Cryolipolysis: What You Need to Know
Pros & cons
How much it costs
What to expect
How soon you see results
How long results last
Risks to consider
Fast facts
Cryolipolysis is the general term for nonsurgical fat reduction via freezing. During such body-contouring treatments, practitioners suck pinchable body fat into applicators of various shapes and sizes to chill the lipid-rich tissue, inducing cell death. Once the fat cells crystalize and disintegrate, they leave the body as waste within four to six months due to a natural inflammatory response. Cryolipolysis can be used on abdominal fat, love handles, the upper arms, the inner thighs, under the chin, below the buttocks (the so-called “banana rolls”), and on bra and back fat bulges.
A 2015 review published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery analyzed 19 previous studies on the efficacy of cryolipolysis. Researchers found that volunteers lost an average of 14.67–28.5% of the fat in areas treated by cryolipolysis (as measured by calipers). When assessed with ultrasound, the fat loss was between 10.3% and 25.5%.
A separate review of 16 studies on clinical efficacy, published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, found that subjects had an average fat reduction of 19.55%.
Although there are many cryolipolysis machines in use around the world, CoolSculpting by Zeltiq is the only cryolipolysis treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “I’d be careful with imitations of this procedure,” says Dr. W. Tomasz Majewski, a plastic surgeon in Jonesboro, Arkansas. “CoolSculpting has been researching this procedure for more than 15 years.”
Though not intended for skin tightening, a 2014 study reported the noninvasive body contouring procedure’s potential as a treatment for sagging skin, with a demonstrated reduction in skin laxity.
Pros
- The fat-freezing treatment doesn’t involve plastic surgery or leave surgical scars.Â
- You don’t need sedation or anesthesia.
- More than one area of the body can be treated in a single session.Â
- Most people can resume normal activities immediately after treatment, with no recovery time required.Â
- Destroyed fat cells are permanently removed from the body.
Cons
- Cryolipolysis is effective only for “spot” reduction and cannot remove significant amounts of excess fat.Â
- More than one session may be needed, for desired body-sculpting results.
- Weight gain is possible after cryolipolysis—both in the treated area and in other parts of the body.
- Patients with metabolic conditions or diabetes may quickly regain lost fat.
- Some RealSelf members have developed nerve pain about five days after their treatment.
- Average Cost:
- $500
Your cryolipolysis cost will depend on:
- your provider's credentials and level of experience
- their location
- the number of areas you have treated
- the number of treatment sessions you have
- whether you have CoolSculpting or a less expensive type of fat freezing treatment
You’ll probably want to budget for at least two treatment cycles, according to Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. Bradley A. Hubbard. “Although a single treatment does reduce the amount of fat in that area, most patients need more than one to be satisfied with the result.”
Since it's a cosmetic procedure, health insurance will not cover it.
During the cryolipolysis procedure, your provider places a protective gel pad over your skin before applying the paddle or applicator. In a CoolSculpting procedure, your skin and subcutaneous fat get suctioned into the paddle, which lowers the temperature of the targeted tissue. Freezing numbs the area, and you will feel an intense cooling sensation. After the provider removes the paddle, they will massage the frozen fat, to smooth things out. Treatment takes 35 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the area you’re having done. Most people need a series of three cryolipolysis treatments for best results.
The results of cryolipolysis for fat reduction are not immediate. Since the fat slowly leaves the body over time, you can expect to see initial results within three to four weeks, more defined results within six to eight weeks, and final results within six months. Some practitioners recommend massaging the area for about five minutes every day, to improve results.
While the fat removal is permanent, bear in mind that you’re destroying only a fraction of existing fat cells in the treatment area. Any remaining fat cells can enlarge with weight gain. Since cryolipolysis is not intended to be a weight-loss tool, it’s best for people who are within 20 pounds of their ideal weight.
The extremely cold temperatures damage only fat cells, so there should be no injury to skin, nerves, muscles, or blood vessels. There’s no real downtime or recovery time; however, it’s not unusual to feel a little tender post-treatment. You may also experience redness, swelling, bruising, and/or numbness in the area—lasting from a day to a few weeks.
A rare but serious potential side effect of cryolipolysis is paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH), or unwanted fat growth following treatment. It’s permanent and treatable only with liposuction. The affected fat will not recede with diet, exercise, or further cryolipolysis sessions.Â
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, “Patients with cold-related conditions, like cryoglobulinemia, cold urticaris, and paroxysmal cold hemoglobulinuria should not have cryolipolysis.”
Updated June 13, 2023