Active Heating Following Cryolipolysis Reduces Efficacy as well as Side Effects - A Prospective Randomized Split-Body Trial.

BACKGROUND: Cryolipolysis - a popular noninvasive technique for body contouring - has less side effects compared to liposuction, however, its effectiveness in terms of reducing local adipose tissue is also lower. This study is, to our knowledge, the first prospective controlled, investigator-blinded split body trial to evaluate whether post cryolipolytic heating can increase the efficacy.

METHODS: 25 subjects were treated with one session of cryolipolysis on the lower abdomen and a subsequent heating with a mud pack of a randomized side of the treated region (left or right). Epidemiological data, temperature, edema, erythema, hypesthesia and pain level were obtained. Photographs, fat layer thickness (on ultrasound, caliper and abdominal girth), satisfaction and side effects were documented over a follow-up period of 12 weeks.

RESULTS: The side effects - edema, erythema and hypesthesia - faded almost completely with heating, whereas they remained on the non-heated site. However, the mean sonographic reduction of local adipose tissue after 12 weeks was significantly lower on the heated than on the control sites (9.6% vs. 14.1%; p=0.0003). The overall satisfaction was high (9.2 out of 10 points), even though only 44% of participants had a subjective recognition of fat loss without difference between the sites.

CONCLUSIONS: Active heating following cryolipolysis increases bodily wellbeing by reducing common side effects. However, it reduces the effectiveness of cryolipolysis significantly and should therefore be avoided. Further improvements are necessary to enhance the efficacy of cryolipolysis.