CLATUU cryolipolysis in Thessaloniki

What is it and how does it work?

Fat cells are more sensitive to cold than skin, nerves and vessels. Cryolipolysis uses that difference: the CLATUU applicator draws in the fold of fat by suction and cools it in a controlled way to −9°C for one hour. The fat cells crystallise and then undergo apoptosis, and the body gradually removes them through the lymphatic system over the following weeks ^{[1] [2]}. Clinical studies show an average reduction in fat-layer thickness of about 20–25% per session on ultrasound measurement, with high satisfaction and minimal side effects ^{[1] [2]}; with CLATUU 3D, which cools the fold from three sides, the reduction reaches an average of up to 40%. We chose it because it gives lasting reduction of local fat without surgery, anaesthesia or downtime, and because two applicators work at the same time, so two areas in one visit. The areas are chosen by a plastic surgeon, who knows when local fat will ultimately need liposuction.

Treatment areas

• Abdomen
• Flanks ('love handles')
• Bra line and back
• Banana roll (under the buttocks) and outer buttocks
• Inner thighs and inner knees
• Upper arms (not below the elbow)
• Double chin, with a special applicator (usually 2 sessions)

Is it right for me?

Cryolipolysis suits anyone of normal or slightly raised weight with a 'pocket' of local fat that does not go with diet and exercise. The skin should have good elasticity. Saddlebags respond less. Calves and ankles, no: there it is usually lipoedema, which needs medical assessment. It is not a weight-loss method; with marked laxity or after major weight loss we refer you for surgical assessment.

How does a session go?

1. We choose the areas and mark them with you standing, as before surgery
2. We choose the applicator that fits the shape of the fold
3. A protective membrane is placed and the applicator draws in the fold by suction
4. One hour of controlled cooling: intense cold for the first minutes, then numbness; you read or relax
5. Removal and a short massage of the area; you go straight back to your day

When we postpone

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Abdomen in the first 2–3 months after a caesarean or other surgery in the area
• Hernia in the treated area
• Cold urticaria, cryoglobulinaemia or Raynaud's disease
• Marked laxity or major weight loss: referral for surgical assessment
• Open wounds or skin infection in the area

After the treatment

No downtime and no dressing. The area is numb, pink and slightly swollen for days up to 1–2 weeks; you may feel sensitivity or light tingling as sensation returns. Water, movement and stable weight help the body clear the fat; the result shows from 20 days and is complete at 3 months.

What to expect: before and after

Before and after: for the first days the area is numb and slightly swollen, with no visible change. The first difference shows after about 20 days, when the body starts clearing the fat cells, and the final result at 3 months: the fold is smaller and clothes fit differently, without your weight changing. In studies the fat thickness decreases by an average of 20–25% per session on ultrasound, and up to 40% with CLATUU 360 ^{[1] [2]}. The result is permanent for the cells that are cleared. Before-and-after photos are shown at the assessment, with the consent of the people who shared them.

Are there side effects?

The usual reactions are redness, swelling, numbness and sensitivity for days to a few weeks, less often bruising from the suction. Very rarely (about 1 in 3,000–4,000 treatments) paradoxical adipose hyperplasia is described, a firm enlargement of fat in the area months later, which is treated with liposuction ^{[1] [3]}. At Essentia the areas are chosen by a plastic surgeon, who can also deal with that case.

What does the cost depend on?

The cost depends on the number of areas and the applicators needed. Add cryolipolysis to your plan and the personalised proposal, with prices, comes to you on WhatsApp.