Sometimes it feels like no matter what you do, how much you exercise and how religiously you log every morsel that goes in your mouth into calorie-counting software, the body composition just does not seem to shift. Of course, if you’ve made significant lifestyle changes – and an effort to commit to them – it’s very unlikely that your journey feels completely pointless. However, what about those stubborn fat deposits that just won’t go away? Upper arms, “muffin tops”, stomach rolls…they can be a major annoyance for many people even at or close to ideal body weight.
Of course, some people will tell you getting a liposuction will solve all your problems. However, although highly effective when performed appropriately by an experienced surgeon, liposuction is not exactly a walk in the park. This highly invasive procedure is associated with substantial downtime, possible side effects ranging from minor to very serious, and significant costs involved due to the level of expertise and care required. Besides, not everyone is comfortable with the idea of going under a knife for purely appearance-driven reasons.
If only there was a non-surgical procedure that could melt away fat with no downtime and minimal complications…
But what if we told you that this safe, affordable cosmetic treatment already exists – except instead of melting fat, it freezes it? The name is cryolipolysis, also known as CoolSculpting or “fat freezing” – and today, we’ll reveal all you need to know about this procedure, and if it’s safe after all.
What is “fat freezing”?
In a nutshell, cryolipolysis, or “fat freezing”, works by exposing fat cells in the chosen area of the body (e.g. stomach, flanks, thighs – or any other stubborn fat tissue deposits) to very low temperatures. As a result, fat cells are frozen to death – and subsequently eliminated by the body just like any other waste would. Best of all, the surrounding tissues remain intact and undamaged, unlike after liposuction which inevitably promotes scarring!
There is not much discomfort involved, either. During your appointment, which typically lasts for 35 mins or under, the operator will apply a suction cup applicator to the treated area. Not going to lie, it feels a little unusual, and you may feel cold while the device is in operation (it’s called freezing for a reason). However, mild discomfort related to the cooling sensation is about as bad as it gets. No pain, no downtime!
Sometimes, multiple areas can be treated within the same appointment, but it’s not always possible. In addition, multiple sessions are often required to achieve the desired results – the exact timeline will depend on your body composition and goals. Treatment usually start from around £1600 but typically cost between £3000 and £6000 depending on how many areas and if you have treatments repeated and even though it’s cheaper compared to surgical interventions, make sure you can afford repeated treatments if need be, or hold off until you can.
Speaking of repeated procedures, don’t make appointments too close to each other unless specifically advised by your nurse specialist, as it takes a while for your lymphatic system to get rid of the dead fat cells.If you are going to need two rounds of treatments, the second round can be done four weeks after your first.
As such, you can expect to see full results at around 12 weeks post treatment, so wait until then to decide if you need more freezy work done. As a general guide, you can expect to lose approximately an inch per treatment – but this obviously does vary due to factors such as body part treated, your metabolism, how large your fat deposits are to start with, and so on.
Is “fat freezing” safe?
In general, most health practitioners and scientists agree that cryolipolysis is a safe and effective treatment to reduce fat deposits in most areas.
Over 5 million treatments have been performed world wide, with hundreds of studies, and providing you don't overeat and put weight on, your results will be long lasting.
To minimise the chance of unexpected results, make sure you’re the right candidate for the “fat freezing” procedure. Some of the criteria, for both men and women, include:
- Being within 6-12 kg of your ideal body weight (less is even better). CoolSculpting is not supposed to be a dramatic, 50 kg of weight off kind of procedure. Instead, it works best and smoothest when only reasonable “polishing” of desired areas is required.
- Being generally healthy and not taking any medications that can promote uncontrolled weight gain
- Maintaining a good exercise and nutrition regimen
- Being prepared to undergo multiple procedures to achieve optimal results (those may or may not be required).
Conclusion
Cryolipolysis is a safe, effective procedure that helps get rid of stubborn unwanted fat in most areas of the body, such as thighs, upper arms, abdomen, chin, flanks, and everything in between.
However, if you’re still in the early days of your health journey and carry over 15 kg of excess weight, you may need to wait a bit before committing to “fat freezing” sessions, as the results won’t be as dramatic as they could be, and you might also get unwanted lumps and bumps.
Otherwise, go for it – and you won’t ever regret getting the procedure done, as the results are truly amazing, and there is virtually no downtime.
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