Procedure freezes off the unwanted fat

The new year is the time for resolutions and for many this means losing weight. People who have been at it a while may still be unhappy with their figure because of subcutaneous fat that is resistant to diet and exercise.

This kind of “pinchy” fat hangs out around the midriff and thighs and is a perfect candidate for CoolSculpting, said Glacier Med Spa and Laser Center registered nurse Glenna Bergland.

Glacier Med Spa and Laser Center in Whitefish and Kalispell offers this treatment as an alternative to liposuction without downtime or surgery.

CoolSculpting is a medical device cleared by the Food and Drug Administration that treats stubborn fat in the abdominal area, flanks and inner and outer thighs. CoolSculpting sculpts a person’s body using cold temperature. The treatment helps accentuate the positive parts of a person’s figure and remove the pockets of fat that detract from it, Bergland said.

“Giving them more of an hourglass shape, or getting rid of that lower abdominal fat, or making it so their thighs don’t touch,” she said.

A person has a set amount of fat cells by adolescence, Bergland said. Gaining weight makes the fat cells get bigger, but doesn’t increase how many of them there are. Losing weight will simply shrink the size of the fat cells.

“Everybody carries their weight differently,” she said. The treatment isn’t a good weight-loss plan. It won’t provide the kind of results that come from diet and exercise, she said. For example, a person with a pot belly has visceral, hard fat, it surrounds the organs and responds well to diet and exercise. It cannot be treated with CoolSculpting.

CoolSculpting freezes the fat cells and kills them, similar to how liposuction sucks the fat cells out. The patient is left with fewer fat cells that are the same size as before.

Each treatment kills about 20-25 percent of the fat cells in an area, depending on individual circumstances. Many patients do several treatments to target several areas of fat. CoolSculpting treatments start at $750, decreasing in cost after the initial treatment.

Years ago, scientists discovered that fat cells and skin cells freeze at different temperatures. They noticed children would develop a little indent on the inside of their cheek from eating Popsicles. This led to the discovery of CoolSculpting as a safe treatment, the Spa claims.

The treatment is fairly simple. The medical professional attaches the applicator to the patient’s body.

A gel, similar to what is used for an ultrasound, protects the skin while it is inside the applicator. The CoolSculpting machine pulls a certain amount of tissue into the applicator. Freezing panels on the side of the applicator freeze and kill the fat cells. The machine monitors the skin temperature during the entire process to make sure there are no problems.

“If it detects something wrong with your skin, it’ll automatically alert you and shut the machine down,” Bergland said.

After the hour-long treatment, the fat is frozen into a lump. When belly fat is treated, it looks like a stick of butter. The technician messages the frozen fat back to its normal shape, then the treatment is complete.

The body naturally processes the dead fat cells to eliminate them, like it would do with any dead cells. Once the treated fat cells are killed, they are gone for good.

Results can be seen by three weeks, but the best results are after two to three months, the Spa notes.

Glacier Med Spa and Laser Center encourages patients come in for a free consultation. Each patient varies and the consultation ensures that the right procedure is used. For more information, visit their website at http://www.glaciermedspa.com/