Fat freezing is a cosmetic treatment with which you can target stubborn areas of fat. It’s considered the safe and non-invasive alternative to liposuction and can greatly reduce areas of fat across the body. As the treatment is non-invasive there is no downtime following your appointment. You can do anything you would normally do, even directly following fat freezing, including going to the gym, drinking, eating and driving.
Different aestheticians use different equipment, follow different guidelines and use different materials. These factors can matter greatly in terms of not only the results but also the pain you may experience during the treatment and safety of the treatment.
Fat freezing works when the target area is carefully frozen to a temperature at which the fat cells are irreparably damaged and begin to die, while the other cells, such as skin, blood and nerve cells remain unharmed. Most manufacturers therefore consider the treatment both safest and most effective at a range between -1 and -7 degrees Celsius, however others may go as low as -10.
This may sound quite painful! Luckily though, its not nearly as bad as it sounds. The feeling of freezing can be felt in the target area but only for a shorter period of time. Because of the gradual decline the area is numbing as fast as it is freezing, so regardless of where the applicator is placed, the frosty feeling won’t last long.
The main ‘pain point’ of the treatment is right at the beginning, when the suction cups in which the fat will be frozen are placed. When placing the cups a vacuum within the cup will suck in the fat quite harshly. That initial tug can be incredibly uncomfortable and even feel like its too much too handle at first. Its also a very odd feeling, as there is nothing you could really compare it to. The good news though is that this feeling never lasts more than a couple of minutes. That initial tug is uncomfortable, but once that’s done, the right of the treatment will feel like a breeze.
Cups are necessary as we only want to freeze a specific area, and it needs to be frozen to the point that the fat cells begin to break down.
How long does the treatment last?
Treatments luckily don’t last long at all. Most treatments are over within 30 to 60 minutes. The timeframe depends on what the equipment manufacturer outlines as safe and effective, which is why its important to check what equipment a clinician uses. A smaller brand name isn’t a bad brand name. Its worth looking at reviews and the type of clinics that use the equipment. If a clinician proudly discusses which equipment they use, that’s generally a good sign.
Do you see results immediately?
No you will not. Results of fat freezing take some time to become visible. The results will begin to show slowly over a period of 6 to 12 weeks, and depend on the behaviour of the person as much as on the quality of the treatment. If someone gains weight following treatment, they won’t see as many results, or no results at all.
