Commentary on: A 3-Dimensional Quantitative Analysis of Volume Loss Following Submental Cryolipolysis

Extract

Nonsurgical fat reduction with cryoliposis has been a popular option for patients seeking contour improvements with minimal downtime. In this study by Jain et al, the authors specifically investigated cryolipolysis for submental fat reduction along with 3-dimensional volume calculations and patient-reported outcomes utilizing the FACE-Q.¹ The authors found a roughly 20% reduction in submental fat with a single treatment of cryolipolysis employing CoolSculpting(R) (Allergan, Dublin, Ireland). They report a FACE-Q satisfaction with outcome score of around 54. This score can range from 0 to 100, with a higher score representing higher satisfaction.

This study corroborates much of what is already known in the literature about cryolipolysis. Although there is a range of possible fat reduction, on average a single cycle even on other parts of the body will reduce fat by around 20%. We also know that massage may help enhance the final outcome, possibly related to reperfusion injury and mechanical destruction of adipocytes that are already primed to undergo apoptosis from the temperature cooling. The authors had 1 patient with an actual volume increase but did not record body weights and monitor for fluctuations in weight, which may be a limitation of the retrospective nature of their study. In our experience, regardless of the location on the body or neck where treatment will be performed, results cannot be guaranteed with weight gain. In our experience with cryolipolysis, many patients need more than 1 cycle of treatment to achieve their goals. Additional treatment cycles are associated with higher satisfaction from additional volume loss after a second cycle. Rarely will a third cycle to the same location lead to a noticeable change in volume.