Cryolipolysis, also known as lipocryolysis – literally meaning “fat destruction through cold” – is a recently-developed, selective and non-invasive method of fat reduction that allows us to reduce localised fatty tissue:
Even if we adopt a healthy lifestyle and have a balanced diet, our body can sometimes develop localised fatty bulges. Diet and exercise cannot do anything about these bulges and, until very recently, liposuction or lipolysis were the only solutions. But cryolipolysis is a non-invasive and pain-free alternative that destroys these famous localised fat stores.
By cooling down a targeted adipose zone, cryolipolysis triggers what we call apoptosis (slow, programmed cell death) of the adipocytes. The adipose cells naturally break down without damaging the adjacent tissue.
This way, in certain cases, cryolipolysis enables patients to avoid having liposuction or laser lipolysis.
The technology uses a much-documented physical phenomenon (the Peltier effect): a shell-shaped applicator “sucks” (vacuums) the adipose fold which then sits in the bottom of this shell. It then extracts the calories from this area and lowers its temperature from 37° to close to -10° in just a few minutes.
The aim of this new version of cryolipolysis is to better treat areas that tend to resist other peripheral fat-destroying technologies (excluding surgery).
In just a few sessions, the innovative Cristal® technology allows us to easily treat areas that, until now, were difficult to access and which gave inconsistent results. We are mainly talking about the following areas:
But we can also treat other, more “standard” areas with the Cristal®, such as the love handles, belly (stomach and lower stomach) and back fat (generally localised folds under the bra straps).
With Cristal® cryolipolysis, it is now easier to treat these areas because the device’s applicators (or handpieces) have been specially designed and tweaked in order to offer an optimum ergonomic design and maximum results on these areas.
Based on the fact that adipocytes (fat cells) are sensitive to abrupt changes in temperature, Cristal® cryolipolysis brings the treatment area down to -10°C without any pain and in complete safety.
The crystallisation of the peripheral fat happens gradually and is only felt a tiny bit during the session.
Each of these treatment areas has its own special handpiece so that the largest possible localised fatty surface can be treated and the figure’s curves can be reshaped in the best possible way, without resorting to surgery.
The treatment indications for the Cristal® are the same as for all cryolipolysis machines.
It is recommended only for treating patients who are not – or only very slightly – overweight, who follow a healthy diet and who take regular exercise.
Following a medical interview and a detailed clinical examination, Doctor James Schinazi will determine whether the patient is eligible for this technique, as well as the number of sessions that will be required in order to achieve optimum results.
This prior consultation is a vital step, as it also allows us to rule out any medical counterindications for this fat destruction by cold, which are:
A medical consent form will be handed to the patient at the end of the appointment, which summarises everything the doctor has explained during the consultation. This form must be signed on the day of the cryolipolysis treatment.
After the measurements and “before” photos have been taken, the patient is seated comfortably on the examination chair.
A contact gel is applied to the treatment area then a protective film is added so that the skin can be sucked in evenly, gently and without pain.
The applicator is placed onto the treatment area and the treatment begins.
Sessions last 60 to 90 minutes depending on the areas and the handpieces used.
Note that the Cristal® has a powerful cooling system that allows it to treat both sides of the same area at the same time (for example, we can treat both love handles, which make up one treatment area, in just one hour by applying two handpieces at the same time).
Finally, the many studies carried out have all proven that the cold does not damage the structures surrounding the fat cells.
At the end of the session, the skin has been numbed by the intense cold (which you cannot feel) so we vigorously massage the treatment area in order to help the feeling to gradually come back. This can feel uncomfortable for some patients, but it never lasts long, and it always helps recovery.
We recommend drinking at least 1.5 litres of water per day in the days following the treatment and doing regular cardio exercise. These two recommendations allow us to speed up lymphatic drainage, which is how the destroyed peripheral fat cells are evacuated after the Cristal® cryolipolysis treatment.
You can get back to your normal life straight after treatment.
This is a non-invasive, non-surgical method that requires no downtime.
The only after-effects we sometimes see are mild: bruising (which can last a few days), redness (for a few hours), skin numbness or, conversely, hypersensitivity on the treatment area (lasting a few days to a few weeks).
In general, you need to wait three months after a Cristal® session before you can see the final and permanent results.
Patients (men and women) usually have a Body Mass Index (BMI) close to normal with very localised fat bulges (a small belly, saddlebags, love handles, back fat, hips).
When drawing up the initial quote, Doctor James Schinazi will decide how many sessions are required for each treatment area.
This depends on the thickness of the adipose tissue and the desired reduction, but patients generally need between 1 and 3 sessions spaced 3 months apart for optimum fat reduction.
Our medical assistants, along with Doctor Schinazi, will be on hand throughout the duration of the session, which passes fairly quickly, especially if you watch the television set up in the treatment room (various on-demand programmes and films available).
The cost of the Cristal® cryolipolysis treatment is determined during the first appointment (free quote).
It is set according to the treatment area and not the number of applications.
The first zone is charged at 450 euros per session, and any additional areas are charged at 350 euros per zone and per session.
Please note that one zone corresponds to both sides of the love handles, for example, or both saddlebags.
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Positives: Loss of 2 to 4 cm on average after 8 to 12 weeks if the patient responds well to the CRISTAL® cryolipolysis treatment
Negatives: You may feel some discomfort during the session, especially when the device is applied to the skin and “sucks” the adipose fold, which creates a pinching sensation combined with the cold.
The removal of the device and “unfreezing” of the treatment area can sometimes feel uncomfortable due to the abrupt change in temperature (which is required for adipocyte lysis). Note that, for 5 to 10% of patients treated with cryolipolysis, the treatment does not work (due to the fat cells’ unpredicted resistance to cold).
Our patients love: the efficiency of CRISTAL® lipolysis. This non-invasive method allows us to reduce fat bulges without surgery.
11, avenue Raymond Poincaré
75116 Paris
The practice is on the ground floor, on the right
Tél : 01 56 62 10 77
contact@docteur-schinazi.com
Parking nearby
Metro ligne 6 et 9 Trocadéro
Bus 22, 32, 63, 82
