Cryolipolysis – The Innovative non-invasive fat freezing method

Ever heard of killing the fat cells with a controlled thermal temperature? Seems strange, but the medical science has made this possible, and the treatment is known as Cryolipolysis. Patented with the name of Coolsculpting and approved by FDA, this technique freezes and then terminates the targeted fat cells in the human body. You may come across many non-surgical fat reduction treatments and medications that make tall claims, but they come and go being transient flashes in the pan. Thankfully, this one is here to stay mostly because it has the backing of several happy patients for its long-term efficacy.  

More about Cryolipolysis  

If you want to get rid of excess fat in your body without going on weight loss regime like exercising or controlled diet, this is perhaps the best idea to follow. For this treatment, the surgeon uses cold treatment to reduce fat cells with the help of a cryolipolysis machine that consists of an attached mouthpiece. The controlled freezing cools down the fat cells till they acquire their crystal form. The body then disposes off these frozen fat cells naturally.

How it broke the ice?

This procedure came to the fore during a research that intended to analyze the impact of cold on human body cells. As per research findings, fat cells reacted positively to cold; much more than other cells in the body, like organ, nerve or muscle cells. In fact, at 4 degree Celsius, the fat cells started to crystallize, and gave way to Coolsculpting. The treatment hence addresses some specific locations of adamant fat cells that are completely unresponsive to your regular exercise and diet efforts.

The targeted areas

You can try out this cooling treatment to get away with the unwanted fat cells accumulated on:

• Abdomen, both lower and upper
• Side and upper arms
• Love handles or flanks
• Buttocks
• Breast and back fat
• Chin
• Outer and inner thighs

The procedure

Experienced cosmetic surgeons or dermatologists are the best to perform Coolsculpting on the patients willing to break free from fat cells on certain body locations. Overall, the method is simple, painless and invites little or no side effects. Here is the systematic procedure to carry out this treatment.

• Consult with your surgeon regarding your medical history and the area of your body that requires fat reduction. Fix the appointment for this non-invasive surgery accordingly.
• To start with, the surgeon assesses the position of fatty bulge where he needs to mark the applicator.
• Depending on the dimensions of the treatment area, he will choose an applicator of a suitable size and curvature.
• Next, he marks the concerned area to place the applicator
• Alongside, he places gel pad on the patient’s skin for protection
• He starts applying the applicator to vacuum the bulge into the hollow portion of the applicator
• Subsequently, the temperature starts to drop inside the applicator, making the areas of treatment numb.
• This freezes the fat cells and end up killing them through natural mechanism.
• In several instances, patients may experience cooling sensation for few minutes during the cooling step.

The fact that cryolipolysis is non-invasive, it sets the patient free from getting anesthesia, cuts or medications, which may result in allergic behaviors later on. You can watch TV, play game on your smartphone or enjoy a web series while the procedure is on. So cool, isn’t it? Depending on the size of the treatment areas, the entire process takes around 30 minutes to 1 hour to complete. The surgeon then removes the applicator and massages the area to ensure enhances results.

Risks and side effects

The chances of side effects are very less with cryolipolysis as compared to liposuction or other fat reduction treatment. This is because it is a minimally invasive surgical procedure. An analysis done by Aesthetic Surgery Journal revealed that only 12 out of 1445 people treated for Cool Sculpting experienced complications. This is less than 1% and hence is next to negligible. The possible side effects that you may rarely come across include bruising, sensitivity, temporary numbness, localized pain, redness of skin, etc.

What to expect?

The fat cells need time for removal through natural process, such as through kidney or urine, etc. To be precise, the treated cells die out within two weeks, but it may take around three to six months before the liver flushes the decomposed fat cells completely. For optimal results, the surgeons recommend 2-3 appointments. Once the process completes, the outcomes of cryolipolysis are permanent. On the darker side, killing existing fat leaves no effect on the growth of new fat cells. Moreover, you cannot rule out the long-term side effects of Cool Sculpting.

After care

At the best, it is advisable to continue with your workouts and balanced diet after the treatment, hence ensuring a healthy lifestyle. There is no need of any medication or food supplements, just take care of your body. Keep visiting your surgeon as per suggested for additional treatments if required.

Cost of Cryolipolysis

The treatment for small areas like chin may cost up to $900 as they require small size applicators. Procedures that require large applicators may cost up to $5,000 per session. The cost also depends very much on your respective location. So it’s better to visit your nearby Cool sculpting clinic and find out the cost yourself. Most likely, it will remain within your budget. Remember that you will not get insurance for Coolsculpting as it does not intend to cure a health condition but is a cosmetic procedure.

Bottomline

Cryolipolysis is an innovative method to reduce fat without going under the knife. It crystallizes the fat cells that ultimately pass out through natural process hence helping you to cut fat appreciably. This process is effective in cases where you find it hard to remove additional fat through exercise or balanced diet. But keep in mind that it is not a miracle treatment and it does not remove fat in entirety either. Hence, it is wise to have realistic expectations only with this procedure.

At times, some patients may even face adverse reactions. To be on the brighter side, it is one of the better advancements of cosmetic medical science, which leads to painless and incision-free treatment. You need to know if the doctor who offers this treatment is well trained and experienced in this modality of fat loss. Also, make sure that the clinic has appropriate equipment and applicators of requisite size to make the treatment easier.