Medical Treatments · Body · IN Eternity Clinic
Fat Freezing in Singapore
Cryolipolysis uses controlled cooling to injure fat cells selectively, which the body then clears over the following weeks. A contouring tool for pinchable pockets of fat — not a weight-loss treatment.
Written & medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong · 8 October 2026
Quick answer
- Cryolipolysis uses controlled cooling to injure fat cells selectively, which the body then clears over the following weeks. A contouring tool for pinchable pockets of fat — not a weight-loss treatment.
- Used for: Double Chin, Stubborn Fat.
- Performed by: Dr Sin Yong at IN Eternity Clinic, 9 Scotts Road, Pacific Plaza (beside Orchard MRT).
- Enquire: SkinRev Lab, CityLink Mall (City Hall MRT) passes enquiries to the clinic, or contact IN Eternity Clinic directly on +65 8815 3008.
- Suitability, number of sessions and pricing are decided at consultation; individual results vary.
Fat freezing, known medically as cryolipolysis, is a non-surgical way to reduce small, stubborn pockets of fat by cooling them in a controlled way. If you are looking at fat freezing in Singapore, it helps to know that it is designed for contouring: the soft, pinchable fat under the chin, along the tummy, love handles, bra line or inner thighs that stays despite reasonable diet and exercise. At IN Eternity Clinic, treatment is planned and performed under Dr Sin Yong.
It does not reduce body weight in a meaningful way, it does not tighten loose skin on its own, and it does not touch the deeper fat around the organs. What it can do, for many people, is reduce the thickness of a treated fat bulge gradually over two to three months. Because it is a medical treatment with real if uncommon risks, assessment before treatment matters as much as the machine.
How it works
The mechanism,
in plain English
Fat cells are more sensitive to cold than the skin, nerves, muscle and blood vessels around them. A cryolipolysis applicator draws the fat bulge into a cup with gentle suction, or rests on it as a flat plate, and cools it to a controlled temperature below freezing for a set time. Early animal work showed that prolonged, controlled cooling produced selective damage to fat with gradual loss of several millimetres of the fat layer, while the overlying skin was not injured. In a pivotal study for the area under the chin, a small applicator was run at −10 °C for 60 minutes per cycle.
After cooling, the injured fat cells go through programmed cell death. Over the next weeks, a local inflammatory response draws in immune cells that break down and remove them gradually, which is why the change is not visible on the day and continues to develop for two to three months. The fat is processed through normal pathways; studies have not shown significant changes in blood lipids or liver tests.
Because the treated fat cells are removed rather than shrunk, the remaining fat in that area can still grow if weight is gained later. Stable weight helps keep the contour.
“Fat freezing trims a pinchable bulge; it is not a way to lose weight, and it cannot tighten loose skin.”
— Dr Sin Yong, IN Eternity Clinic
- Energy / product
- Cryolipolysis — controlled cooling with a vacuum or flat applicator
- Target layer
- Subcutaneous fat (pinchable fat beneath the skin)
- Typical session
- Roughly an hour per treated area, depending on the applicator
- Downtime
- Usually little — redness, swelling, tenderness and numbness can last days to a few weeks
- Performed by
- Dr Sin Yong, IN Eternity Clinic
Is it right for you
Who it suits,
and who it does not
Fat freezing usually suits adults who are at or near a stable, healthy weight but have a distinct, pinchable bulge that has not shifted with lifestyle changes: under the chin, the lower or upper tummy, flanks, bra line, inner or outer thighs, or upper arms. It suits people who want to avoid surgery and anaesthesia, can wait two to three months to see the change, and understand it is a contouring tool. For the area under the chin, it works better when the fullness is mainly soft fat rather than loose skin, jaw shape or muscle.
Fat freezing is not suitable for people with cold-triggered conditions such as cryoglobulinaemia, cold urticaria or paroxysmal cold haemoglobinuria, during pregnancy, over a hernia, recent surgery or scars in the area, or over skin with poor sensation or circulation problems. It is not a treatment for obesity or for fat that is firm and deep inside the abdomen. If the main issue is loose skin, cryolipolysis may make laxity look more obvious, and a tightening treatment may be more appropriate. Under the chin, fullness from a short jaw, low chin or neck glands needs a different approach.
Non-invasive alternative at SkinRev Lab
SKINSHAPE® — SKINSHAPE® at SkinRev Lab uses Miglou 2nd-generation microwave body contouring, done without a doctor, at S$288 per zone. It uses heat rather than cold and suits clients who want a non-medical option for body areas, often as a series. It is a different mechanism with its own evidence base, and it does not include the medical screening and follow-up that cryolipolysis at IN Eternity Clinic involves. Read more
What to expect
Consultation, session
and aftercare
A consultation at IN Eternity Clinic comes first. Dr Sin Yong checks whether the bulge is pinchable fat, whether the skin is lax, and whether the area fits an applicator properly. Medical history is reviewed for cold-related conditions and other reasons not to treat. Photographs and measurements are taken for comparison, the rare risk of paradoxical fat growth is explained, and a course is usually planned at consultation.
During treatment, a protective gel pad is placed and the applicator is positioned. With suction applicators, the first few minutes feel like intense cold and pulling, then the area usually goes numb; most people read or work on their phone. When the applicator is removed, the treated area may look firm and red; a short massage is sometimes used. Over the following days and weeks, swelling, tenderness, tingling or numbness are common and settle gradually. Contact the clinic if pain or swelling increases rather than settles, or if the area becomes hard and larger weeks later.
Where this happens
Assessment and non-invasive care — SkinRev Lab, CityLink Mall #B1-28, 1 Raffles Link, Singapore 039393. Underground from City Hall MRT and Esplanade MRT; a short walk from Raffles Place, Marina Bay, Suntec and Bugis. Open daily 11am–8pm.
Medical treatment — IN Eternity Clinic, 9 Scotts Road, #12-01 Pacific Plaza, Singapore 228210, beside Orchard MRT (three stops from City Hall on the North-South line). Mon–Sat 11am–8pm, closed Sunday. Treatments are performed by Dr Sin Yong. WhatsApp +65 8815 3008.
Enquiries to SkinRev Lab about medical treatments are passed to IN Eternity Clinic, where Dr Sin Yong performs them.
What the research says
The evidence,
with sources
The mechanism comes from a 2008 study in which controlled skin cooling for ten minutes caused selective injury to fat with gradual loss of the fat layer and no damage to overlying skin. A 2015 systematic review of 19 clinical studies found that cryolipolysis reduced treated fat layers on calliper and ultrasound measurement, with only mild, short-term side effects such as redness, swelling and pain, and no significant effect on lipids or liver tests. For the area under the chin, a 2025 meta-analysis of eight studies with 206 people found a mean reduction in submental fat thickness of about 2.8 mm, with minimal, transient side effects.
The most important rare risk is paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH), in which the treated area slowly enlarges and hardens weeks to months later instead of shrinking. A 2025 meta-analysis of 28 studies and over 13,000 patients estimated PAH at about 0.22%, around one in 455, higher than manufacturer reports, and noted that many studies followed people too briefly to detect it. That is why it is discussed honestly before treatment, and why follow-up matters.
References
- Manstein D, Laubach H, Watanabe K, et al. Selective cryolysis: a novel method of non-invasive fat removal. Lasers Surg Med. 2008;40(9):595-604.
- Ingargiola MJ, Motakef S, Chung MT, et al. Cryolipolysis for fat reduction and body contouring: safety and efficacy of current treatment paradigms. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2015;135(6):1581-1590.
- Do K, Ghani N, Lloyd N, et al. Cryolipolysis for submental fat reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Facial Plast Surg. 2025;41(5):650-663.
- Mah AE, Razeghi P, Li C, et al. Incidence of paradoxical adipose hyperplasia after cryolipolysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2025;7:ojaf142.
Common questions
Your questions,
answered
How much does fat freezing in Singapore cost?
Pricing for fat freezing is given at consultation at IN Eternity Clinic. It depends on how many areas are treated, the size of each area and which applicator fits, and whether more than one cycle is planned. Dr Sin Yong will explain the plan and fees before treatment. If you prefer a non-medical body option, SkinRev's SKINSHAPE® microwave contouring is S$288 per zone.
Does fat freezing hurt?
The first few minutes are usually the most uncomfortable: intense cold and a pulling sensation with suction applicators. Most areas then go numb and the rest of the session is tolerable. After treatment, tenderness, tingling or aching can appear over the following days, sometimes peaking about a week later before settling. Simple pain relief advised by the doctor usually helps. Tell the clinic if pain becomes severe.
Can fat freezing treat a double chin?
Yes, when the fullness under the chin is mainly soft, pinchable fat. Published studies of a small applicator for the submental area show measurable thinning of the fat layer over a few months. It will not help a double chin caused mainly by loose skin, a short jaw, a low chin position or neck glands. Dr Sin Yong examines the area first and may suggest a tightening or laser option instead.
What is paradoxical adipose hyperplasia?
It is a rare complication in which the treated area slowly becomes larger and firmer weeks to months after fat freezing, instead of smaller. Pooled data suggest it affects roughly one in 455 people, and it does not go away on its own; correction usually involves liposuction. Knowing about it before treatment, attending follow-up and reporting any growing, firm area early are all part of responsible care.
When will I see results, and are they lasting?
Changes start to show after a few weeks and usually develop over two to three months as the body clears the injured fat cells. The cells that are removed do not grow back, but the fat cells that remain can still enlarge if weight increases. Keeping your weight stable matters. Results vary between people and areas, so a review appointment is part of the plan.
Is fat freezing a way to lose weight?
No. Fat freezing reduces the thickness of a specific bulge but removes only a small amount of fat overall, so it does not change body weight meaningfully. It also does not affect the deeper fat around the organs that matters for health. For weight concerns, a doctor-led weight-management plan is the appropriate starting point, and contouring can follow once weight is stable.
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