New Procedure Lets You Freeze Away The Fat
(CBS) -- If you're trying to shape up for swimsuit season, a big chill might be the key to a slimmer summer.
CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez reports on how people are freezing their fat to take off the pounds.
Tara Muller is a mother of two and she has one goal for her body.
"I'd like to get it back to pre-baby," she said. "I still have a little bit of that roll in my stomach."
To get rid of that stubborn spot, she's trying something new. She's having her fat frozen.
The procedure uses a vacuum to pull the skin between two cooling plates to freeze the fat.
Unlike other fat removal procedures, there's no surgery and no downtime.
"We're actually freezing the fat during the procedure, killing the fat cells and the cell contents are gradually eliminated through the blood stream," said Dr. Paul Friedman, with the Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center in Houston.
The procedure takes about two months before you see results.
"This is not for weight loss. This is for people who probably are already at their ideal body weight and just have some stubborn areas," Friedman said.
People lose about 22% of their body fat with each treatment for a price of about $750 per visit.
There are only a couple minor side effects, according to Friedman.
"Just some temporary redness and swelling after the procedure," he said.
An hour later after the procedure, the device comes off.
"Similar to as if you put butter in the refrigerator and as soon as you pull it out it is very firm and stiff," he said.
Fortunately, also like butter, Friedman said that stick of fat cells will also melt away.
"It was pretty easy, pretty painless," Muller said.
That's exactly what Muller was hoping for.
You might need more than one treatment to get the results you want, so it can get expensive.
