How Effective is Cryolipolysis Compared to Liposuction

Cryolipolysis and liposuction are both excellent therapeutic options for managing localized fat collections. Both procedures offer advantages and the choice of procedure depends on a variety of factors.

Cryolipolysis and liposuction are two very different techniques so patient’s need to select carefully in order to be satisfied with the result.

Liposuction has been used since 1970. Simply explained the technique uses a cannula which is placed through a small incision and attached to a vacuum device. The vacuum and the motion of the cannula will displace fat cells which then are sucked into a cannister. Large volumes of fat can be removed with this technique and it is standard to achieve at least a 50 percent reduction in fat volume for nearly anywhere on the body. Patients with youthful, contractile skin which can redrape following the fat removal are the best candidates. Patients with non-elastic , stretched skin are not great liposuction candidates as their skin will not contour to the loss of fat volume and they are likely to develop irregular dips.

Cryolipolysis is a nonsurgical technique using a device which cools select areas of the body most often the love handle area and the abdomen. The procedure takes one hour and there is no significant recovery time. Over the following 8 weeks, the patient will experience a 20 percent reduction in fat volume which is a more subtle change than what is achieve by liposuction. Patient’s must be realistic about the different degree of results achieved by these two techniques otherwise they risk being disappointed by the degree of change with Cryolipolysis. Patients may also undergo Cryolipolysis a second or third time in order to achieve a greater removal of fat.

Cryolipolysis is really designed for those who have smaller pockets of stubborn fat that they want to eliminate non-invasively. When smaller amounts of fat are present, excellent results can occur with Cryolipolysis with shorter recoveries and less pain in the post-operative period. When larger amounts of fat are present, liposuction will most likely yield a superior result. Unfortunately, this procedure may be associated with more pain and longer recoveries.

Cryolipolysis is not a weight loss solution for people who are obese, or a substitute for surgical methods such as liposuction.Typically, each Cryolipolysis treatment results in a noticeable reduction of fat in the treated area. Cryolipolysis can provide 20% fat volume reduction after four months, and liposuction more.