How Fat Freezing Works

Fat freezing has been in the media a lot over the past months, but many want to know if this body contouring treatment really does work. This blog post will delve into how fat freezing works, as well as find out more about ways you can promote long-term fat loss. 

A Little About Fat…

If we want to know how fat freezing works, let’s first find out more about the types of body fat that you have. There are different types of fat cells, each taking a role in your body’s maintenance. 

White Fat Cells

White fat cells are your body’s excess energy store. It tends to accumulate around the tummy, bum, arms and thighs, and at certain levels, is essential for wellness. However, too much white fat is detrimental to your health and puts you at higher risk of diabetes and heart disease. 

Brown Fat Cells

Brown fat plays an important role in your body’s ability to regulate temperature when it’s cold (so handy this time of year). Your brown fat stores reduce as you get older, by the time you reach adulthood you have small amounts located throughout your body. Currently, brown fat is at the centre of many research projects – there’s a lot that scientists don’t know about this so-called ‘good’ fat, and studies are looking for ways that brown fat can help to reduce white fat. However, that’s a way off yet!

Beige Fat Cells

Beige fat is somewhat of a hybrid of white and brown fat cells. While beige fat cells are present in white fat, they have similar behaviours to brown fat cells under certain circumstances. Beige fat is still being understood, but there’s potential for future weight loss treatment by using them. 

How Fat Freezing Works: Subcutaneous vs Visceral Fat

Now you know a little more about the types of fat your body creates, understanding how it is stored will give you a better idea of how fat freezing works. Subcutaneous fat is that jelly-like fat that jiggles beneath your skin’s surface. Everyone has subcutaneous fat as it’s essential for good health, but lifestyle choices can mean that you have a greater amount than your body needs. While excessive subcutaneous fat doesn’t pose a dire health risk, it can make you feel self-conscious and be an indication of too much visceral fat – and that can be bad news. 

Visceral fat wraps around the organs in your abdominal cavity and has an impact on your health. There’s a long, and rather frightening, list of conditions and diseases that visceral fat can lead to. 

How Fat Freezing Works: The How 

In very basic terms, it causes the fat cells to ‘die’, following which they are flushed out of your body by the lymphatic system. 

As the name suggests, very cold temperatures are used to target your subcutaneous fat. Fat cells have a lower tolerance of the cold than that of your skin, so there’s no risk of damage to your skin while your fat cells are destroyed. 

During your treatment, a device is used to ‘freeze’ your desired area. This device is cutting-edge and will detect and monitor the temperature of your skin throughout the procedure to ensure that you are perfectly safe. The device chills your fat cells until they reach the point of cellular death, and then your body takes care of disposing of the debris. 

Don’t try this at home. It might sound like a bonkers warning, but there have been some cases in the US of people attempting to create their own DIY fat freezing treatment using ice packs and even frozen peas! The truth is, the device uses carefully controlled cooling (NOT actual freezing) to deliver the safest result. Anything you do at home can’t match the safety that a clinic can, nor the results. 

Will Fat Freezing Make Me Lose Weight?

It’s important to understand that fat freezing is not weight loss. If you’re looking to lose significant weight then fat freezing won’t give you the outcome you desire. It will, however, help if you are looking for toning and contouring of areas where you find stubborn fat hard to lose. 

For some, even regular exercise and balanced eating can’t shift pockets of fat and that’s where fat freezing will excel. Those persistent wobbly bits will be reduced right down, and that’s how they’ll stay!

Because the fat cells die – and don’t come back – you are left with fewer fat cells forever. That’s not to say you won’t gain weight if you don’t eat sensibly, as fat cells can grow in size, but there will be fewer of them. 

One aspect of fat freezing that often isn’t considered is its ability to kick-start a new, healthier lifestyle. For those that opt for the treatment, there’s a motivation to maintain their new, defined figure.

How Fat Freezing Works: The Pros and Cons

Fat freezing has been one of the most popular treatments for body contouring since 2010, with over 4 million procedures carried out since then. Celebrities such as Molly Sims and Anthony Costa have praised the treatment, and at Elite Aesthetics, we have been part of some incredible success stories. But what are the pros and cons of fat freezing?

Pros

• Non-invasive treatment
• Quick procedure 
• No downtime and few side-effects (if any)
• Permanent removal of fat cells
• Remarkable results on stubborn fat

Cons

• Not a replacement for weight loss plans
• Weight can be regained with poor diet/lack of exercise
• Some find the results too subtle

Lifestyle Tips For Preparing For Fat Freezing

Lifestyle plays a very important role in preparing for fat freezing, as well as maintaining your post-fat freezing figure. White fat cells respond to aerobic exercise – that might conjure up images of lycra-clad classes where you leap around, but even just taking a daily stroll can help. Building in a brisk walk to your routine will have an impact on your overall health when paired with a balanced diet. 

Everyone knows which foods are ‘bad’ for them; sugary, fatty processed meals and snacks just create excessive fat stores which require hours of exercise to burn. If you limit (not remove entirely) your treats, then you will see a difference in yourself. 

By following a sensible routine, perhaps only having treats once or twice a week and getting your body moving more, your fat freezing treatment will have a much better impact on your figure. 

Body Contouring – The Options

Fat freezing isn’t the only fat-reducing treatment that we offer, and one of our other options might suit you better. The best way to find out what will help you achieve the goals you want is to book a consultation with a member of our friendly, helpful team. Here we can discuss your objectives, assess your current position and see what we think will deliver the best outcome. 

Appointments are held at Elite Aesthetics, our clinic in Greenhithe, Kent. You can access us easily – we are just 10 minutes from Dartford and Gravesend stations, 15 minutes from Maidstone and a 20-minute drive from London.