Cryolipolysis can be used to remove small pockets of fat without surgery. The tissue is cooled to approximately 3 °C and kept at that temperature for about an hour. This causes the fat cells to die. The body breaks down the remains over the course of the following weeks and months. On average, cryolipolysis can reduce fat deposits by about 25%. The method has virtually no side effects.
Here you will find further information as well as a list of selected doctors who perform cryolipolysis.
What is cryolipolysis?
Cryolipolysis is a method for removing localized fat deposits without surgery. The term literally means “fat dissolution through cold.”
The procedure takes advantage of the subcutaneous fat tissue’s particular sensitivity to cold. The fat cells in that area are permanently destroyed by localized cold exposure.
Cryolipolysis acts exclusively on the fat tissue, so the skin, nerves, muscles, and blood vessels are not damaged. Additionally, there are no scars from incisions or punctures.
Scientific studies have been conducted on the long-term effects of this method. They show that cryolipolysis is a safe and effective procedure for fat reduction. Side effects are generally mild and temporary.
Is this a certified procedure?
The procedure was developed, tested, and patented by dermatologists at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The original method and the device originally developed are marketed under the brand name CoolSculpting by the licensee Zeltiq Aesthetics. There are now other providers on the market (such as CoolTech).
Cryolipolysis has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a fat-reduction procedure since 2010. In Europe, cryolipolysis devices from several brands (including CoolSculpting and cooltech) hold CE certification as Class IIa medical devices.
Cryolipolysis
can be used to reduce small fat deposits without surgery © photoCD / Fotolia
When is cryolipolysis used?
As a procedure in aesthetic dermatology, cryolipolysis is used to treat individuals who are self-conscious about small fat deposits on
- the abdomen,
- hips,
- buttocks,
- back,
- thighs,
- knees,
- upper arms
- or chin
may feel uncomfortable. Here, cryolipolysis achieves a significant reduction in fat deposits, thereby providing the desired body contouring.
However, cryolipolysis cannot be used to remove large areas of extensive fat deposits. Furthermore, unlike with liposuction, the fat tissue is not suctioned out but rather broken down and metabolized by the body. Cryolipolysis is therefore not a traditional method for weight loss.
How does the treatment work?
A cryolipolysis treatment for a problem area takes about an hour. It is also possible to treat two body areas simultaneously.
During the treatment, you lie in a comfortable position on a treatment table next to the cryolipolysis device. It contains a cooling unit and a vacuum pump. The device comes with several differently shaped applicators for various body areas. Each applicator consists of
- a suction cup with two integrated cooling modules, as well as
- an electronic control system that regulates the temperature of the cooling modules.
The area to be treated is covered with a protective pad soaked in an antifreeze agent before the applicator is applied. Negative pressure draws the fat deposit into the suction cup and holds it between the cooling modules for the duration of the treatment.
The cooling modules are then cooled down to temperatures as low as -11 °C. This reduces the skin’s temperature to a target range of 3 to 5 °C. This temperature is maintained precisely for about one hour.
In the first few minutes, the cooling of the skin triggers an intense tingling and burning sensation. Later, the nerve endings are numbed by the cold, and the treatment becomes painless.
After the applicator is removed, the treated area remains slightly swollen and very red. The swelling subsides within a few minutes. Sensation returns with another intense tingling sensation.
A brief manual massage of the treated area using firm kneading and circular motions accelerates the return of normal skin sensation and contour and enhances the effects of cryolipolysis.
Visible effects of cryolipolysis—that is, a noticeable reduction in fat deposits—become apparent some time after the treatment. The final result of the treatment can generally be reliably assessed after two to four months.
Measurable results are seen in 86 percent of those treated. On average, fat deposits shrink by 25 percent after one treatment.
Side Effects of Cryolipolysis
After the procedure, redness and swelling of the treated skin area lasting several days are to be expected. Bruising caused by the suction cup may also occur. Additionally,
- numbness,
- itching,
- local hypersensitivity, and
- pain
may occur. However, frostbite is not possible if the procedure is performed correctly.
A very rare side effect of cryolipolysis is the proliferation of structurally altered adipose tissue at the treated site. To date, the medical literature has reported 16 cases of so-called paradoxical adipose hyperplasia following cryolipolysis.
Why is cryolipolysis effective against fat deposits?
The mechanism of cryolipolysis is based on a simple physical principle: body fat “freezes” (crystallizes) at a higher temperature than water.
During the procedure, the tissue is maintained at a temperature of around 3 °C. This ensures that the water-rich cells of the skin, nerves, and muscles remain intact while the fat crystallizes. Crystallization irreversibly damages the fat cells. It triggers the process known as programmed cell death (apoptosis).
The processes occurring during apoptosis trigger a controlled inflammatory response. During this process, the fat cells are broken down into their constituent parts by immune system cells and metabolized.
This process begins about three days after treatment and is fully complete after a few months: The volume of the treated areas has shrunk significantly and now contains far fewer fat cells.
An interesting case study demonstrates the long-term effect of cryolipolysis in two men who were treated in the early days of the method. In the interest of science, each patient agreed to be treated on only one flank.
Regardless of weight fluctuations or weight gain in the years that followed, the effects of cryolipolysis are still visible six and nine years later, respectively, when compared to the other flank.
