New health procedure freezes away thigh fat

For many women, even diet and exercise aren't enough to trim certain problem areas. And while Liposuction has been an option for years, some are now turning to a new, less invasive method -- freezing the fat away.

Leighann Spivey is typical. She rows and exercises, but says it hasn't been enough to tighten up her outer thighs.

"My legs have always been a point contention for me. No matter how much I exercise or how much I diet, they never shape the way I want them to shape. Specifically, what I call the saddle bags," says Spivey.

To smooth some of the hip area, Spivey turned to plastic surgeon Dr. Kamakshi Zeidler and a new, but increasingly versatile technology. It's a method called Cool Sculpting, designed to freeze away fat.

"Cool Sculpting is really new and innovative, and has a track record of demonstrating really, really good results," Zeidler says.

Two years ago, we profiled the original version of Cool Sculpting, which employed a single small housing, designed mainly for love handles around the waist area. The strategy was the same, killing fat cells with cold, and letting the body's endocrine system wash them away. But recently the manufacturer, Zeltiq, developed a re-designed applicator that can target the hip and thigh areas.

"It's different. It doesn't require a strong suction pressure to draw the tissue between two plates. Instead, it's one flat plate curved to fit the contour of the thigh," Zeidler explains. "The treatment is slightly longer, two hours instead of one hour."

To make the best use of that time, applicators are placed on both thighs at once. The system slowly decreases the temperature without burning the skin.

Still, she says patients should know that the effects are not as immediate as competing treatments such a Liposuction. Still, she says the non-surgical nature of the treatment is a draw for many patients.

"That's the great thing about Cool Sculpting, no down time, they can walk out of here, they can work out no down time," says Zeidler.

Spivey is hoping to see about a 25-percent reduction over the first two months, and plans to have a second treatment after that. Her ultimate goal is to be able to wear pencil skirts.

A single treatment on both thighs runs about $1,500 and is typically not covered by insurance. Still, the cost is typically less than comparable liposuction procedures.

Written and produced by Tim Didion