I get asked often about alternative treatments to liposuction for local fat reduction. This was very challenging to look into because I do not have personal experience with using it, but because it is a relatively new technology with few studies done. I will do my best wade through the info to give you an informed description/perspective.
Special Note:
There is a bit of a misconception about liposuction in general which is important to address. It is not a method of weight loss it is ideally for people AT or NEAR ideal body weight with areas that are not responsive to weight loss or exercise. It is not a method for weight loss and is no substitute for eating right and exercise.
Well let’s start from the beginning….
What is liposuction?
I think people have a pretty good understanding of what liposuction is, but basically it is a surgical procedure where a small cut is made in the skin and a small probe is inserted to remove fat with suction kind of like a shop vacuum but for fat. Because the fat cells are removed the volume of fat in the area is reduced. Typically fat cells do not multiply in adults but the size of the left fat cells will fluctuate with changes in weight.
Because liposuction is invasive it requires a bit of healing and down time, which is the biggest negative of the procedure. This is where cryolipolysis, or “cryolipo,” comes in as an alternative, non-invasive treatment to remove body fat with minimal or no down time.
What is Cryolipolysis?
Cryo means very cold, lipo means fat, lysis means breakdown. The idea is that it works by making fat cells so cold that they die without causing permanent damage to the skin.
The dead cells are absorbed by the body by similar a mechanism to regular cell turnover and repair. The fat is returned to the body for reprocessing for metabolic use or storage.
Does it work?
Well yes, with a very big BUT… Remember that lipo procedures are for people that are already thin with small touch up areas? Non invasive lipo works best on those that are even more thin with very small areas they want to treat. And in order to be effective, several sessions are needed with several weeks between sessions. Also Cryolipolysis uses hand pieces and sit on the skin and treat only the area under the hand piece and have less control than with liposuction.
Cost comparison:
Cost for several treatments of cryolipolysis is about the same as one session of liposuction, but remember typically patients only need one session to treat each area with liposuction.
Recap:
- Liposuction procedures are for people typically at or near their ideal body weight; this includes cryolipolysis
- Cryolipolysis works but is ideally for small areas of those that are already thin
- Cost of treatment is about the same as liposuction but has limitations in treatment areas and precision
Additional Reading:
Paradoxical Adipose Hypertrophy (PAH) After Cryolipolysis
Noninvasive submental fat reduction using colder cryolipolysis
Cryolipolysis for safe and effective inner thigh fat reduction.