New Procedure Freezes Fat Away

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - You're told you have to sweat your fat away. Well a new device is letting patients freeze their fat away instead. It's called CoolSculpting.

When Crystal Guerra looked in the mirror all she saw were those extra pounds she couldn't drop.

"My biggest problem area was probably my stomach, my tummy, because I had that bulge," said Guerra.

And like many people those last five to ten pounds were the hardest to lose.

"It's hard to tone up and get rid of those trouble areas no matter how much you work out," said Guerra.

But then she heard about a new procedure called CoolSculpting. It has a gel patch that clamps on to the skin and freezes the fat cells beneath.

"Basically the fat comes in direct contact with this cooling plate which drops down to a cool enough temperature that freezes your fat cells without freezing anything else," said Tanya Patron, a physician's assistant for Miami Plastic Surgery.

She says those frozen fat cells die and are then flushed away by the body over the next few months.

But there is a strict criteria for patients.

"It's not meant for patients that are overweight or obese. It's for healthy patients that are about ten to fifteen pounds of where they want to be," said Patron.

The procedure is quick.

"I came in in the morning, I had my hour session and from there I went straight to work," said Guerra.

Because there is no surgery and patients are seeing impressive results, they keep coming back for more.

"Once I saw those results I wanted to do my arms and my thighs," said Guerra.

There are cosmetic surgery providers that do not offer CoolSculpting, because they claim it is ineffective compared to traditional liposuction. Patron agrees that in some cases liposuction might be a better option.

"It can start at $750 to $900 depending on the applicator so if you are treating a left and right side that can be $1500 and then we recommend two sessions so that can really start to add up," said Patron. "At that point it might be time to have a conversation with your physician to see if you are a better candidate for liposuction."

Some medical experts believe CoolSculpting may harm the liver.

Dr. Roberto Viel, a cosmetic surgeon from the London Centre for Aesthetic Surgery, was quoted in the British newspaper The Daily Mail as saying:

"...the liver could become overloaded and body could struggle, causing lethargy. I wouldn't advise someone with liver problems to have a treatment like this."

Currently, because it's a relatively new procedure, there is a lack of research into its long-term effects. But CoolSculpting is approved by the FDA.

And remember you still have to put in the work even after the procedure.

"This is not a solution for the rest of your life. You do still need to go to the gym and you do still need to eat healthy so it doesn't come back," said Guerra.

Click Here to learn more about CoolSculpting.