I am always reminded at this time of year just how significant the ACR industry is to our everyday lives. It is often said that as an industry our contribution to modern society is taken for granted.
After all, without cooling technology, it would be very difficult these days to sit down to a traditional Christmas lunch and yet how few diners will even give it a thought. Now, for those that indulge themselves over this festive period, cooling can once again step forward to assist with the after effects of the excesses of seasonal over-indulgence.
I heard recently of an FDA-approved, non-invasive body sculpting technique called Cryolipolysis that has been around since mid-2009. It employs controlled cooling for local reduction of fat deposits to reshape body contours based upon the findings by doctors Dieter Manstein and R Rox Anderson.
During the process, the skin is drawn into a cup with a strong vacuum and subjected to low temperature (around +4°C). After the procedure, the cooled fat cells begin to shrink and are then digested over time (six to eight weeks) via the body’s natural processes and purged through the liver.
The procedure is billed as a non-surgical alternative to liposuction and apparently works just as well for men as for women when applied to love-handles, thighs and arms.
It is said that immediately after the cooling apparatus is removed, the body fat can be seen as a solid mass with an appearance not unlike a frozen slab of meat straight from the freezer. This is then eased back into the body with gentle massage.
Whilst this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, it has to be said that this is yet another novel application of ACR technology. Whether it is for the benefit of society as a whole however is debatable.
So, raise a glass (no need to worry about those extra calories) to this wonderful industry that touches the lives of so many, in so many astonishing ways. Seasonal greetings to you all.