Thus, this article focuses on cryolipolysis (CoolSculpting). Cryolipolysis employs controlled cooling to selectively damage fat cells. Fat cells are uniquely sensitive to cold and crystallize at a warmer temperature than water in surrounding tissues.
Consequently, cryolipolysis can freeze fat cells without inducing damage to overlying skin and surrounding muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. The exposure to cold induces apoptosis in the fat cells and an inflammatory response in the treated tissue. Over the course of two to four months, the damaged fat cells are cleared by the body, resulting in gradual, permanent fat reduction in the treated region. We have found cryolipolysis to be a very safe and effective procedure for non-surgical reduction of subcutaneous fat. In addition to safety and efficacy, cryolipolysis has high tolerability, excellent patient satisfaction, and brings potential for tremendous business growth to a plastic surgery practice.
Cryolipolysis has been successfully integrated into my practice, attracting new patients who are interested in body contouring but not yet ready for invasive procedures. The first CoolSculpting system at MPS was installed in December 2009. Since then, five additional systems have been installed one by one to meet patient demand. With six CoolSculpting systems in steady usage, an average of more than 80 treatment cycles are currently delivered each week.
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Representative clinical efficacy is demonstrated in Figures 1 to 3. In Figure 1, a 47 year-old female presented for treatment of “bra roll” fat in her back (Figure 1a). The patient was treated with one cryolipolysis cycle on each side, followed by a second treatment one month later and a third treatment two months later, for a total of three cycles on each side. At six months from baseline, the “bra roll” was minimized and skin laxity was visibly reduced (Figure 1b). For the treatment of abdomen and flanks in Figure 2, multiple cryolipolysis treatments were delivered, producing significant volume reduction. The 50 year-old patient was in good physical health but had some excess fat in her abdomen and flanks pre-treatment (Figure 2a).
After receiving two cryolipolysis cycles to her abdomen and two cycles to each flank, the patient achieved noticeable fat reduction two months post-treatment (Figure 2b). As illustrated by the flank treatment in Figure 3, a single cycle treatment to localized fat can result in a noticeable, aesthetically pleasing outcome. The 34 year-old patient wanted to get rid of his “love handles” (Figure 3a). Three months after being treated with one cryolipolysis cycle on each flank, the patient was pleased with his fat reduction (Figure 3b). Whether a single treatment cycle is used to minimize a discrete bulge or multiple cycles are delivered to yield significant debulking and body sculpting, cryolipolysis has proven to be a safe and efficacious non-surgical body contouring procedure.
