How Fat-Freezing Works (and What to Expect)

There’s much hype around fat-freezing, and it’s no surprise why. The body treatment promises to eliminate stubborn fat that won’t respond to diet and exercise. It’s possible to even target specific areas like your arms, thighs and buttocks.

You won’t even need to factor in recovery time because this treatment – officially known as cryolipolysis – is nonsurgical. Most people view it as a safer alternative to liposuction.



Sounds too good to be true? Let’s find out.

Fat freezing explained

During cryolipolysis, the doctor places a special device with a vacuum-like suction onto your problem area. The fat cells directly under the skin surface are then frozen and die as a result. This biological process is called apoptosis or cell death.

After cell death, your body absorbs these destroyed fat cells. Your liver then breaks down these cells, secreting them from the body as waste material.



The science behind fat-freezing is simple. Your fat cells are more sensitive to the cold temperature than your skin tissue. This is why freezing your fat cells is possible without damaging the surrounding skin.

The side-effects of fat freezing

There are many potential risks and side effects that come with freezing your fat. For instance, there is a tendency for uneven fat removal since the entire procedure depends on the device, not on the skill of the doctor. This can lead to asymmetrical contouring.

While downtime is minimal, you might experience bruising because the special device repeatedly pulls on your skin in the treated areas. The bruised areas will likely feel tender when you touch them and the soreness could last for weeks.



Another side effect that could last for weeks is prolonged numbness. This happens when the cold temperature temporarily damages the nerves around the treated areas. Other side effects include swelling, skin sensitivity and muscle cramping.

Paradoxical adipose hyperplasia

It gets worse. There is a more severe side effect called paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH). It is basically fat-freezing gone horribly wrong.

PAH happens when the fat cells in a treated area gradually expand (instead of shrink) and then harden into a strange-looking lump.

This complication is more common that you think. Recent research in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery shows that PAH can happen to one out of every 138 treatments. However, the people who make fat freezing equipment claim that PAH only happens one out of every 4,000 treatments.

These two sets of numbers vary widely. Do your research to know which one to trust.



Ironically, the remedy for PAH is liposuction – a procedure that many fat-freezing proponents want to avoid exactly because of how invasive it is.

Limitations of fat freezing

In addition to the potential risks and side effects, there are more downsides. Fat freezing is not a quick fix – it won’t give you any short-term noticeable results.

In fact, you will probably need to wait for several months to notice any visible reduction in your problem areas.

And that’s provided that you watch your diet to prevent new fat deposits from forming. After all, killing your existing fat cells doesn’t insure you against future weight gain, especially if your metabolism is already problematic to begin with.

You will also have to commit to multiple sessions of fat-freezing, since one session will not be enough. Just imagine how much you’ll need to spend!

Finally, the results of fat-freezing are only limited to the fat that’s located below the surface of your skin. In the other words, it targets surface fat while neglecting visceral fat, which is just as important when it comes to weight loss.

What’s visceral fat? It’s the fat that forms deep inside your abdominal cavity, often wrapped around internal organs like your liver and intestines. Scientists have linked it to chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. If you have a wide waistline, the visceral fat in your belly is what you should be concerned about.

Learn more about visceral fat and how to get rid of it.

To be blunt about it, fat-freezing won’t produce holistic weight loss even if you are prepared to spend for it. While it does eliminate fat cells on the surface, it doesn’t have any impact on the more dangerous, deep-forming fat deposits.

If you have unwanted kilos to lose, it would be wiser to use tested-and-proven strategies.

How can I lose weight?

Two words: Lifestyle changes. Incremental, consistent changes to your exercise and eating habits will translate to results in the long run. Fad diets, workouts and procedures rarely do, if ever.

Get off your seat and work out several times a week with a mix of cardio and strength training. The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, but start small. Even something as simple as walking a few minutes per day has tremendous benefits for your metabolism.

Eating well is more than just about cutting out common culprits like saturated fat and simple sugars. You should also exercise portion control, balance out your meals with protein, and eat three meals a day without deliberate starving.

Additionally, make it a point to manage your stress levels, stayed hydrated through the day, and get sufficient restful sleep every night. If your body can’t function optimally, it will take a toll on your metabolism.

Invest in CSH therapy®

Even these lifestyle changes can’t guarantee results, especially once your metabolism has slowed down with age. If your weight is no longer responding to diet and exercise, it could be time to consider our CSH therapy® program.

CSH therapy® is safe, natural and designed with long-term weight loss in mind. We’re talking about holistic reduction in surface fat and visceral fat. No diet supplements and exercise required, no side effects, no risks.

Consisting of cupping therapy, scraping therapy and heat treatment, CSH therapy® uses a traditional Chinese approach to improve your metabolism – for good. This results in not only fast weight loss but also all-around body contouring.

But don’t just take our word for it. Since 2002, we’ve helped thousands of satisfied clients achieve their ideal figure. Read their testimonials here.

Want to find out more? Let’s have a chat. Book a consultation today.