Fat freezing is a revolutionary, non-invasive fat reduction technique. Also called CoolSculpting®, it utilizes a process known as cryolipolysis to eliminate fat without surgery or downtime. While this may sound too good to be true, the science is sound.

The History of Cryolipolysis

Two Harvard scientists, Dieter Manstein, MD, and R. Rox Anderson, MD, noticed the phenomenon of popsicle panniculitis: reduced cheek fat among children who sucked on popsicles. Dr. Manstein breaks down the process of CoolSculpting® in Allure magazine: “Fat freezes at a higher temperature than water. Think of butter and water in the refrigerator—one is solid, the other remains liquid.”

On that basis, Dr. Manstein was able to figure out that exposing stubborn fat to extremely cold temperatures would freeze the fat cells but would not harm any of the upper skin cells. Skin tissue consists mostly of water, meaning it freezes at a much lower temperature than the fat cells.

Cryolipolysis works to reduce stubborn fat deposits effectively. In his scientific paper, “Cryolipolysis For Non-invasive Body Contouring: Clinical Efficacy And Patient Satisfaction”, researcher Nils Krueger states, “…[fat cells] are more susceptible to cooling than other skin cells…precise application of cold temperatures triggers apoptosis [cell death] of the [fat cells], which invokes an inflammatory response and leads to slow digestion by surrounding macrophages [the white blood cells that rid the body of waste].”

The controlled fat freezing process of CoolSculpting® treatment results in dramatic fat reduction. Nils Krueger’s study showed a 25 percent reduction of fat after a single session. Because the fat cells are destroyed, excreted from the body, and will not grow back, CoolSculpting® is a long-term solution for fat reduction.

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Scientific Literature Proves Cryolipolysis Is Safe and Effective

The FDA has cleared CoolSculpting® as safe and effective. Further support for the safety of this non-invasive fat reduction treatment can be found in the numerous reviews published in scientific literature. One such study followed more than 500 CoolSculpting® patients to analyze the “Safety, tolerance, and patient satisfaction with non-invasive cryolipolysis.” Published in the Journal of Dermatological Surgery, the study found “no significant side effects or adverse events…” Further elaborating, “the procedure was well-tolerated, with 89 percent of respondents reporting a positive perception of treatment duration and 96 percent reporting minimal to tolerable discomfort.” They concluded, “With proper patient selection, cryolipolysis is a safe, well-tolerated, and effective treatment method for reduction of subcutaneous fat.”

“Cryolipolysis For Noninvasive Body Contouring,” another study published in the Journal of Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, further supports the high safety profile of CoolSculpting®, concluding that, “Cryolipolysis has been proven to be a very safe method for body contouring, and is accomplished with only minimal discomfort.” The researchers summarized their findings, “Cryolipolysis is considered to be both safe and efficient with a high patient satisfaction rate.”