Fanatics can now whittle down 'back handles'

MANILA, Philippines - It’s surprising how much scrutiny a woman’s body is subjected to. From the tautness of the abdomen to the circumference of the thighs, there is much pressure on women to whittle down their figures into something with nary a pinch of extra, cushioning fat allowed. There always seems to be a new area getting called out as problem spots where fat accumulates, and the latest one being put under the spotlight? The bra-line.

Yes, that expanse of flesh at the back where the bandeau of the bra naturally cuts into is another area of concern on top of all the other body parts that already wreak significant havoc on a woman’s self-image.

More than just a case of an ill-fitting undergarment (though too-small bras are also a factor in the appearance of back rolls), back fat seems to be a completely different beast from belly and butt fats a particularly stubborn one with no single exercise that targets it. While not as dangerous as abdominal fat, there is something disconcerting about these backside bulges that can be seen only with the help of a three-way mirror: it’s one thing to make an entrance with a pronounced girth, another to make an exit by leaving behind a visual of back boobs.

Marie France, which marks its 26th year this November, introduces its latest non-invasive fat reduction and body contouring solution that promises to flatten stubborn bulges in hard-to-reach areas such as the flanks, thighs, and yes, the problematic bra-line. CoolSculpting uses the Zeltiq advanced cooling technology to perform cryolipolysis, a non-invasive procedure of targeting and shrinking fat cells through cold temperatures. Dermatologist and oncologist Dr. Christopher Zachary of the University of California in Irvine talks more about this breakthrough treatment that can handle love  and back  handles without surgery:

YStyle: With CoolSculpting, fat is made to “freeze” instead of “melt.” What makes cryolipolysis a better way to spot-reduce pockets of fat?

Dr. Christopher Zachary: Cryolipolysis is recognized as the most successful non-invasive treatment of localized fatty deposits currently available. In its first major study, it is reported that 100 percent of cryolipolysis subjects had good outcomes following treatment with the CoolSculpting device. Further reports by serious and dependable physicians have reported similar results in all their treated patients.

When you say good outcome, what does that mean? How much fat reduction can be expected from a single treatment?

In one session, it guarantees a 22.4 percent fat layer reduction in the targeted area within two months. Of course, there has to be very reasonable and realistic expectations on the part of the patient and the physician before committing to any procedure. For example, in an overweight patient, a 25 percent fat reduction would be more noticeable compared to fat loss in a patient who has less weight.

How does the procedure go? What can a patient expect from a CoolSculpting session?

A non-invasive applicator, which is shaped like a suction cup, is placed on the area of treatment. This applicator delivers precisely controlled cooling to the area to target underlying fat, weakening and eventually destroying them; temperature goes no lower than five degrees Celsius, as lipid phase change occurs between 15 and five degrees. These fat cells are then eliminated through the body’s natural metabolic processes. Some people might find the process physically uncomfortable because the applicator sucks the fat up during the treatment, but the discomfort goes away after. Also, the surface of the skin and the tissues surrounding the targeted fat cells are left unaffected by the treatment.

Curves ahead: With CoolSculpting, stubborn packets of fat in problem areas such as the thighs, flanks, and the bra-line can now be a thing of the past.

And how long does a session take?

About an hour per area, so if you are having your bra-line treated, it would take two hours to treat both the right and the left sides of your back.

What is the recovery time for this treatment?

There is zero recovery time with CoolSculpting. A patient can go back to work right after treatment.

How often can a patient come back for further sessions? Is it possible for one session to suffice and meet her expectations?

Definitely, a patient can come back to have more treatment. Aside from the guaranteed fat layer reduction, I track the efficacy of the treatment by taking before and after photos and measuring my patients. Sometimes, they might think they don’t see results so we take measurements to let them know how much fat has been removed, then we let them decide if they still would like more sessions. Others are fine already with just one session. It depends on the expectations, really, which is why it’s important that assessment and the setting of expectations are made prior to any procedure.

Is it possible to accumulate fats again in an area that has been treated already with CoolSculpting?

Fat cells die every day; this treatment just speeds up that process. Even if fat cells build up again in a treated area, they wouldn’t catch up to the amount of fat that was once there. Similar to liposuction, it’s possible to gain fat after CoolSculpting, though a patient might notice that fat builds up somewhere else.

To whom would you recommend this treatment?

It’s an ideal treatment for those who want to remove fat from specific problem areas that cannot be reduced with diets and workouts. Of course, results would also be more noticeable among patients who are, say, 20 pounds overweight. I myself won’t treat anyone who is younger than 30; I’d recommend it more to 35- to 65-year-old patients, though there have been older patients who were satisfied with the results.

Why no younger than 30?

Well, body dysmorphia is a serious issue, and as much as possible, I don’t want to encourage it in a young woman who may need psychiatric help more than a cosmetic treatment.

Last question: Why is back fat just so difficult to remove without technological aid?

I, myself, don’t know the answer to that. With some women, it could be a result of having given birth. It’s also a natural result of aging. It’s not really a big disaster to have fat on the back; what is good is that there is now a safe, non-invasive way to address it, and that is through CoolSculpting.

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For more information on CoolSculpting, call Marie France at 894-BODY (2639).