HEALTH+WELLNESS
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Dr Hilary Jones
talks about
Coolsculpting
and the rise of
cosmetic surgery
Dr. Hilary Jones
How popular is cosmetic surgery these days?
Cosmetic surgery has never aroused so much
high-profile curiosity, nor asked in such celebrity
endorsed popularity as it does today. In particular,
the soaring interest in cosmetic treatments
described as non-surgical procedures is nothing
short of phenomenal.
What do you mean by non-surgical
procedures?
These are treatments which don’t involve taking
a scalpel to the skin. They include such things
as Botox, which eradicates frown lines from the
forehead and crow’s feet around the eyes, and
dermal fillers which plump out thinning lips and
the puckering of ageing skin around them. Then
there are the chemical skin peels, laser hair
removal and cellulite treatments to name a few.
Other than Botox and fillers, what nonsurgical procedures are increasingly popular?
Fat reduction treatments are the new kids on the
block. This country has a huge problem with
obesity and even relatively slim people who
exercise regularly have issues with specific areas
of their body where fat can stubbornly remain no
matter how physically active they are. Millions of
people would love to get rid of their love handles,
their bingo wings, the fat pads around their
haunches, the swelling around the tops of their
buttocks and that floppy apron over their lower
belly. People have resorted to all sorts of untried
and unproven treatments and many so-called
medical machines exist which claim to target
cellulite and promote fat reduction. Frankly,
however, with one recent and very exciting
exception, most of these are an expensive waste
of time.
What is the exception?
It is a revolutionary new treatment called
Coolsculpting, based on scientifically proven
technology which brings about non-surgical fat
reduction. Essentially, it freezes fat cells in areas
where fat stubbornly refuses to budge, crystallises
them and allows them to be removed by the
body’s immune system over the following few
weeks. It is a process medically known as
cryolipolysis.
How effective is it?
I could just say that the 850,000 treatments that
have already been done speak for themselves,
but having seen the results in clients myself, they
are genuinely very impressive. All the more so
really as the fat reduction is very long-lasting if
not permanent. This is because the fat cells
treated are eliminated on a permanent basis and
the body is not capable of generating more.
How many treatments might a person need?
That depends on the individual. In each treated
area, there is a 25-50% fat reduction over each
one hour of treatment. So depending on how
large an area is and how many areas require
attention, the number of treatments will vary. It
certainly isn’t suitable for overall weight loss or
fat reduction in general and of course it isn’t a
substitute for a healthy lifestyle involving regular
exercise and a well-balanced diet. But for
streamlining specific stubborn areas it is second
to none.
What about safety? Can’t the freezing process
of Coolsculpting damage the skin?
Good question. You’re thinking freeze-burns and
frostbite aren’t you? Well that can’t happen with
Coolsculpting thanks to a built-in patented safety
feature known as Freeze-detect that allows
freezing of the underlying fat cells without freezing
of the overlying skin. It is a trademark safety
system that protects against any untoward sideeffects and means the patient’s safety is
guaranteed. In fact, this is the only fat-freezing
machine which can boast this safety device and
sets it apart from any other system and eclipses
cheap imitations of its technology. Coolsculpting
has never been associated with any complications
due to the cooling process. That’s one of the
many reasons why Coolsculpting has FDA
(Federal Drugs Authority) approval.
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What is your advice for people trying
to find a reputable clinic for their cosmetic
treatments?
First look for CQC registered clinics. That’s Care
Quality Commission. Opt for doctor-led clinics
and make sure the doctors are registered with
the General Medical Council (GMC). Check that
they’re using FDA approved machines and
treatments and ask what national awards or
approvals they have. A good clinic will allow you
to attend a consultation and inspect the premises
to ensure that the clinic feels professional and is
friendly. You should feel free to ask if the surgeon
doing the procedure is the one who carried out
the consultation and how much experience he
or she has.
And for fat reduction treatment specifically?
Carry on doing your best to lose weight all over
your body through healthy eating and regular
exercise. Make your first priority clinical safety
and look for a method of fat reduction which
offers permanent results. The clinic you choose
should be a reputable one and finally, don’t forget
to ask about Coolsculpting. If my regular running,
swimming and gym days have to become less
frequent for any reason, I will certainly be
considering it myself.
Coolsculpting is available from The Skin Clinic
01732 462844
www.theskinclinic.org.uk