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Angie's List Puts Cryolipolisis To The Test

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Losing weight on your lunch break?

Promoters of a new weight-loss treatment say it is possible with cryolipolisis.

Is it all too good to be true? Angie's List recently put it to the test.

Glendal Jones couldn't have been more comfortable. She sipped wine and checked email while demonstrating the latest trend in fat reduction to guests at an alternative medicine clinic.

"I did my research and found that this Coolsculpting is going to be the best option for me. I wholly recommend it for anybody who wants to do it. It's not painful. I'm sitting here drinking a glass of wine getting things done," Jones said.

Coolsculpting is just one brand of cryolipolisis and has only been available in the United States for a few years. It's FDA approved and promoted as a cheaper, quicker way to lose pounds as compared to liposuction and other invasive procedures.

"You want a certified technician and a well-regarded medical facility. And also, please keep in mind, this is not a cure-all. A healthy lifestyle, exercising, eating right, is what's going to, in the long run, help you maintain a good weight," Angie Hicks, of Angie's List, said.

Denise Kaler is certified in Coolsculpting and has treated hundreds of patients over the past year.

"It's ideal for people that just have those stubborn spots. Maybe it's the love handles, a muffin top; inner thighs that they just don't like or maybe they want a little inner thigh gap, the new trendy thing," Kaler said.

A special applicator is strapped to the treatment area. It chills the skin and, over time, freezes and kills the fat cells in that area before they are naturally eliminated.

There are no needles, no anesthesia and no recovery time. Professional trainer Art Brock supports the procedure for people on a good nutrition and exercise plan, but who have age or metabolism working against them.

"I'm all about achieving goals, and if this is what helps them achieve their goal, and they're still healthy, and they're still not having to put drugs in their body to do it, then why shouldn't I be behind it?" Brock said.
Each session takes about an hour and will cost about $750.
Results are noticeable within a few weeks following treatment.
The best results show up at about 12 weeks.

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