Did you see the ‘icy headline’ which was seen on billboards all over Johannesburg on June 1 that got Laserderm Med-Spa’s telephone lines sizzling hot??

It wasn’t related to the icy cold weather we have been experiencing but the exciting new COOLSCULPTING technology that actually freezes fat.

Laserderm Med-Spa 66 Rivonia Road, Sandton introduced Zeltiq Coolsculpting treatment to their existing wide range of treatments a few months ago and has received an enormously positive response from their patients that have been treated to date.

The success of this new non-ablative fat loss treatment is fast becoming the most sort after non-invasive aesthetic treatment. A patient who published her Coolsculpting experience in The Star Newspaper on Friday, 1 June 2011, was quoted as saying: “A month-and-a half later there has been a definite, if not profound difference”.

Coolsculpting is a non-ablative treatment option which is considered a safe and effective way to treat fat deposits in certain areas of the body which mostly cannot be altered through diet and exercise.

Areas which can be treated successfully

Fat reduction in discrete body areas like the belly, love handles, inner thighs, fat pockets under the arms, back-fat, bra-buldges and saddlebags. “A single treatment is usually enough for each love handle but larger areas might require two treatments” says Dr Natasha Begg-Spiro, Aesthetic Practitioner and Manager of Laserderm Med-Spa in Sandton.

The Procedure

Coolsculpting treatments are preferably done in consultation with a Doctor. No anaesthetic is used. Pre-treatment procedure consists of measuring and marking the area to be treated after which the skin is protected with a gel-pad. The procedure has an excellent safety profile. Precisely controlled cooling is applied through the skin to the fat layer, causing damage to the fat cells but keeping body tissue perfectly healthy.

An average of 20% fat reduction can be expected in the treated area being treatment, but some patients have reported a reduction of up to 40% in the treated area!

The treatment regime

Treatment time: approximately one hour per area.

The procedure is non-invasive; patients can return to normal activities immediately, the perfect treatment for a lunch-break!

Patients can sit or lie down during the treatment. As the applicator is applied, the patient will feel a firm tug and pull over the area, as the skin tissue is drawn up into the vacuum applicator cup and gently holds it between two cooling panels - then a sensation of cold which dulls after the first ten minutes.

Although described as ‘pain free’ – the patient might will experience mild discomfort and then a numbing sensation during the procedure. Some patients experience temporary and routine side effects like redness, minor bruising or tingling that will resolve within days post procedure.

Occasionally, a patient may have an atypical skin reaction: cramping, bruising or swelling that lasts longer than one week, or the area may become red, warm and tender

Changes may be within three weeks after the treatment but the most dramatic results after a few months.

Treatment cost

In terms of costs patients can expect to pay between R7000 to R12000 per treatment

Am I a candidate for Coolsculpting?

1. Are you within 5 to 7 kilograms of your ideal body weight?

2. Do you have noticeable bulges or bumps that you would like reduced?

3. Do you want subtle, natural-looking results?

4. Do you want a procedure with minimal pain or discomfort?

5. Do you need a procedure with no downtime?

6. Do you prefer a natural process over drugs, chemicals, or surgery?