Does Fat Freezing Work On The Stomach?
Estimated reading time 4 minutes
When it comes to cutting-edge aesthetics, the US knows what it’s doing. Whenever the States launch anything, the world inevitably follows, and the same goes for Cryolipolysis or fat freezing. Once scientists realised that fat cells could actually freeze before the skin does, they went ahead and developed a treatment that safely freezes and eliminates fat cells. This technique works without causing any damage to surrounding tissue and skin. It has now amassed some popularity among celebrities, including Khloe Kardashian and Gemma Collins.
What is fat freezing?
Fat Freezing is also known as Cryogenic Lipolysis, Cryo-Lipo, Cryolipolysis and Coolsculpting. It is an FDA approved non-invasive fat reduction procedure that uses a handheld device to freeze fat cells. The principle used in the procedure is that fat cells diet at low temperatures and the body then begins to remove them over 6-12 weeks.
The most popular fat freezing brand is CoolScupting®. This has been used in the U.S. since 2010, after its approval by the FDA following results from a study comprising 60 patients [https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf17/K172144.pdf]. Nowadays, it is also offered by dermatologists, medical spas and aesthetic practitioners.
Can it work on my stomach?
A client is at liberty to choose their problematic areas for the procedure, which can target anywhere from the thighs, tummy, lower abdomen, back, under the chin, bra fat, love handles, arms, or areas that accumulate fat over time and are the hardest to budge with exercise. These are also known as stubborn areas of fat, and are great for treatment with Cryolipolysis. It can also work if you have excessive fat on your stomach that is stubborn and does not go away with regular exercise and diet. Cryolipolysis is very popular on the stomach and results in an average reduction of 30% per treatment. At RT Aesthetics, we use 360 applicators, thus freezing more fat then standard handles.
How it works on the stomach
A gel pad is first placed on your skin to protect it during your Cryolipolysis treatment. The fat-freezing applicator is then applied on your stomach or any other chosen area. The device pulls portions of excess fat by suction and then the cooling technology is applied. It lowers the temperatures to -7 degrees, thus crystallising the fat cells after a set amount of time. The fat cells cannot live at these temperatures and therefore start to die by a process called apoptosis (natural cell death). Clients with a vascular condition – making them sensitive to low temperatures – are advised not to undertake this procedure. Fat-freezing is pain-free and some clients even take a nap through the procedure. You can resume normal activity almost immediately, as it has minimal to no downtime.
What to expect afterwards
The client does not require anaesthesia for this particular treatment. Therefore you can expect to be out of the clinic within one hour. You can later plan on two to four other sessions depending on the chosen area and treatment.
After undergoing the initial treatment, you’ll be encouraged to drink lots of water. You’ll experience a 20% to 40% fat reduction on the targeted area after six to 12 weeks. Remember that this is not a weight loss treatment but only promises a mild change in appearance, including the elimination of visible bulges on your stomach.
The procedure depends significantly on the patient and therefore in-depth consultation can inform you what to expect. It’s also important to bear in mind that, while the fat freezing is permanent, you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This includes improving your exercising and eating habits for optimum results.
