"In this initial group of 32 love handle patients treated once, discernible changes were seen on the treated side vs. baseline of the treated side, and compared to the untreated contralateral control," Dr. Avram said of the findings presented during a poster session at the 2008 annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. "This unique study design [using each patient as his or her own control], provided very powerful evidence that this was a true treatment effect rather than a change in the patient's diet or exercise pattern during the 4 months after this single procedure exposure."
Common effects after cryolipolysis include redness, which lasts minutes to a few hours; bruising, which may last for a few weeks; and temporary dulling of sensation in the treated area, which typically resolves in 1-8 weeks. No postprocedural changes in pigmentation or laboratory abnormalities have been observed, he said.
About 1 in 2,000 patients experiences severe pain beginning 3-7 days post treatment, which translates into 26 reported cases out of 60,000 treatments. "We are not sure why these occur, but these cases completely resolve with no sequelae," Dr. Avram said.
He emphasized that cryolipolysis is not a replacement for liposuction. "It is not a weight-loss device," he said. "It's best suited for local fat removal resistant to exercise in relatively fit patients."
Dr. Avram disclosed holding stock options in Zeltiq Aesthetics, which manufactures cryolipolysis equipment. SDEF and this news organization are owned by Elsevier.