What Is Fat Freezing and How Does It Work?

If you’ve been researching options to reduce stubborn pockets of fat on your body, you may have stumbled upon a treatment called “fat freezing.” Unfortunately, there’s plenty of misinformation out there, and that can make researching weight loss and fat reduction options a bit challenging. To help you make the right decision, here’s what you need to know about this procedure and the alternatives out there.

Understanding Fat Freezing

Cryolipolysis is an FDA-cleared, nonsurgical method of body contouring that uses controlled cooling to rapidly decrease the temperature of your skin, effectively killing fat cells in the targeted area. Because fat cells freeze before skin freezes, this procedure can destroy fat cells without harming your overlying skin.

This procedure takes about an hour to complete per area. Then, in the weeks following the procedure, your body eliminates the dead fat cells. Many patients are able to return to regular activity the day following their treatment, while others experience skin sensitivity and bruising that lasts anywhere from a few days to several weeks, according to Healthline.

Fat-freezing treatments are recommended for people looking to lose stubborn pockets of fat that are resistant to diet and exercise. The treatments aren’t intended for people seeking significant weight loss.

Alternatives to Fat Freezing

Cryolipolysis is just one way to reduce stubborn fat, but there are multiple alternatives you may want to consider:

Get treatments from SculpSure

SculpSure® is also an FDA-cleared, nonsurgical body-contouring solution. But instead of freezing fat cells, this procedure uses targeted laser technology to heat the fat cells until they’re destroyed—without damaging your skin’s surface at all. Each treatment lasts 25 minutes, there’s no required downtime, results are seen within six to twelve weeks, and fat cells won’t regenerate.

Because treatments are fast with no necessary recovery time, this option is great for people with busy lifestyles.

Undergo surgical liposuction

Liposuction is a form of cosmetic surgery that permanently removes excess fat using a suction machine called an aspirator and a hollow tube called a cannula. Because this is a surgery, it carries more risks than nonsurgical body contouring and requires at least a week or two of downtime during recovery, depending on the area treated. As well, patients usually need to take time off from work, as swelling, bruising, and scarring are common after lipo treatments.

Work with a personal trainer and dietitian

Not seeing results after committing to a diet and exercise regimen is frustrating. But sometimes you just need minor adjustments to get the results you want. If you’re busy and don’t want to commit to a strict lifestyle change or you’re seeking fast and permanent results, this may not be the right solution for you. Regardless, no matter which option you choose, regular activity combined with eating more fresh fruits and veggies—and kicking processed foods—is important for staying healthy and looking slim. If you’re interested in learning more about SculpSure® to help you achieve a slimmer, more natural-looking appearance, find a provider near you to schedule your free consultation