Can fat freezing banish a double chin?
‘Fat freezing’ has grown from beauty buzzword to big business in recent years, with CoolSculpting the safest non-surgical alternative to liposuction available at clinics worldwide. Using controlled cooling, it targets stubborn pockets of fat and promises permanent results. In fact, non-invasive treatments have proven so effective that the demand for liposuction has fallen dramatically over the last five years.
One treatment area that’s growing increasingly popular amongst patients is the chin and jawline. Patients who are unhappy with their chin have no way of hiding it, and excess fat in this area can often make a face look more aged than its years. Narrowing this area can make you appear generally slimmer and take years off of your appearance.
It almost sounds too good to be true, so how exactly does CoolSculpting work? How effective is it for the double chin? And, how does it compare to other non-surgical treatments such as Aqualyx?
What is CoolSculpting?
CoolSculpting is an FDA approved fat reduction device. It’s non-invasive and has minimal downtime. Scientifically known as cryolipolysis, the process involves using a vacuum-like applicator to suction targeted areas of fat. It uses controlled freezing to deep freeze fat cells, causing them to die and be naturally expelled via your lymphatic system over twelve weeks.
The results are permanent as your body cannot restore the fat cells after they’ve been destroyed unless you put on an excessive amount of weight in a short amount of time.
Is it effective for a double chin?
Often, people can be a very average, healthy weight and still have a double chin. All of us have different fat distributions which are determined genetically and during our development in puberty. CoolSculpting can be used to kill stubborn fat cells under the chin and improve the appearance of the neck and jawline as a whole.
The only caveat is that you have to have enough fat for the applicator to adhere to. If you’re a good candidate, the area will be frozen to around -11 degrees, permanently killing approximately 25% of the fat cells in that area.
How many treatments will I need?
Your practitioner may use more than one applicator in a single treatment to optimise how much fat is reduced. You may need various applicators angled in different ways to get that sculpting effect. It all comes down to your specific anatomy and the amount of fat in the area. Some people have excellent results with just one applicator in a single treatment, whereas some require two or three applicators over one or two treatments.
How long will the results last?
The results are permanent because once the treated fat cells are frozen, they crystallise and die – once they’re gone, they’re gone for good. As long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle following the procedure, the long-term results should remain stable.
CoolSculpting vs. Aqualyx
Aqualyx is a fat dissolving injection, whereas CoolSculpting is a device that freezes fat. Both are very different technologies that permanently kill a proportion of fat cells in a treated area. In most cases, if we can attach a CoolSculpting applicator to the area of concern, we will most likely advise CoolSculpting as the most appropriate treatment. This is because CoolSculpting is entirely non-invasive, whereas Aqualyx involves multiple injections over multiple sessions. In our experience, patients also tend to swell more with Aqualyx and require a course of treatments at regular intervals.
Having said that, if you’re looking to treat a tiny fat pocket under the chin and the area is too small for CoolSculpting, Aqualyx is an excellent option to consider. It’s just not often our first port of call for most patients.
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Disclaimer: Please be aware that results and benefits may vary from patient to patient taking into consideration factors such as age, lifestyle and medical history.
