Fat freezing is a nonsurgical fat reduction procedure that allows you to reduce fat in certain areas of the body without needing surgery or injections. This is a great solution for those who are wanting fat reduction but are unsure about surgical methods.
The medical term for fat freezing is cryolipolysis and it involves using very cold temperatures in localised areas in order to damage or kill fat cells in this area, helping to reduce the appearance.
This procedure is not a weight loss procedure, meaning it cannot be used to significantly alter a person’s weight. Instead, it is used to help reduce fat deposits in areas where diet and exercise are ineffective similar to results from laser treatments or liposuction.
For this reason, this procedure is not recommended for people who are considerably overweight, but instead for those wanting to minimise the appearance of fat in certain areas of their body who are already using other methods of weight loss.
Fat freezing procedures are most commonly done on the chin, arms or back however these procedures can also be done on the abdomen, areas of the leg as well as around your hips and lower back and buttocks.
Cryolipolysis works by applying a device to the fatty area, similar to a cup, which suctions onto the fat and applies very cold temperatures in order to destroy the fat cells in these areas.
Pads are placed in order to protect the skin as temperatures can be very low, which can damage the skin and cause pain and discomfort, therefore protection is required.
This process of cooling the fatty deposits is done gradually over the course of around 30-45 minutes and may be uncomfortable during this time until the area reaches temperatures cold enough for a numbing effect to take place.
The cold temperatures work to break down fat cells, which are then carried away by white blood cells and disposed of as waste products from the body.
This is a gradual procedure as the body needs time to break down and dispose of the fat cells, however, within around a month you will begin to see results and a significant reduction in fatty tissue around the areas which have been treated.
The procedure allows you to return to your normal daily routine almost immediately and has no drastic side effects which would cause concern. This makes it preferable to surgical alternatives for many people who do not wish to disrupt their lives for recovery.
However, you may experience some side effects after the treatment, however, these should subside within a few days and should not cause significant pain or distress.
These can include a stinging or tingling sensation in the areas where the treatment was applied, redness and swelling, and in some cases, bruising may occur as well.
You may also experience sensitivity or even lack of sensitivity in the skin around the treatment area/ This should not last very long and usually subsides along with the tingling or stinging sensation.
