Cryolipolysis is an FDA-cleared, safe, and effective treatment for stubborn fat in the abdomen, flank, thighs, upper arms, and more. The treatment targets pinchable fat cells and causes them to die off naturally through the body’s process, without damaging nerve fibers, blood vessels, or muscle in the area. As a result, you will see gradual reduction in the area, leading to long-term fat loss and slimming results. However, the treatment is not meant for weight loss and is more of a “spot” fat reduction solution for people who are close to their ideal body weight but have pinchable pockets of fat that are resistant to diet and exercise.
Despite the popularity of CoolSculpting cryolipolysis at home, there is a lot of misinformation regarding DIY fat freezing techniques and devices that claim to replicate the patented technology used by the FDA-approved machine. Many of these products use ice cubes or a DIY lipo-belt that uses frozen cold packs to target a specific area of the body in an attempt to induce cryolipolysis and kill fat cells. However, these home DIY fat freezing techniques are not only ineffective but can also be dangerous.
The main reason why DIY fat freezing at home does not work is that ice does not freeze the subcutaneous fat cells. In addition, the ice melts as soon as it touches the skin, and is not cold enough to cause the cellular death of the fat cells. Moreover, homemade machines do not provide the suction needed to pull the fat towards the surface of the skin to induce the cryolipolysis that is necessary for removing unwanted fat cells.
In addition to being ineffective, DIY fat freezing at home can be dangerous due to the risk of frostbite. Using ice to freeze the body’s fat cells can lead to frostbite and damage the skin in the treated area. In some cases, this damage may even be permanent. In addition, the DIY lipo-belts that are available online do not have FDA clearance and have not been properly tested in clinical trials.
Another potential side effect of DIY fat freezing at home is that it can trigger an autoimmune disease called paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, which is a rare condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys red blood cells. This condition is often triggered by exposure to cold temperatures.
Unlike the homemade devices, CoolSculpting applicators are designed with sensors to ensure safety and effectiveness during the treatment. The sensors in the device monitor and maintain the precise cooling temperatures and time limits essential to triggering the cryolipolysis of the fat cells. In addition, CoolSculpting has a built-in vacuum that is used to remove the dead fat cells once the treatment has finished.