"Even when I exercise, my double chin and love handles stay the same — will I lose them if I get fat dissolving?"
"Injection, radiofrequency, freezing… there are so many kinds. What's the difference?"
This is the first thing people looking into fat dissolving bring up.
Hello, we're Director Kwon Si-jin & Yoon Ju-hyun at DA Clinic Myeongdong ^^
We're getting ready to open our doors in Myeongdong soon, and with the opening ahead of us, since so many people are curious about fat dissolving, I wanted to lay it out first as a matter of information.
Let me start with the conclusion. Fat dissolving isn't a procedure that reduces your overall body weight — it's a procedure that refines the "lines of localized areas" that won't budge even with dieting.
Read for just 3 minutes today and you'll have a clear picture of how injection, radiofrequency, and freezing differ.
Dieting and Fat Dissolving Differ in 'What They Reduce'
First, let me set the big picture.
Dieting is a method that reduces the "size" of fat cells. The cells stay, and only their volume shrinks.
Fat dissolving, on the other hand, is closer to reducing the "number" of fat cells in that area itself.
Picture a deflated balloon versus a balloon that's been popped and removed. If dieting is letting the air out of the balloon, fat dissolving is like cutting down the number of balloons altogether ㅎㅎ
That's why it's used as an adjunct for areas that won't budge "just there," like a double chin or love handles. The starting point is that it's not a procedure that replaces whole-body weight loss.
First, 'Injection' Breaks Down the Fat Cell Membrane with a Drug
Let's start with the fat-dissolving injection that most people think of first.
The fat-dissolving injection works by placing an ingredient like deoxycholic acid directly into the fat layer to break down the fat cell membrane and clear it out through the lymphatic system.
The broken-down cells don't refill, but the remaining cells can grow larger, so dietary management has to go along with it for the effect to hold.
It tends to suit precise work on small areas like a double chin. That said, it isn't done in one go — it's usually reduced bit by bit over several sessions.
Second, 'Radiofrequency' Heats While Also Addressing Elasticity
Radiofrequency devices like InMode FX have a slightly different character.
They use RF (radiofrequency) energy to heat fat cells and reduce volume, while also stimulating collagen in the dermis to address skin elasticity at the same time.
So it suits areas where you're concerned about both sagging and fat, such as drooping cheek fat.
If you want to reduce fat narrowly, an injection; if you want to address sagging and fat together, radiofrequency — picturing it split this way will give you a clear picture. (How much you feel and the effect vary by individual)
Third, 'Freezing' Reduces Slowly with Low Temperature
Cryolipolysis uses cold, just as the name says.
It takes advantage of how fat cells are damaged at lower temperatures than ordinary tissue, applying low temperature to the area to selectively damage only the fat cells.
Because the damaged fat is cleared out slowly over 1–3 months, it's a procedure where you wait for gradual change rather than immediate change.
That said, if you have an underlying condition sensitive to cold stimulation, such as Raynaud's syndrome, the procedure may be restricted, so a prior assessment is essential.
Honestly, You Have to Know This
Let me be honest in pointing this out.
None of the three fat-dissolving methods finishes dramatically in one go. Injections and radiofrequency are usually received in several sessions, and freezing shows change over several months.
And bruising, swelling, and temporary pain or numbness can follow. These usually subside within 1–2 weeks, but the recovery process differs from person to person.
Also, extensive areas or whole-body obesity aren't the domain of non-surgical fat dissolving. In those cases, honestly, another direction may be a better fit, so I think it's right to discuss it together during an assessment.
This isn't me telling you to get it no matter what — knowing the method that suits your concern comes first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Will I lose weight if I get fat dissolving?
A. Fat dissolving isn't a procedure that reduces your overall body weight, but an adjunct procedure that reduces the volume of localized areas that won't come off with dieting. If dieting reduces the size of fat cells, fat dissolving is closer to reducing the number of fat cells in that area itself. That's why it's used to tidy up the lines of areas that won't budge "just there," like a double chin, love handles, or inner thighs. That said, it can't replace exercise and diet. Since the remaining cells can grow larger even after dissolving, lifestyle management has to go alongside it. How much you lose varies by individual depending on the area and body type.
Q. Among fat-dissolving injection, radiofrequency, and freezing, which is the best?
A. Rather than any one method being the right answer, fat dissolving is a procedure where the suitable method differs depending on your concern and the area. If you want to precisely reduce fat in a small area, an injection that breaks down the fat cell membrane with a drug suits you; if you want to address sagging and fat together, radiofrequency that also looks after elasticity is the better fit. If you're more comfortable with gradual change than immediate change, freezing that uses low temperature is sometimes considered. Since each area calls for different suitable thickness and skin-elasticity conditions and the effects differ, I think it's right to decide the method through an assessment. There are also cases where several methods are combined.
Q. About how many sessions do I need for fat dissolving?
A. Fat dissolving is usually a procedure where you build up the effect over several sessions rather than finishing in one. Injections and radiofrequency are typically done in several sessions at set intervals, and freezing shows change slowly over 1–3 months after the procedure, so additional sessions are sometimes added. Rather than expecting a big change in one go, it suits you better to think of it as reducing gradually over a process. The number of sessions and intervals needed vary depending on the area, body type, and skin condition, and on which method is used. Rather than stating a set number as if it were the right answer, it's best to set it together while looking at your condition.
In Closing
If I sum up today's content in one line, it's this.
Fat dissolving isn't a procedure that reduces weight — it's a procedure that 'refines localized lines with the method that suits your concern.'
If you're torn over which to get among injection, radiofrequency, and freezing, rather than memorizing the method names, first sort out "whether my concern is fat in a small area or fat accompanied by sagging." Then the path becomes clear wherever you consult.
This article isn't meant to recommend a procedure; it's an informational article put together as a matter of information while preparing to open.
DA Clinic Myeongdong is set to open soon. We'll share opening news and clinic information first on our blog and Instagram ^^
Thank you for reading to the end. This has been Director Kwon Si-jin & Yoon Ju-hyun at DA Clinic Myeongdong.
This column is an informational article intended to provide general medical information; the effects and side effects of any procedure may vary by individual. DA Clinic Myeongdong is set to open soon. (Medical Service Act Art. 56)