Cryolipolysis has become one of the fastest-growing medical procedures. It allows people to finally deal with that stubborn fat around their bellies, thighs, and hips without surgery and little to no downtime. Unlike treatments like lipolysis—liposuction–there is no need for incisions and painful methods that can leave you scarred and sore for months.

An Introduction to Cryolipolysis

CoolSculpting works following the science of cryolipolysis. This medical procedure uses the application of cold temperatures to reduce stubborn fat cells that cling to notorious problem areas. These include belly fat, love handles, thigh fat, and more.
What Does Cryolipolysis mean?
Cryolipolysis is a medical term. When broken down into its Latin roots, the name contains three words that accurately describe the fat-freezing process. The term “Cryo” is used to describe low temperatures. “Lipo” refers to fat cells, the target of this body contouring treatment. Finally, the “lysis” portion refers to breaking down and disposing of those cells. Therefore, cryolipolysis is the process of freezing fat cells in order to break them down and remove them from the body1.

How does cold reduce fat?

Put a stick of butter and a glass of water in the refrigerator. You will soon notice that while the water becomes colder, the butter becomes solid. This is because fat freezes at a higher temperature than water.

Cryolipolysis takes advantage of this phenomenon. During the CoolSculpting treatment, stubborn bulges are isolated and exposed to precisely controlled cooling. Over the course of the 35-minute treatment, subcutaneous fat cells begin to freeze, while the skin and surrounding tissue cells, which consist mostly of water, remain unaffected.
When fat cells freeze, the cell membrane ruptures. That fat cell can no longer store fat. Permanently damage, the frozen fat cells are gradually collected up by the immune system. Eventually, the destroyed fat cells are metabolized and excreted from the body in the form of waste.

Once fat cells are excreted from the body, they are gone for good. The body does not replace the fat cells that were lost during the CoolSculpting treatment. This leads to long-lasting reductions in fat.

Patient Suitability for Cryolipolysis

While CoolSculpting has proven to be very effective in reducing stubborn body fat, this is not a weight loss solution. Furthermore, CoolSculpting is not intended for severely overweight or obese people.

Ideal candidates maintain a reasonable fitness level through regular physical activity, along with a healthy and balanced diet. Despite their lifestyle, ideal candidates struggle with isolated bulges of fat that resists diet and exercise. If you struggle with such bulges, like belly fat, love handles, double chins, or thigh fat, then it’s time to find out whether CoolSculpting is the solution for you.
Book Your Complimentary Consultation Today
If you want to find out more about the fat freezing procedure and what possible outcomes you may expect from CoolSculpting, call the office of Dr. John Lee MD, FACS today. The professionals at this state of the art medical center specialize in non-invasive body contouring. We will help you know if CoolSculpting is right for you. Schedule your free consultation by calling (610) 789-6701. You can also contact the office of Dr. Lee online by filling out the form below.

Sources:

1) Cryolipolysis for noninvasive body contouring: clinical efficacy and patient satisfaction