Putting the freeze on fat

CoolSculpting has revolutionised the body contouring industry. The in-office treatment permanently destroys fat cells – without any needles, surgery or downtime.

For those of us with tummies more tubby than taut, or love handles that just don’t budge despite healthy eating and exercise, CoolSculpting may just be the ticket to get rid of unwanted fat for good.

With eight million treatments and counting across 74 countries, CoolSculpting is the No.1 non-surgical body contouring system in the world. It’s a completely non-invasive body contouring system designed to target and destroy unwanted fat cells on numerous areas of the body – with no surgery or downtime.

‘CoolSculpting ’s consistent results, constant innovation and improvement of applicator technology make it unique,’ says Dr Samuel Seit, director and cosmetic physician at The Skin Cancer and Cosmetic Clinic.

‘We’ve been performing CoolSculpting for over 10 years now and still love it. It’s withstood the test of time and we believe it is the best non-surgical fat reduction device in the market.’

How CoolSculpting works

CoolSculpting is one of the biggest breakthroughs in body contouring, and was inspired by the observation that babies given ice blocks to suck over a prolonged period of time lost fat in their cheeks. This sparked years of research into the role freezing plays in the destruction of fat cells.

US dermatologists Dr Dieter Manstein and Dr Rox Anderson from Harvard University spent four years researching this phenomenon. They demonstrated that, under carefully controlled conditions, subcutaneous fat cells are more vulnerable to the effects of cold than the surrounding tissue.

CoolSculpting has demonstrated fat layer reductions across multiple treatment areas of up to 27 percent.

They also showed that, once a certain level of cooling has been achieved, a natural ‘cascade’ of fat destruction begins – known as cryolipolysis – with the body going on to expel the destroyed cells over a two to four month period.

This discovery, called selective cryolipolysis, led to the development of the body contouring system CoolSculpting , which targets areas of the body prone to fat deposits, and helps achieve smooth contours and a more proportioned physique.

CoolSculpting works by selectively freezing and subsequently damaging fat cells under the skin whilst preserving the skin and surrounding tissues. These crystallised fat cells die and are naturally eliminated from the body over the next 12 weeks.

CoolSculpting can treat a number of areas, including the tummy (abdomen), love handles (flanks), double chin (submental area), bingo wings (upper arms), bra fat, man boobs (pseudogynaecomastia), saddle bags (other thighs), inner thighs and even your knees. There is a range of applicators tailored to treating these areas of the body.

Introduced to Australia back in 2010, CoolSculpting has undoubtedly lived up to its initial hype. Practitioners and patients alike have reported impressive results, with the majority of people experiencing a reduction in fat of up to 27 percent in the treated areas.

Backed by science

CoolSculpting is backed by over 20 years of research and development. It has 159 patents and has been studied in over 60 peer-reviewed publications with the greatest number of patients compared with other non-surgical fat reduction technologies.

CoolSculpting has demonstrated fat layer reductions across multiple treatment areas of up to 27 percent. You can start to see results at six weeks and should see final results around 12 weeks after treatment.

What happens during a CoolSculpting treatment

During the procedure, a non-invasive applicator is placed on the treatment area (tummy, love handles, etc) which delivers controlled cooling to the area to specifically target underlying fat, leaving surface skin tissue unaffected. Multiple areas can be treated at the same time.

CoolSculpting is typically well tolerated. The initial suction of the applicator head to the target region may produce an uncomfortable sensation but this typically subsides after a few minutes.

Each treatment session takes 35 minutes; you’re usually left to relax while the device works it magic. At the end of the procedure the treated area will feel stiff or tingly for 30 minutes or so as the area warms to its natural temperature.

There is no downtime so you can return to your usual activities immediately.

Results can be seen from around six weeks with final results evident around 12 weeks as your body gradually eliminates the destroyed fat cells. Once the fat cells have broken down, you can expect to see a change in your contours and a slimming of your body shape.

You can achieve further reductions with additional treatments, resulting in even more fat loss, usually performed six to eight week apart.

The CoolSculpting advantage

The CoolSculpting system has a number of safety features including sensors in the applicators that monitor your skin’s surface and continually tracks the skin temperature. It is then able to deliver the optimal temperature needed for best results whilst maintaining your safety and comfort. Freeze Detect is a patented safety feature which switches the CoolSculpting machine off if it detects a risk of the skin becoming too cold to prevent freeze burns during treatment. This technology is patented to CoolSculpting exclusively.

CoolSculpting also has a comprehensive range of CoolAdvantage applicators – allowing for faster, more comfortable treatment to more areas of the body than ever before.

These interchangeable contours are designed to fit multiple areas of the body, including under the chin, upper arms and around the knees – lesser known treatment areas but equally annoying fat bulges. The different applicators allow your practitioner to create a customised treatment plan for you to help achieve your desired result.

‘With the new CoolAdvantage applicators, treatment is almost half the time compared to what it used to be,’ says Dr Seit. ‘The curved contour of the cup is able to reach fat on areas previously not possible, even small pockets of fat such as under the chin and around the knees.’

‘Patients have reported more comfortable treatment and significantly less post-treatment numbness. They also like the fact more areas can be treated in the same amount of time.’

CoolSculpting works best if you’re at or near your ideal body weight and have stubborn pockets of fat you wish to get rid of. It’s suitable for both men and women.

All CoolSculpting technicians receive intensive ongoing training to ensure they are kept up to date with all the latest CoolSculpting best practices. Your CoolSculpting technician will provide you with a 360⁰ personalised consultation prior to treatment to help ensure the best possible results for you. It also gives you a clear plan of how you may be able to achieve the results you are wanting.

And the best part about CoolSculpting? If you maintain your weight with a healthy lifestyle, the results of the procedure are permanent.

For more information, and to find a clinic near you, visit www.coolsculpting.com.au.