Cryolipolysis, better known as “fat freezing” is not a way to lose weight. It’s intended to reduce pockets of fat that you aren’t able to get rid of by diet, exercise or other means. A recent study indicates that the body loses its ability to remove subcutaneous fate with age so there has been a lot of interest in the procedure in recent years.
Body Fat
Not all fat is created equal. There are two distinct types of fat in the body. Subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat develops under the skin and acts as a store of energy, protects your muscles and bones from impact, insulates your body, and provides pathways for nerves and blood vessels.
Visceral fat is stored in your abdominal cavity around vital organs like the liver, stomach, and intestines. This type of fat is found inside the body and is not easy to detect.
Fat freezing is aimed at subcutaneous fat that won’t go away no matter how hard you try.
What Causes Subcutaneous Fat?
Everybody has some subcutaneous fat. Genetics, diet and lifestyle all play a role in developing excess fat. Age also plays a role, as the older you get the harder it is for your body to shed fat by traditional methods.
People who eat more calories than they burn and are sedentary are more likely to collect extra fat. While fat plays a role in your biochemistry, too much can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, strokes and high blood pressure.
Diets high in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and fibre are recommended for those seeking to lose weight. Some form of strenuous physical activity is also recommended. Aerobic exercise, weight lifting and walking can help to shed unwanted pounds.
Procedure
Researchers came up with the idea by observing what happens to fat during frostbite. Fat freezes at a higher temperature than your skin. The cryolipolysis device cools your fat to a temperature that destroys it while leaving your surrounding skin and other tissues unharmed.
Fat freezing isn’t surgery and doesn’t use needles. The device holds part of your body between two paddles. The paddles cool quickly and are left in place for 35 minutes to one hour. During that time, the process destroys about 20%-25% of the fat cells in the targetted area.
Although the fat cells are now dead, it takes time for the body to process and dispose of them. You might not see the final results for a few weeks. Your body slowly clears out the dead cells during this time.
Multiple applications may be needed to fully cover a large area. Large areas like the belly, hips and thighs usually require several sessions. Smaller areas like the arms, chin or neck might get good results from only one session. This is determined in consultation with your doctor or clinician.
Efficacy
Cryolipolysis is safe and effective for fat loss without the downtime of liposuction or surgery. The ideal candidate is already close to their ideal body weight with stubborn areas of fat that are difficult to get rid of with diet and exercise alone.