Have you ever heard of fat freezing? Even if you think you haven’t, you probably have. Fat freezing is the generic term for the procedure carried out by CoolSculpting sessions, using cold temperatures to reduce the patient’s number of fat cells in a targeted area.
What is fat freezing?
Fat freezing, or cryolipolysis, is a procedure in which doctors selectively destroy fat cells at specific low temperatures. Scientists developed this procedure by studying what happens to fat during frostbite and discovered that fat freezes at a higher temperature than skin. Due to this temperature difference, it’s possible to destroy specific fat cells while leaving your skin completely untouched.
Is fat freezing safe?
Some good news: fat freezing is not surgery, and doesn’t use needles. Instead, it uses a device with two paddles. The doctor will hold the target area between the two paddles, which lower in temperature until they hit the freezing temperature of fat. The doctor will leave the paddles there for anywhere from half an hour to a little over an hour, and during that time, up to 25% of the fat cells, there will die.
After the procedure, your body will begin to naturally eliminate the cells. Over the course of a few weeks to a month, you’ll begin to see a slimmer silhouette.
The possible side effects are few and mild: you may feel a tugging on your skin during the procedure along with intense cold, and afterward, you may feel a little sore or experience mild swelling.
Very rarely, some patients may be at risk for nerve pain, and less than 1% of patients experience a condition called Paradoxical Fat Hyperplasia, in which fat cells increase instead of decrease. This complication is infrequent, however, and most patients do not have to worry about encountering it.
How effective is fat freezing?
The typical fat-freezing patient loses 10%-25% of fat cells in the target area and experiences little to no side effects. Fat freezing is a great option for you if you’re looking for a nonsurgical solution to stubborn pockets of fat that diet and exercise won’t affect.
If you have more questions about fat freezing, talk to your dermatologist. Here at Advanced Dermatology, we have a slate of experienced professionals who are ready to take your questions. Get in contact with us, either at our website or by calling 855-793-2868 and having a chat with our cosmetic concierge.