Does radiofrequency kill fat cells? The facts and the myths.

Can you kill fat cells with RF, cavitation or any other method?

• Do radiofrequency or ultrasound cavitation kill / destroy fat cells?

• Adipocyte apoptosis with radiofrequency and cavitation

• Lipolysis vs adipocyte apoptosis with radiofrequency / ultrasound cavitation

• Fibroblast and adipocyte necrosis with extreme intensity radiofrequency, ultrasound, HIFU or microneedling RF

• Fat cells may die but new fat cells may be born too

• One fat cell can replace 3,000 fat cells, if fed enough due to an unhealthy lifestyle

• Adipocyte apoptosis vs lipolysis vs healthy lifestyle vs adipocyte necrosis

• Now you know

• Have a skin tightening/cellulite treatment in London with the specialists

Do radiofrequency or ultrasound cavitation kill / destroy fat cells?

This is a common question and the simple answer propagated by clinics, doctors, beauty therapists, bloggers and instagramers can confuse/mislead people, so let’s clarify the confusion, so that you can have an informed opinion.

Adipocyte apoptosis with radiofrequency and cavitation

Some people believe that fat cells never die, which is wrong, of course. It is now proven that fat cells can live up to 10 years and they can also die early (adipocyte apoptosis) as a result of mechanical, thermal, chemical or other stimulation or damage.

The fact is that properly applied STIMULATIVE radiofrequency / ultrasound cavitation can both lead to adipocyte apoptosis, i.e. programmed cell death of fat cells. This is fat cell death that happens gradually over days and weeks with a course of SAFE treatments provided under the pain threshold (less than 41-43ºC on the skin surface or 43-47ºC in the deeper skin layers).

This ensures safety of all other tissues, except fat cells, and in fact also stimulates fibroblast (collagen cell) function, which leads to skin tightening, especially with RF.

This is the SAFE and SANE way to tighten skin and reduce cellulite fat, and to a much lesser extent deep / subcutaneous fat.

Lipolysis vs adipocyte apoptosis with radiofrequency / ultrasound cavitation

In addition to adipocyte apoptosis, i.e. fat cell reduction, radiofrequency and ultrasound cavitation also lead to lipolysis, i.e. fat cell SIZE reduction, which also helps with cellulite reduction. In fact, most cellulite reduction occurs due to lipolysis, rather than adipocyte apoptosis.

Fibroblast and adipocyte necrosis with extreme intensity radiofrequency, ultrasound, HIFU or microneedling RF

In their quest for faster results and to justify higher prices, many practitioners provide DESTRUCTIVE radiofrequency / ultrasound treatments, which aim towards adipocyte necrosis, i.e. instant fat cell destruction. These are provided over the pain threshold (60-90º in the deep skin layers) with the aid of numbing cream or injections, to mask the extreme pain.

However, together with the fat cells, all other cells in the treated layer get LITERaLLY burned and die, including collagen cells, capillaries and anything else.

In theory, the body will later repair the damage and skin will come out firmer and smoother. But that doesn’t always happen, leaving you with paper-thin skin. Or it happens too much, leaving you with fibrosis with scar tissue nodules (lumps and bumps).

This is the UNSAFE and IRRESPONSIBLE way to tighten skin and reduce cellulite fat or deep / subcutaneous fat. But hey, it makes a lot of money and satisfies the public’s need for supposed instant results (quite often instant burns).

Fat cells may die but new fat cells may be born too

What most people don’t realise is that killing fat cells does not necessarily lead to permanent fat reduction.

With unhealthy lifestyles (eating too much, drinking alcohol too much, sitting on our bums too much, certain medications etc) new fat cells can be born out of stem cells ANYWHERE in the body, even on areas treated by liposuction, let alone radiofrequency, ultrasound, HIFU, RF microneedling or anything else.

In biology terms, under favourable conditions, mesenchymal stem cells undergo differentiation towards the adipocyte phenotype, leading to preadipocyte differentation and finally to adipocyte maturation.

One fat cell can replace 3000 fat cells, if fed enough due to an unhealthy lifestyle

Furthermore, you cannot possibly “kill” ALL adipocytes. Many will remain, even after surgery (liposuction).

Bear in mind that adipocytes can blow up to 3,000x their original size, meaning that you may kill 3,000 fat cells and one survivor may grow to replace 3,000 fat cells, if you feed it with enough muffins, fried chicken, ice cream, greasy pizza and wine (or any other calorific food/drink for that matter) whilst you sit on your sofa watching Netflix.

This is not to say that any treatment or surgery is futile.

It is to say that any treatment or surgery is futile IF AND ONLY IF we follow an unhealthy lifestyle after non-surgical treatments or surgery.

Adipocyte apoptosis vs lipolysis vs healthy lifestyle vs adipocyte necrosis

The moral of the story is that killing fat cells (apoptosis / nectosis) with radiofrequency/ultrasound or any other method is great. But it is not the be all and end all, when it comes to cellulite / fat reduction.

• Lipolysis is in fact even more important, as it is the main method by which RF / cavitation works

• Healthy nutrition and exercise are equally important to maximise the results of the treatment and to prevent cellulite/fat regrowth after the treatment

• Of course, adipocyte necrosis, i.e. burning everything in the area, is a really stupid and dangerous idea that usually doesn’t work and/or leaves damage behind. But as we said, it makes money faster for clinics.

Now you know

So next time someone BS you with “XYZ treatment kills fat cells permanently”, tell them that fat reduction is never permanent. And tell them that with unhealthy lifestyle:

• Remaining fat cells can grow to 3,000 their original size

• And that new fat cells can grow anywhere in the body via ‘mesenchymal stem cell differentiation into the adipocyte linage’

Then watch their jaw drop, realising their BS doesn’t work on you.

The fact is that radiofrequency and ultrasound cavitation can indeed kill fat cells (adipocyte apoptosis) and release fat (lipolysis), if provided:

• With a good equipment. Most are not deep or not strong enough to confer any real benefits.

• And by a well-trained therapist. Unfortunately most RF/ultrasound operators only receive one day's training - and zero training in the science of cellulite. not their fault, but that’s how it is.

However, it is unfair and misleading to claim that these results can be permanent without a healthy lifestyle afterwards.

This is why after a course of radiofrequency / cavitation we typically recommend top up treatments every 1-2 months, depending on lifestyle.

Have a skin tightening/cellulite treatment in London with the specialists

At LipoTherapeia we have specialised 100% in skin tightening and cellulite reduction for more than two decades and 20,000+ sessions.

This is all we study and practise every day and have researched and tried hands-on all the important skin tightening equipment and their manufacturers.

As strong, deep acting radiofrequency and deep-acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation are the technologies of choice for skin tightening and cellulite reduction, we have invested in the best RF/ultrasound technologies in the world.

Furthermore, over the last two decades we have developed advanced RF and cavitation treatment protocols in order to make the most of our technologies, for maximum results, naturally and safely.

Our radiofrequency/ultrasound treatments are comfortable, pain-free, downtime-free, injection-free, microneedling-free, 99.5%+ safe and always non-invasive.

And our focus is on honest, realistic, science-based treatment, combined with caring, professional service with a smile.

We will be pleased to see you, assess your cellulite, skin laxity or fibrosis listen to your story, discuss your case and offer you the best possible treatment.

Learn more or check prices and book an expert treatment at our London clinic (49 Marylebone High Street, W1)