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Facial Plast Surg
DOI: 10.1055/a-2628-3831
Original Research

Cryolipolysis for Submental Fat Reduction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Kenny Do
1   Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Las Vegas, Nevada
,
Nabih Ghani
1   Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Las Vegas, Nevada
,
Nathan Lloyd
1   Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Las Vegas, Nevada
,
Emily S. Sagalow 
1   Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Las Vegas, Nevada
,
Kurtis Young
1   Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Las Vegas, Nevada
,
Benjamin Tam
1   Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Las Vegas, Nevada
,
Sisi Tian
1   Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Las Vegas, Nevada
,
Harry H. Ching
1   Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Las Vegas, Nevada
,
Jo-Lawrence Bigcas
1   Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Las Vegas, Nevada
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Abstract

Introduction

Submental fat can be addressed using both surgical and nonsurgical techniques. Cryolipolysis is a noninvasive treatment that uses cold temperatures to trigger apoptosis in adipose tissue.

Objectives and Hypotheses

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cryolipolysis for submental fat reduction, specifically analyzing changes in submental fat thickness and volume. It is hypothesized that cryolipolysis leads to measurable improvements in submental fat among patients.

Study Design

This is a systematic review and meta-analysis conducted in accordance with the PRISMA reporting guidelines.

Methods

A literature search was performed across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from 1973 to 2025. A total of 951 articles were screened, and eight pre-post studies involving 206 patients met inclusion criteria.

Results

Pooled analysis showed a mean reduction in submental fat thickness of −2.78 mm and volume of −19.57 cm3.

Conclusion

Cryolipolysis significantly reduces submental fat with minimal, transient side effects.

Keywords

cryolipolysis - submental fat reduction - facial plastics - surgery - otolaryngology - noninvasive fat reduction

Declaration of GenAI Use

During the writing process, the authors used ((tool name)) to revise and improve the grammar and language clarity of the article. The authors reviewed and edited the text and take full responsibility for the content of the paper. All aspects of the study—including design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and original writing—were conducted exclusively by the authors.


Data Availability Statement

Data are public information and is available upon request.




Publication History

Accepted Manuscript online:
05 June 2025

Article published online:
17 June 2025

© 2025. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA

 

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