Sculpt Your Ideal Body: Choosing Between Cryolipolysis, EMS and Aqualyx®

For many people, stubborn fat pockets and a lack of muscle definition persist despite regular exercise and a healthy diet. Surgical options like liposuction can seem drastic when all you want is a little help contouring your shape. Fortunately, modern medicine offers gentler solutions that uses cold, heat or electricity to target problem areas and redefine your silhouette.

At Face Doctors, we provide three complementary, non‑surgical body‑contouring treatments, including Cryolipolysis, Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) and Aqualyx. Each works in a different way to smooth bulges, tone muscles or permanently reduce fat cells. Understanding how these technologies operate will help you choose the treatment (or combination) that’s right for your goals.

What Is Cryolipolysis?

Cryolipolysis (sometimes called “fat freezing”) uses cold temperatures to destroy fat cells without surgery. A handheld applicator is placed on the skin; it suctions the tissue, cools it and injures fat cells under the surface. Over the following weeks, your body naturally clears those cells, resulting in a slimmer profile. The procedure is intended for contouring stubborn pockets rather than overall weight loss and can be used on the lower abdomen, love handles, the back of the arms and under the chin. Because the device targets fat selectively, skin and other tissues aren’t damaged, and most patients require little to no downtime.

People choose cryolipolysis when they’re close to their ideal weight but have bulges that won’t budge. Results are gradual, so expect a reduction of about 20%-25% in the treated area after several months. You may feel an intense cold sensation or slight numbness during and immediately after the treatment, but discomfort is minimal. At Face Doctors we use the latest equipment and protocols to ensure safe, effective fat reduction.

Learn more about Cryolipolysis Fat Freezing.

​How Electrical Muscle Stimulation Builds Definition

If your goal is a toned, athletic look rather than simply shrinking fat, Electrical Muscle Stimulation might be the solution. EMS devices send repeated electrical impulses through the skin to the muscle, causing contractions similar to exercising. Your body can’t tell the difference between EMS‑induced and voluntary contractions, so the muscles respond by tightening and strengthening. The technology is often used in physiotherapy to rehabilitate injuries, but the high‑intensity EMS machines at Face Doctors are designed for body contouring.

During a 20-30 minute session, the EMS applicators are placed on your abdomen, buttocks, thighs or arms and calibrated to your comfort level. In just one treatment, the muscles may contract thousands of times, which is the equivalent of tens of thousands of ab crunches. This boosts your metabolic rate and calorie burn, promotes better blood flow and nutrient delivery and can trigger endorphin release. EMS is gentle on joints, making it suitable for people aged 18-70 who struggle with high‑impact exercise. Clients typically notice improved tone within a month, especially when paired with good nutrition and regular physical activity.

Learn more about EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation).

​Aqualyx®: Targeted Fat Dissolving with an Injectable Solution

Aqualyx is a minimally invasive injectable treatment designed to remove stubborn pockets of fat that resist diet and exercise. It uses deoxycholic acid, a compound naturally found in the body that helps break down dietary fat, to disrupt fat cell membranes in specific areas such as under the chin and jawline, the abdomen, thighs, hips, love handles, knees and even the male chest. Once the fat cells are liquified, your body metabolises and eliminates them through the lymphatic system, leaving the surrounding tissues unaffected. Because it targets small to moderate fat deposits, Aqualyx is often chosen by people who are close to their ideal weight and want to sculpt their profile without surgery.

Our clinicians usually recommend a course of two to six sessions spaced four to six weeks apart, depending on the size of the area being treated. You may notice changes starting about four weeks after your first injection, with full results appearing over eight to twelve weeks. Temporary swelling, redness, bruising or tenderness is common after treatment and typically resolves within days. Aqualyx isn’t suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or for individuals with severe liver or kidney disease, uncontrolled diabetes or known allergies to deoxycholic acid or local anaesthetics. During your consultation we’ll determine if this fat‑dissolving injection is the right option for your goals.

Learn more about Aqualyx®.

​Which Treatment Is Right for You?

These three therapies all help to refine your shape, but they work differently and deliver distinct benefits. Cryolipolysis is ideal for eliminating small pockets of fat that persist despite diet and exercise; it’s non‑invasive and requires patience as results appear gradually. EMS targets the muscles themselves. Think of it as a shortcut to the gym. It’s perfect if you want to firm and tone your abdomen or glutes, or if you’re returning to training after injury. Aqualyx is an injectable that dissolves fat cells chemically. It’s best if you have small to moderate areas of stubborn fat (for example, under the chin or around the waist) and want a precise approach without general anaesthesia or scalpels. Because Aqualyx breaks down fat cells directly, you may see results sooner than with cryolipolysis, but you may need several sessions, and there can be temporary swelling or tenderness.

Combining treatments may offer the best of all worlds. For example, you might start with cryolipolysis to debulk a problem area, follow with Aqualyx injections to refine the contours and finish with EMS sessions to strengthen the underlying muscles. During your consultation at Face Doctors, our experienced clinicians will review your medical history, assess your goals and develop a tailored plan. We may also discuss complementary options like Belkyra® injections for under‑chin fat or skin tightening treatments if laxity is a concern.

​Preparing for Your Body Contouring Treatment

Before any body‑contouring session, we recommend staying hydrated and avoiding anti‑inflammatory medications unless prescribed by your doctor. For cryolipolysis, wear comfortable clothing and be ready to relax while the device does the work. With EMS, you’ll wear special garments that allow the electrodes to maintain contact with your skin; sessions feel like an intense workout but leave you free of sweat. After Aqualyx injections, avoid touching or massaging the treated area for the first 48 hours, and skip strenuous exercise, saunas or hot baths, and alcohol for at least 48-72 hours. If you’re treating the chin, sleep with your head elevated for two nights to minimise swelling. Always tell your practitioner about medical conditions such as pregnancy, pacemakers, seizure disorders or recent surgery; some treatments may not be appropriate or may require clearance from your GP.

For general information on non‑surgical body‑contouring, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons offer a helpful overview of cryolipolysis and other technologies.

​Achieve Your Best Shape with Face Doctors

Our goal at Face Doctors is to empower you to look and feel your best without resorting to invasive surgery. If you’re dealing with lingering post‑pregnancy bulges, want to define your abs in time for summer or simply crave more confidence in your favourite clothes, our range of body‑contouring treatments can help. By combining science‑backed technology with personalised care, we ensure that each client receives the safest and most effective therapy for their unique needs.

Ready to start your transformation? Schedule a confidential online consultation to discuss cryolipolysis, EMS or Aqualyx with one of our experts. With the right plan and professional guidance, you can sculpt your ideal body and enjoy lasting confidence. No scalpels required.

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