LONDONERS ARE FEELING THE CHILL OF COOLSCULPTING
We may be used to it, but at BITB’s London HQ, feeling the temperature plummet hasn’t done much to lift our spirits across the pond. Having said that, the launch of Tiffany Skate, at the beautiful Somerset House ice rink, has started to make us feel a bit Christmassy, at least. Sadly, the cold weather is really playing havoc with our skin…and our diet. Like a lot of people, the cold weather tends to make some of us comfort-eat and we all know that come January we’ll regret that extra mince pie and super-sized, super-stodgy meal.
If you are likely to go on a crash diet in the New Year to get back to square one and regain your pre-Xmas figure, then be realistic. Are you able to achieve the body shape you are hoping for or are there some bulges that won’t shift no matter how much exercise and dieting you do? If so, the latest technology to hit our shores will fix those unsightly stubborn grab-able inches for good. CoolSculpting® by Zeltiq—a unique, effective, safe, FDA-cleared non-invasive treatment—targets stubborn exercise-resistant fat bulges and is gaining a worldwide following with over 400,000 treatments done so far.
Utilising cryolipolysis (literally freezing the fat cells), the revolutionary technology behind CoolSculpting® was born from the observation that children who ate lots of ice-lollies had dimples due to the loss of fat cells caused by the continued exposure to the cold. From this, a team of scientists from Harvard Medical School developed an innovative, non-invasive cooling process that could be used to specifically target fat cells, freezing them to the point of elimination. Only fat cells are frozen—they are crystallised then subsequently die and are eliminated from the body in the natural way via the liver and lymphatic system. Is it safe I hear you ask? Well, in a word, yes! The fat is removed from the body in a safe concentration just as though you were on a standard fat-loss diet.
A relatively simple and painless process, the CoolSculpting® device is positioned on the area of the body to be targeted and using a suction action, draws the fat bulge into the CoolSculpting® treatment applicator where two cooling plates are situated. The correct size cooling plate is chosen following a thorough assessment of the area being treated.
Before and after CoolSculpting treatment of female love handles
The non-surgical appeal of the treatment was a key pull for Dr Tracy Mountford, founder member of the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors (BACD) and the founder and medical director of The Cosmetic Skin Clinic, as she could see clear demand for such a solution. “There are a significant number of patients that do not want an invasive body contouring treatment; for these people CoolSculpting is an ideal treatment option and in our practice it has proved very popular.â€
The patient will feel a firm pulling sensation and slight pressure followed by a numbing cold sensation. Then it’s a case of simply sitting back and relaxing whilst the CoolSculpting® device does its work. Dr Mountford says “Initially, before the treatment, patients are sceptical that such an easy treatment could deliver good results. During the treatment patients find the experience comfortable and can easily carry on with work commitments on their phones or laptops or catch up with their latest book or magazine. It’s been known for some to nod off to sleep.â€
The final result is seen in around 60 days and it’s permanent. In Dr Mountford’s experience, “Most patients report an improvement at three weeks, getting better week by week up to three months.†The newly launched CoolCurve+ is a specially designed and developed applicator for smaller bodies with grab-able fat, for example on flanks, around the bra strap, muffin top, and other curves. The anatomically shaped curvature of CoolCurve+ allows for an effective fit to the body and ultimately improved tissue draw, making it easier to treat more areas and a multitude of body shapes. This means even more people can say goodbye to stubborn lumps and bumps and say hello skinny jeans and tight tops.
Before and after CoolSculpting treatment of a female back
By the time we reach adolescence, our body has laid down all the fat cells we are going to have as an adult. So when we put on weight, the fat cells are swelling rather than multiplying. This means that once frozen, the fat cells undergo apoptosis, i.e. they are destroyed and they do not re-grow…all in one treatment. To maintain the result, it’s essential to continue to eat healthily and exercise regularly—but those treated fat cells won’t come back.
What are you waiting for? Find your local clinic and get yourself a consultation. Just visit  www.coolsculpting.com. Prices start at around £800 per treatment area.
Dr Tracy Mountford, medical director of The Cosmetic Skin Clinic www.cosmeticskinclinic.com, 01753 646 660
Love from London
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