Pilot Study on the Submental Area

Pilot Study to Evaluate Non-Invasive Subcutaneous Fat Reduction in the Submental Area Using Cryolipolysis

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of cryolipolysis for non-invasive reduction of submental fat.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Body Fat Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: The Zeltiq System

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 14
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Pleasanton, California, United States, 94588
      • Innovation Research Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria

1. Male or female subjects > 18 years of age and < 65 years of age.
2. Presence of submental fat, which in the investigator's opinion, may benefit from the treatment.
3. No weight change exceeding 10 pounds in the preceding month.
4. Agreement to maintain his/her weight (i.e., within 10 pounds) by not making any major changes in their diet or lifestyle during the course of the study.
5. Subject has signed a written informed consent form.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Skin laxity in the neck or chin area for which reduction in submental fat may.
2. Evidence of any cause of enlargement in the submental area other than localized subcutaneous fat.
3. Enlargement on the anterior neck that may prevent the proper placement of the applicator.
4. Treatment with dermal fillers, radiofrequency or laser procedures, or chemical peels in the neck or chin area.
5. Botulinum toxin injections within the neck or chin area.
6. History of a fat reduction procedure in the area of intended treatment.
7. History of prior surgery in the area of intended treatment.
8. Current dental infection.
9. Known history of cryoglobulinemia, cold urticaria, or paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria.
10. Known history of Raynaud's disease, or any known condition with a response to cold exposure that limits blood flow to the skin.
11. Impaired skin sensation or thermal sensitivity in the intended treatment area.
12. Open or infected wounds in the intended treatment area.
13. Currently taking or has taken diet pills or weight control supplements within the past month.
14. Any dermatological conditions, such as scars in the location of the treatment area that may interfere with the treatment or evaluation.
15. Active implanted device such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, or drug delivery system.
16. Pregnant or intending to become pregnant in the next 5 months.
17. Lactating or has been lactating in the past 6 months.
18. Unable or unwilling to comply with the study requirements.
19. Currently enrolled in a clinical study of any other unapproved investigational drug or device.
20. Any other condition or laboratory value that would, in the professional opinion of the investigator, potentially affect the subject's response or the integrity of the data or would pose an unacceptable risk to the subject.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Fat Reduction	Device: The Zeltiq System; Non-invasive cooling is applied to the treatment area with a defined cooling rate and duration.; Other Names: Cryolipolysis; Lipolysis

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Participants With Device and/or Procedure Related Adverse Events (AEs) and Device-related Serious Adverse Events (SADEs)	An AE was any untoward medical occurrence, unintended disease or injury, or untoward clinical signs (including abnormal laboratory findings) in participants, whether or not considered related to treatment. A serious adverse event (SAE) was an AE that resulted in death, serious deterioration in health, permanent impairment of a body structure/function, was life-threatening, required hospitalization or medical/surgical intervention, led to fetal distress or death, congenital abnormality, or birth defect. An ADE was any sign, symptom, or disease that was determined by the Investigator to have a causal relationship or possible causal relationship with the investigational device, including any AE resulting from insufficient or inadequate instructions for use, deployment, implantation, installation, or operation, or any malfunction of the device or from use error or intentional misuse of the device. A SADE was an ADE that resulted in any of the consequences characteristic of an SAE.	8-weeks post treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in the Fat Layer of the Treated Area as Measured by Ultrasound	Change in the fat layer thickness will be calculated by comparison of pre-treatment and 8-week post-treatment ultrasound measurements taken in the area treated with the device, and in the adjacent untreated control area. The Sponsor's standardized techniques for obtaining ultrasound imaging will be used. Overall fat layer thickness changes were normalized for each subject by subtracting the change in control (untreated area) from the change in treated area to remove the influence of weight variations. Success is defined as, on average, at least a 1mm or greater reduction in fat layer thickness for the treated region as compared to the untreated control. Results indicate the mean fat layer reduction in mm.	Baseline, 8-weeks post treatment
Number of Pre- and Post-Treatment Photograph Pair Reviews (Correctly Identified by an Internal Reviewer Panel of 4 Reviewers)	Photographs of the treatment areas taken at baseline and 8-weeks after final treatment were assessed for visible changes in contour in the treated areas. Pre- and post-treatment photograph pairs were randomized and reviewed by a blinded reviewer panel of 4 reviewers.	8-weeks post treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Zeltiq Aesthetics

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): October 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 16, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 16, 2013
• First Posted (Estimated): May 21, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 15, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 1, 2025
• Last Verified: August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Lipolysis; Cryolipolysis; Fat Reduction
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Metabolic Diseases; Lipid Metabolism Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: ZA13-004

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No