CRYOLIPOLYSIS: SLIMMING WITH COLD

Cryolipolysis is a non-invasive medical aesthetic technique of body contouring whose objective is the reduction of localized fatty deposits thanks to the cold.  It allows, in a single session, to refine and reshape one’s silhouette gently and individually, without the need for surgery.

IN SHORT, WHAT IS CRYOLIPOLYSIS?

Cryolipolysis is indicated for the treatment of localized fatty deposits on the silhouette. The principle is simple: Cryolipolysis destroys a part of the fat cells thanks to the cold. The results are definitive, visible after 4 to 8 weeks and in a single session.

Cryolipolysis is not painful, and does not involve any social eviction.

HOW DOES CRYOLIPOLYSIS WORK?

Fat cells – adipocytes – are more sensitive to cold than other tissues. When they are exposed to intense cold, they go into apoptosis: they crystallize and self-destruct. They simply die, permanently. Cryolipolysis causes this phenomenon.  Then, the lipids contained in the destroyed cells are progressively eliminated by the natural ways.

In this respect, Cryolipolysis is considered a non-invasive alternative to surgical liposuction, without the post-operative side effects of surgery.

IS CRYOLIPOLYSIS RIGHT FOR ME?

Cryolipolysis is ideal for anyone, man or woman, who has localized fatty deposits that are recalcitrant to diet and exercise. In short, those unsightly rolls of fat!

The thickness of the fat must however be more than one centimeter, which Doctor HAVET will measure in consultation.

It is often said that Cryolipolysis does not treat excess weight, and this is true. It only destroys the fat in the treated area. However, its rapid and visible results are a great incentive to lose weight! Within the framework of a more global approach to the management of the silhouette, via a balanced, healthy and varied diet and regular physical activity, “lipocryo” makes it possible to bring the motivation necessary to the continuation of weight loss and its stabilization, to find a more harmonious silhouette.

WHAT AREAS CAN BE TREATED WITH CRYOLIPOLYSIS?

The areas treated are typically those where fat cells tend to be stored and which are resistant to diet and/or sport:

• Upper belly
• Lower abdomen
• Love handles
• Hips
• Thighs
• Arm
• Knees
• Bra folds
• Saddlebags (reduction of cellulite with specific handpieces)

HOW IS A CRYOLIPOLYSIS SESSION PERFORMED AT DR HAVET’S OFFICE?

The session takes place at Dr. HAVET’s office and lasts between 1 and 1.5 hours depending on the area(s) treated.

No special preparation is necessary. During the consultation, an information sheet will be given to you and an estimate and consent will be signed.

Dr. HAVET will first take measurements of the thickness of the adipocyte fold which serve as a reference to evaluate the result after the 1st month. Then, he will set the machine according to the patient’s characteristics.

Comfortably installed, on the back or the stomach depending on the area to be treated, a gel and a fabric membrane are applied to protect the skin. The handpiece(s) is (are) applied to the area and will suck out the bulge. Except for the thigh area where there is no suction (it is a paddle). The bulge will be “frozen” thanks to the temperature that gradually drops to -6°C during 60 minutes. The sensation can be a little strange at the very beginning, but as soon as the skin is sore from the cold, you feel absolutely nothing. Cryolipolysis is not painful.

You can relax: read or listen to music during the session.

At the end of the session, and after removing the handpiece, the area is gently massaged to reactivate the blood and lymph microcirculation.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE SESSION?

You can resume a normal activity right away. Indeed, cryolipolysis does not require any social eviction or break from work. The area is a little red under the effect of the cold but it quickly returns to its normal color. You may feel some aches and pains in the days following the Cryolipolysis session.

The post session recommendations are to drink enough water during the first 2 days, to facilitate the elimination of toxins and lipids.

As with any aesthetic medical procedure, it is advisable to avoid intense sports, prolonged sun exposure and intense heat for 48 hours.

CRYOLIPOLYSIS: IS IT REALLY EFFECTIVE?

Between 30% and 40% of the adipocytes in the area are destroyed after a Cryolipolysis session. This result is not immediate but progressive: it takes 4 to 8 weeks, and a single session is enough to permanently eliminate this localized fat. They do not come back.

A follow-up consultation is scheduled 4 weeks after the session to measure the results.

A second session can be proposed in an area adjacent to the first one to extend the result.

CRYOLIPOLYSIS: HOW LONG DO THE EFFECTS LAST?

The effects of a Cryolipolysis session are permanent and definitive: the destruction of fat cells is real and the destroyed fat does not come back. The effects of Cryolipolysis are permanent and can be achieved after only one session.

A second session can be proposed, on another area or on the same one in order to improve the result even more.

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF CRYOLIPOLYSIS?

Cryolipolysis treatment is an effective method to harmonize the silhouette without surgery in complete safety.

Locally, a slight erythema or ecchymosis may appear due to the sucking phenomenon, but this is very discreet and disappears easily.

It is a gentle and painless method. A sensitivity of the area is sometimes described, testifying to the elimination of fat during 48 hours.

The risks of cold burns are prevented by the application of the membrane and the protective gel.

CRYOLIPOLYSIS OR COOLSCULPTING, IS IT THE SAME?

Coolsculting is an American registered trademark of a cryolipolysis machine and cryolipolysis is the technique itself, which is the act of destroying fat cells thanks to a controlled cold through a machine.

By abuse of language, the two terms are used interchangeably.

The technology used in Dr. HAVET’s office is a latest generation cryolipolysis machine manufactured in France, with CE marking and standards. It is renowned for its effectiveness and safety.

SHOULD I GO ON A DIET WITH CRYOLIPOLYSIS?

No, it is not necessary to go on a diet. Diets upset the body, lead to frustration and risk of a yo-yo effect on the figure. Instead, it is recommended to maintain a stable weight, to have a healthy lifestyle based on a balanced and healthy diet, all of which is enhanced by regular physical activity of your choice. But this is more a part of a global approach to better living than a more effective technique.

At the local level and on the fatty mass, cryolipolysis works, whether you are on a diet or not.

IS IT EFFECTIVE AGAINST CELLULITE?

Yes, because cellulite is made of fat cells. However, Cryolipolysis will be more effective on adipose cellulite (i.e. fatty cellulite) than on aqueous or fibrous cellulite.

MY SKIN IS LOOSE, IS CRYOLIPOLYSIS EFFECTIVE?

No. Cryolipolysis does not have a tightening effect on the skin, it only treats the fat cells. In fact, if the skin is distended, Dr. HAVET will recommend radiofrequency sessions, whose effect on skin retraction is proven.

CRYOLIPOLYSIS : CONTRAINDICATIONS

Contraindications are rare:

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding (precautionary principle)
• Cryoglobulinemia
• Raynaud’s disease
• Umbilical or inguinal hernia (due to aspiration)
• Obesity

Are you interested in a cryolipolysis session for the silhouette? Would you like a consultation with Dr. Havet in the West Indies? Make an appointment now.