Thinking about fat freezing? Read this first
The Australian Beauty Industry last year reported that cosmetic procedures such as botox, lip fillers, fat freezing, chemical peels, liposuction, and eyelash extensions were on the rise by almost 63%. You only need to look around to know that these numbers are true. It seems puffed and plumped lips are the new Louis Vuitton handbag in certain circles – an instant and recognisable marker of wealth and status.
There’s no doubt that social media has forever changed how we view ourselves. Between the high-quality cameras on our phones and seeing our reflection through filters that completely distort our natural features. Not to mention, perfectly positioned and edited selfies on Instagram, our minor imperfections can start to feel like all-consuming flaws.
I have personally had lip and cheek fillers and I used to be a regular eyelash extension gal, so I am not here to judge. I am just here to shine a little light on one of those popular procedures - Fat freezing or CoolSculpting.
Social media and self-esteem
We’ve always had the challenge of images being filtered and edited to an unrealistic level of what "beauty" looks like, but before social media, the source of our insecurity was failing to meet the beauty standards of models on magazine covers. I remember flicking through Dolly magazine as a 13-year-old girl and comparing myself to the models. Much of my eating disorder and body dysmorphia sparked from wanting to be as skinny as the models.
Now, 13-year-old girls (and the rest of us), are comparing ourselves, not only to airbrushed models, but to our airbrushed friends, family, and our airbrushed selves. What is taking it to the next level with these filters is it’s not just seeing an image of a celebrity who is unrealistic and measuring yourself against that person, it’s measuring your real self against a pretend image of yourself. Using augmented-reality facial filters one minute and then looking in the mirror at your non-augmented face and body can be the catalyst for beauty procedures.
It’s no surprise, then, that the rise of face filters and editing apps has been correlated with a surge in cosmetic procedures. Research on the link between social media and self-esteem finds users of image-heavy social media platforms, like Instagram, are more likely to consider going under the knife, while 55% of plastic surgeons in 2018 reported their patients surgeries were motivated by a desire to look better in selfies.
CoolSculpting procedure
Fat freezing or CoolSculpting is one of those procedures and has increased by 76% in less than two years!
When I first heard about this treatment I had a heavy and sick feeling in my stomach. I knew so many young women would opt for it. I see women spending hundreds of dollars a month on their hair, nails, lip injections and facials.. so I knew this next phase of "beauty" treatment would be popular. Hell, if I was in the midst of my eating disorder and had the spare money, I probably would have tried it too. Maybe that is why the sick feeling arose in me?
CoolSculpting is a very popular method of noninvasive body contouring. By placing applicators on different parts of the body, clinics performing CoolSculpting claim it can reduce "fatty bulges" by an average of 22 to 23% without surgery...
paradoxical adipose hyperplasia
One of the unfortunate side effects of CoolSculpting is a condition called paradoxical adipose hyperplasia or PAH. For some people, this process of freezing the fat cells has the opposite effect. Instead of destroying them, the freezing process makes fat cells grow. The treated area expands and hardens into an unnaturally shaped lump in response to the extreme cold. Those affected will notice their treated areas getting larger and tender. They tend to be firmer to the touch than surrounding fat. PAH most frequently occurs three to six months after a CoolSculpting treatment.
The side effect is not uncommon and is suspected to be heavily underreported. In some studies, it is as high as 72% or 1 in 138 treatments in another study. Not many people seem to be talking about this. Of course, with any procedure, there is inherent risk. The worst part? When it occurs, PAH is currently believed to be permanent and can only be treated with liposuction.
One of the main reasons that drive a person to opt for any kind of fat reduction treatment, be it non-surgical or surgical, is to reduce what they believe is excess body fat and to improve their body confidence. So you can only imagine, the psychological effects of a treatment or procedure gone wrong can be devastating. These include anxiety and low-self esteem and body confidence. You can also imagine how someone who opts for this treatment, might think "oh it isn't working, I better book in for further treatment". Having further treatment will only worsen PAH.
The rise of insecurities in the pandemic
Along with fat freezing, other cosmetic procedures are skyrocketing in the last 2 years including lip fillers. Part of the draw of duck lips is that some people like the artificial look. I am reminded of anorexia– which is not only a disorder of eating but a disorder of the perception of your body known as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). There is an addictive quality to cosmetic procedures that can alter, not just the body and face, but the perception of what is natural, artificial, or beautiful. It is like the wires in our brain get twisted and what you see in your reflection is nothing like reality. It wasn't until my late 20s when I started to open up and talk about my struggles as a teenager that I realised I wasn't alone. It was weird to hear because in my head I was the only one who felt that way, I was the different one. But when you understand that a lot of women were in the same position as you, then you can support and talk to each other.
Before you opt-in for cosmetic procedures
If you are considering getting CoolSculpting, research paradoxical adipose hyperplasia before you make a decision. I am not here to tell you what to do with your body, but from my own experience of excessively trying to change the way I looked for many years, I figured out that you will never fill the truth of your insecurities by changing the way you look. They stem deeper and require more internal work rather than external work. It’s that nagging sense deep in your soul that you just aren’t good enough. That there is something inherently wrong with you. That you aren’t worthy of love and acceptance. It’s painful and discouraging, but it doesn’t have to be permanent.
Here are 7 things to start doing if you want to heal your insecurities from the inside:
Start meditating. Youtube "Barry Long - Start Meditating Now". When you become a devoted meditator you eventually see the truth that there is so much more to you than your body and physical appearance. Although you will want to take care of your body because you love it, you will not obsess over your physical appearance. Stick with this, it takes time and consistency - a few months at least of regular meditation.
Dive into creativity and activity. Do you love singing, painting, dancing, or playing sport? When you are doing something creative that makes you feel alive and ageless you have no space for thoughts and worries about your insecurities.
Hang around different people. Oftentimes our friends and family have the same issues we do and if we spend all of our time surrounded by people that have the same issues we do, we will never get a new perspective and they will only be adding fuel to the fire. Do your friends always follow hello with something about your outfit or hairdo? They might not be the best friends for you while you are working on healing your insecurities. Instead, find a group of people who do not obsess over their appearance and instead enjoy doing fun activities together.
Ditch social media? Harder said than done, but if you reduce your time scrolling on Instagram, your insecurities will reduce too.
Become aware. Awareness is the prerequisite to change. Every time you catch yourself glancing at your reflection in a shop window or walking past a mirror in your house trying to have a peek at your biggest perceived flaws, bring your awareness to it. You will soon realise how often you are focusing on the way you look and you will discover that is a good time for habit breaking.
Recognise your triggers. For me, mine was my nose and my belly. I had to love those parts of me that I spent so many years hating. This is a work in progress and not a quick or easy one. It helps to have a partner that can shower these trigger areas of yours with love - eventually, you start to believe and feel their love and it is easier for you to give that same love to those parts of yourself.
Stop wearing makeup. Ouch, I know it isn't easy, except that it is. It is so much easier and more time efficient to just not put it on. Not to mention cheaper and makeup is full of toxic chemicals that disrupt your hormones. Don't overthink it, just don't put it on and go about your day. You might feel even more insecure to start with, but eventually, you will feel odd with it on...