Body contouring treatments are a rapidly growing segment for the aesthetic industry, with fat reduction therapies like CoolSculpting from ZELTIQ Aesthetics (Pleasanton, California, U.S.) fueling this growth. This non-invasive procedure’s exclus- ive Cryolipolysis technology makes use of controlled cooling to decrease subcutaneous fat.
A recent breakthrough clinical study has demonstrated ongo- ing treatment efficacy at six and nine years following initial CoolSculpting procedures, according to the study author, Eric F. Bernstein, M.D., M.S.E., a leading dermatologist and laser surgeon in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, U.S. “The results have been very long lasting,” he reported.
For his study, two male patients treated early in the development of CoolSculpting were evaluated for long-term stability of their Cryolipolysis response. Dr. Bernstein realized that this presented a rare opportunity to investigate the lasting effectiveness of the procedure while completely controlling for weight fluctuations. “They are examples of longitudinal case studies with untreated controls,” he noted. “Their results validate that Cryolipolysis reduces subcutaneous fat for at least six and nine years post treatment in these two subjects.” Both male patients received unilateral flank treatments. With the first study sub-ject, despite weight changes over the years his treated left flank showed a persistent reduction in size and a change in contour. For instance, he had gained 4.3 kg at his two-year follow-up visit, but still exhibited reduced fat thickness on his left side. At his six-year follow-up visit, he appeared leaner and continued to show a reduction in the treated flank relative to the untreated control.
The second subject initially showed a good response post treatment, with his treated right flank appearing to have greater subcutaneous fat thickness than the contralateral side, pre-treatment. The patient lost 4.5 kg by his five-year follow-up visit, but regained the weight at nine years post treatment. The flank contour in his treated right side remained reduced while his control left flank showed no noticeable change.
As reported by Dr. Bernstein, “The best kind of study to prove efficacy is when one anatomical location is treated on one side of the body, while the contralateral side is left untreated. Our challenge with doing a study like this was that it would have been very difficult to perform a large study over such a long time-period, especially trying to get patients to come back after three months let alone many years later. However, case reports of unilateral treatment can illustrate the longe- vity of CoolSculpting.”
No other non-invasive fat reduction technology has demon- strated long-term ef- ficacy, Dr. Bernstein added. “The results of this study really speak to the treatment duration that is possible with this device.”
The study results also boast CoolSculpting’s implementation of Cryolipolysis, said Dr. Bernstein. “CoolSculpting has always impressed me as a very low risk and effective therapy. And ZELTIQ’s engineers are brilliant. When they move forward with new handpieces or technology, I am completely confid- ent that it will work extremely well and with a very high mar- gin of safety, which is something I demand for my patients.”
