Freeze! City rushes to arrest spread of fat

BENGALURU: If you are an avid social media user, chances are, you would have come across several videos of people visiting a clinic to have their stomach supercooled to remove fat from the area.

The method, cool-sculpting, has been around since 2018 and according to doctors,  there has been a sudden surge in the number of people rushing to have their fat frozen and removed. Cool-sculpting uses a procedure known as cryolipolysis, where a roll of fat is placed into two panels that cool the fat to a freezing temperature. The frozen and dead fat cells are excreted out of the body through the liver within several weeks of treatment, providing fat loss results within three months time. Doctors say  the number of people undergoing this procedure has increased by 60 per cent compared to 2018.

However, the procedure is not a cure for obesity, doctors warn. The temperature of the paddles that are in contact with the skin are set to -5 to -10 Celsius. The procedure usually takes an hour to treat each targeted body part.

“The numbers have increased with more awareness and patients prefer quick non surgical procedures,” explained Dr Sravya Tipineni, Consultant Dermatologist and Cosmetologist.

Rajendra S Gujjalanavar, senior  consultant, plastic surgery at Sakra World Hospital stated that he has been treating at least six patients in a month and most of them are satisfied with the results. The cost of procedure starts from Rs 4,000 and goes up to Rs 8,000.

 

Parts of the body usually treated

Thighs, lower back, sides, belly, cellulite on legs, buttocks and arms, excess fat underneath the chin

 

Disadvantages

Tugging feeling at the treatment site when doctor places the fat roll between the panels.
Sensations of pain,stinging or aching at the treatment site (which usually goes away after two weeks)
Short-term redness, swelling , bruising and skin sensitivity