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If you want a more shapely body for an upcoming vacation or for bikini season, consider having a fat freezing treatment that will remove pockets of fat that keep you from having the hourglass figure you want. These treatments aren't for weight loss. Instead, they are for sculpting your body by removing fat in areas where you don't want it. This could result in more curves or less jiggling. Here are three things to know.

1. Fat Freezing Can Be Done All Over Your Body

When you get one of these treatments, the doctor uses a specially designed applicator that lifts your skin and fat with suction and then applies cold temperatures. The applicators have different shapes so they can be used on jiggly underarm fat as well as harder fat on your hips and thighs.

If there's an area on your body, such as your neck or back, that has unwanted fat that affects your body shape, talk to the doctor about whether a fat freezing treatment is right for you.

2. Fat Freezing Is Easier Than Liposuction

You may be comparing fat freezing and liposuction to determine which one is right for you. Your doctor can explain the pros and cons to help you decide, but if you're looking for an option that is easy to undergo and has no downtime, then freezing your fat is probably the better choice. You don't need anesthesia for fat freezing, and the risk of side effects is lower than there is with liposuction since fat freezing isn't surgery.

Freezing fat kills the fat cells, and your body slowly absorbs the dead cells over the weeks that follow. You may need multiple treatments to get the sculpted look you want. Getting rid of fat by freezing it isn't a quick process like liposuction is, but it is more gentle. Starting the treatments months in advance of your target event allows you to have the shape you want when summer or your vacation arrives.

3. Freezing Doesn't Affect Skin

Fat freezing is safe because fat cells are destroyed at a higher temperature than skin cells and the cells in other body tissues. The temperatures used aren't cold enough to cause skin damage. Freezing also won't help tighten your skin. So if you have loose skin, you'll need to talk to your doctor about adding other treatments that can help tighten it up and complement your fat loss.

Fat cells don't grow back, and they're not replaced with new fat cells. Once they've been killed, they stay gone so your results are permanent. However, you can still gain weight, but if you do, the weight is spread throughout your body. It's best if you keep your weight under control once your fat has been removed so you can maintain your sculpted shape.

Contact a professional to learn more about fat freezing treatments.