How to Target Fat By Coolsculpting in a Vancouver Clinic.

We all know that a healthy lifestyle, eating right, getting plenty of good quality sleep, and exercising enough help to maintain a healthy body. Unfortunately, a healthy body doesn’t always translate into the slimmer body that so many of us are really after - particularly as we head further away from our teenage years and gravity starts to have more effect on our life than we would really like. It is about this stage that you might be starting to follow Facebook groups dedicated to liposuction holidays or clever contouring to hide a double chin. One of the relatively new options which is rapidly gaining in popularity might seem straight out of a sci-fi movie, but ‘fat freezing’ is very real, and FDA approved.

Natural and non-surgical.

 What Is CoolSculpting?
Also known as fat freezing, CoolSculpting is a non-surgical method that helps to reduce body fat in specific areas allowing your body to be ‘sculpted’ to the way you want it to look. It is often used in areas like the double chin, muffin top, pot belly and underarm flab, and areas that are difficult to tone even with appropriate exercise and diet. The treatment is available at an approved Vancouver coolsculpting clinic generally under the licensed name of “Cryolipolysis”.

The theory behind the treatment is that fat cells are damaged by cooling, so when low temperatures are applied to areas of the body that have excess fat bulges apoptosis (cell death) occurs, which is where the idea that coolsculpting literally kills fat cells. This isn’t quite accurate, but close enough for most laypeople, however the results may take several months to become noticeable as the fatty tissue layer is reduced.

Adverse Effects
Coolsculpting is obviously not something that you want to try at home. DIY efforts can easily lead to frostbite, if they have any effect at all. Generally, you may notice a little redness, bruising or numbness around the area of the treatment, and a little sensitivity is also normal. However, although this is a relativity new technology initial studies and research undertaken showed no permanent negative results (there has been a reduction in fat tissue of course).

How the coolsculpting process looks like.

But It’s Banned!
Cryolipolysis was briefly forbidden in France in 2011 as part of an overall ban on certain lipolysis techniques. However, that ban was amended to allow for the non-invasive coolsculping technique, as well as certain non-invasive laser and ultrasound options. As long as the procedure does not penetrate the skin, fat freezing techniques are considered to be safe for use in the hands of experienced practitioners. In some areas, qualified surgeons are allowed to use invasive laser techniques, but for most people this is not an extreme they need to head towards. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_removal_procedures#Cryolipolysis

What Is the Recovery Time?
When most people think of procedures that target particularly areas to reduce fat, they think of surgical procedures that may take weeks of post-operative care and time off work. With fat freezing it is similar to getting a facial, you have your consultation, schedule your appointment, have your treatment, and head back out again. Although there may be a little tingling or numbness (as indeed there can be with a facial) you shouldn’t be hindered from your normal day to day activities. If you are involved in an activity that is particularly strenuous after treatment talk to your practitioner about any potential concerns or precautions.

It Must Be Pricey
Surprisingly not, considering that generally treatment will take 30 minutes – 1 hour, and obviously pricing will vary depending on your location and the area you are having treated. It is a treatment that is becoming increasingly popular around the world (click here), so although prices vary, so will the quality. Prices will generally start at around $750, but for most people, only one treatment will be required, making it a significantly better investment than surgery or alternative treatments that look at water reduction to give the appearance of fat reduction.