What’s the difference between Fat Freeze and Cavitation?

Over the past 5 years there has been a large increase in Fat reduction treatments, using non-surgical technology. One of the most common questions clients ask is, “What’s the difference between Fat Freeze and Cavitation?”

Both of these are recognised treatments for non-surgical fat removal, but they use very different techniques.  I’ll go through how they work and I’ll also explain why it’s not always a matter of you choosing one over the other.  Fat freeze and Cavitation work better on particular types of fat and particular body areas.

Fat Freeze

This is a method of removing fat cells from the body without surgery.  Its proper name is Cryolipolsyis and it works very well on the right areas.  As the name suggests, it involves freezing the fat cells, which causes them to die off.   To do this you place a Cryo Head over the fatty area, and it ‘sucks up’ a handful of fat, and cools it to around minus 6 degrees Celsius.  You therapist will protect your skin with a special membrane before applying the head, to stop it from getting frostbite.  In order for it to work the fat needs to be soft enough to be sucked up into the applicator.

Here are some key points you need to know:

• The fat pocket which is sucked up is frozen – and around 30% of the cells then die off. They are then removed from your body by your own immune system.
• It’s perfect for a pocket of fat. You can sometimes have 2 pockets treated at once.
• Here’s a good little guide: If you can SQUEEZE IT, you can FREEZE IT!  What I mean by this is you need to be able to grab a good handful.
• Treatments lasts for around 45mins – 1 hour.
• It’s not painful, although it feels very cold.
• There are very few side effects. You could get a bruise, and you skin can feel numb for a few days.  On rare occasions you can get pigmentation.
• It’s a one off treatment. (Although you can do it again in the same area if necessary 3 months later)
• Areas which you can freeze include tummy, sides /love handles, inner thighs, back fat, upper arms and double chin.
• It takes 6-10 weeks to see full results.

So why would you choose Cavitation over Fat Freeze? Read on!

Cavitation

Cavitation which is also known as Ultrasonic Cavitation, is quite different to Cryolipolysis.  It also kills off fat cells, but in a completely different way.  The ultrasound wave makes the fat cells vibrate and jiggle about until they ‘burst’, spill out their contents and die.  Imagine you crack an egg into a glass, and the yolk is whole.  If you put a lid on the glass and start to shake it and shake it, eventually the yolk will pop, and the egg will no longer be whole.  This is what is happening to a fat cell during Cavitation.

The treatment involves the use of a paddle type applicator, which is massaged all over the fatty tissue. You can treat large areas, which may not be suitable for Fat Freeze.  If the fat is much harder to squeeze, or spread over a larger area, then Cavitation is probably the best choice.

Here are some key points you need to know:

• The fat cells die by ultrasound vibration.
• You can treat a large area of fat in one go.
• Treatments last approx 40mins-1hr.
• It’s not painful, although you get a strange ‘cricket’ noise in your ears from the vibration.
• There are very few side effects.  You will look a bit pink in the area, can get a bruise and possibly some skin irritation.
• You need a course of treatments, approximately 6-8 for best results. Overall you can lose many inches.
• If you need to tighten skin or reduce cellulite as well as reduce fat, Cavitation is a great option. This is because you can combine it with other technologies such as Radiofrequency or Dermology on the same day.
• It’s perfect for the stomach, sides of body and backs of legs, especially if the fat is spread or too hard to grab.
• You will get an instant improvement in inch loss, although you need to wait for the body to re-absorb and flush out the remains of the fat cell for the full result.

Conclusion

Both Fat Freeze and Cavitation are proven to kill off fat cells, and both can give you good results if done properly.  If you can grab a good handful of fat then it’s usually suitable to freeze.  The pocket of fat will be reduced by a third 2-3 months after the treatment.  If the fat is more widespread or you can’t really grab it, then Cavitation is often a better choice.  Plus if you have loose skin or cellulite as well as fat, then Cavitation can be better as you can combine it with other technologies.  You need to have 6-8 treatments of Cavitation for best results, however you can see improvements immediately.

 

I hope this article has helped you understand the difference between these 2 popular treatments.  If you have any more questions feel free to email me at: rach@radiantliving.co.uk.  There are of course other fat removal options such as HIFU and of course liposuction surgery, which haven’t been discussed here.

 

If you’re in my area you are welcome to come and see me for a free consultation.  Just click here and fill in the Consultation request.

You may also like to read: How does Fat Freeze actually work? Including scientific evidence.