis is a relatively safe in-office procedure, with minimal pain and no downtime.
The treatment itself takes 35 minutes per application, and multiple applications may be needed to cover an area. For instance, four or more applications may be needed to ensure even fat removal from the entire front of the belly.
There can be some side effects to the treatment, the most common of which include redness, bruising, swelling, tingling, numbness, or darkening of the treated area. Most of these side effects, if present, will resolve within several months after treatment.
Perhaps the most significant, albeit relatively rare, side effect of cryolipolysis is, paradoxically, increased fat growth at the treatment site. The exact incidence of this side effect is unknown; however, it appears to occur less than 1 per cent of the time.
Results can be seen as soon as three weeks, with maximum benefit seen at approximately three months. The average reduction in fat ranges from about 10 per cent to 25 per cent per round of treatment, and there is no evidence of any body-wide side effects. A second round of treatment may be needed after several months, depending on the desired results.
Who’s a good candidate for fat freezing?
Cryolipolysis appears to be a safe and effective treatment for fat loss without the downtime of liposuction or surgery. But it is important to note that cryolipolysis is intended for fat loss, not weight loss. The ideal candidate is already close to their ideal body weight but has stubborn, pinchable areas of fat that are difficult to get rid of with diet and exercise alone.
Cryolipolysis also doesn’t target visceral fat, so it won’t improve your overall health. But it may help you fit into your favourite pair of skinny jeans.
If you want to know more about cryolipolysis, contact LA Lipo to arrange a consultation.
