What is Cold Lipolysis? How is it done?

CoolSculpting or cold lipolysis is a non-surgical body contouring procedure. In this procedure, the plastic surgeon freezes the fat cells under the skin. After the fat cells are destroyed, they are slowly broken down and excreted by the liver.

Cold lipolysis involves freezing fat cells to shape the body. It is a relatively new procedure. Although research is still limited, cold lipolysis is generally seen as a safer, non-invasive type of fat reduction surgery than traditional procedures such as liposuction. Most people feel nothing during the procedure except a pulling sensation where the skin is between the two cooling panels of the device.

Since the procedure does not involve any cutting, tissue manipulation or anesthesia, most people do not need any recovery time and can resume their normal activities immediately.

The only noticeable side effects of the procedure tend to be minor and occur only around the treatment area. Most minor side effects diminish or disappear within a few days to weeks after the procedure. However, it is normal to experience numbness or loss of sensation in the treatment area for about a month.

What are the Common Side Effects of Cold Lipolysis?

• Redness
• Hardness
• Feeling of tightness
• Small swelling
• Sensitivity
• Bruising
• Sinking
• Tingling
• Numbness
• Skin sensitivity
• Mild to moderate pain
• Muscle cramps

The person may continue to experience these side effects a few weeks after the procedure. Other common side effects that a person may experience in the first few weeks after cold lipolysis are:

• Itching, especially a few days after the procedure
• Diarrhea due to excretion of dead fat cells
• A feeling of fullness in the throat after treatments involving the neck or jaw area

Who is Cold Lipolysis Suitable for and Who is it Not Suitable for?

Cold lipolysis is considered a safe and effective way to reduce the number of fat cells in a small target area. It is not considered a form of weight loss and is not recommended for the treatment of obesity. The procedure is usually only performed to help dissolve stubborn fat cells that shrink with diet and exercise.

People with weak immune systems are not ideal candidates for surgeries such as cold lipolysis. People with certain conditions that weaken or alter the body’s ability to withstand cold can also face serious medical complications.

The conditions that prevent the use of cold lipolysis are:

• Pregnancy, trying to get pregnant and breastfeeding
• Cryoglobulinemia, a disorder with abnormally high concentrations of proteins that usually only increase in response to cold
• Cold agglutinin disease, an autoimmune condition in which a change in temperature kills red blood cells
• Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, a condition in which red blood cells die in response to temperature change
• Raynaud’s disease
• The common cold
• Decreased circulation in the treatment area
• Nerve disorders such as diabetic neuropathy
• Immune-related skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis
• Inflammatory skin conditions such as dermatitis and hives
• A recent injury to the treated skin area, including scar tissue
• Long-term use of blood thinners
• Hernia or history of hernia at or near the treatment site
• Active, implanted medical devices such as pacemakers
• Allergy to propylene glycol or isopropyl alcohol
• Chronic pain
• Severe anxiety disorders

What are the Advantages of Cold Lipolysis?

The main benefit of cold lipolysis is that unlike diet and exercise, fat cells are destroyed and eliminated from the body. This means that the same fat cells will not come back or grow back with weight gain.

Cold lipolysis has other benefits:

• It is a low-risk procedure for most people.
• The skin barrier is not broken or damaged, eliminating much of the risk of complications such as infection and scarring.
• There are very few reported side effect reactions.
• There is then no need to take time off work or daily activities.
• The results appear to be natural as they develop gradually in the weeks following the surgery.
• It can help people who have lost weight or are at a healthy weight but have excess fat in certain areas.
• There is less risk of weight regain and the results are long-lasting because the fat cells are actually destroyed and eliminated from the body.
• Since the fat cells are evenly destroyed in one part of the skin, the risk of skin dimpling or bumps is low.

Those considering this treatment should first be examined by a doctor. Doctors can help in the process of deciding whether the procedure is the right option or if there are more appropriate ways to get rid of unwanted fat.