ZELTIQ out of Pleasanton, CA has received FDA approval to market its CoolSculpting system for noninvasive reduction of fat in ‘love handles’. The device essentially freezes fat cells under the skin, killing them in the process. It then takes a few weeks for the apoptosis to work itself out and the company claims patients can expect an average 20% fat reduction in the treatment area. The CoolSculpting procedure is not meant as a tool for weight-loss, but to specifically help shape the flank.
About the procedure from the product page:
During the procedure, a non-invasive applicator is applied to the skin surface to deliver precisely controlled cooling to target and eliminate fat cells in specific areas of the body. As they are exposed to cooling, the fat cells begin a process of natural cell removal. The fat cells in the treated area are gradually eliminated through the body’s normal metabolic processes, similar to how fat from food is eliminated. The result is a reduction in fat bulges that is visible in most patients in about two to four months.
Press release: ZELTIQ Receives FDA Clearance for Non-Invasive Fat Reduction…(.pdf)
Product page: ZELTIQ Technology Platform…
(hat tip: MassDevice)