CoolShape vs Onda Coolwaves: Which Body Contouring Treatment Is Worth It?
You’ve been consistent with your diet and your workouts. The general shape is improving. But there are specific areas — the lower abdomen, the inner thighs, the flanks — where the change just isn’t happening. The fat in those spots seems immune to everything you’re doing.
You’re not wrong. Certain fat deposits are genuinely resistant to caloric restriction and exercise. They’re anatomically determined, and they respond to different stimuli than the fat you lose through lifestyle changes. Non-surgical body contouring treatments exist specifically for these areas.
Two of the most clinically established options at SW1 Clinic are CoolShape (cryolipolysis) and Onda Coolwaves (microwave-based lipolysis). They work through different mechanisms, target different aspects of the body composition challenge, and produce different kinds of results. Understanding the distinction helps you choose intelligently.
CoolShape uses cryolipolysis — a technology based on the principle that fat cells are more sensitive to cold than surrounding tissue. When fat tissue is cooled to a precisely controlled temperature (around -9°C), fat cells undergo a process called apoptosis (programmed cell death) while the overlying skin and other tissue remain unharmed.
The dead fat cells are then naturally cleared by the body’s immune system over the following weeks to months.
- Subcutaneous fat (the soft, pinchable fat directly under the skin)
- Localised fat deposits in specific areas: abdomen, flanks, inner and outer thighs, upper arms, under the chin
- Patients who are close to their target weight but have isolated fat pockets that don’t respond to diet and exercise
- 20–27% reduction in fat layer thickness in treated areas [1]
- Results develop gradually over two to three months as the body clears the dead fat cells
- Multiple sessions may be used for larger or multiple areas
- Not a weight loss treatment — designed for body contouring in patients already at or near a healthy weight
“CoolShape is one of the most studied non-surgical fat reduction technologies we have,” says Dr. Low Chai Ling, Medical Director, SW1 Clinic. “The clinical evidence for cryolipolysis is robust. For the right patient — someone with localised, pinchable fat deposits who wants to contour without surgery — it produces reliable, meaningful reductions.”
Onda Coolwaves uses a different technology: controlled microwave energy delivered at a specific frequency (2.45 GHz) that selectively targets fat cells while simultaneously treating the overlying dermis.
This selective targeting is the key feature. The microwave energy heats fat cells preferentially, disrupting their structure and triggering lipolysis (fat cell breakdown). At the same time, the energy delivered to the dermis stimulates collagen production and skin tightening.
- Subcutaneous fat (similar to CoolShape)
- Skin laxity in treated areas
- Cellulite appearance improvement
- Body areas where both fat reduction and skin tightening are desired
- Fat reduction comparable to other non-surgical approaches, with the added benefit of skin quality improvement
- Skin tightening effect develops over months as collagen remodels
- Particularly effective for areas where fat loss without skin tightening might leave the skin looking looser
| | CoolShape | Onda Coolwaves |
|—|—|—|
| Mechanism | Cryolipolysis (cold) | Microwave energy |
| Primary target | Fat cells (subcutaneous) | Fat cells + dermis |
| Skin tightening | No | Yes |
| Cellulite | Limited | Yes, improves appearance |
| Sessions typical | 1–2 per area | 3–4 per area |
| Downtime | Minimal | Minimal |
| Sensation | Cold, pressure, then numb | Warmth, some discomfort |
| Results timeline | 2–3 months | 2–4 months |
- Your primary goal is fat volume reduction in a specific, isolated area
- Your skin quality and tone in the treatment area is good
- You want the best-evidenced, most established fat reduction technology
- You’re targeting an area with sufficient tissue to be suctioned into the applicator (pinchable fat)
- You want fat reduction skin tightening in the same area
- Cellulite appearance is a concern alongside fat
- You’re treating areas where some skin laxity accompanies the fat concern
- You want a treatment without the suction/pressure sensation of cryolipolysis
Both technologies can be used complementarily. CoolShape reduces fat volume; Onda Coolwaves addresses the skin quality in the same area. For patients with both fat and laxity concerns, combining the two can produce a more comprehensive result than either alone.
“The honest answer about which is better is: it depends on what you’re trying to achieve,” says Dr. Chua, SW1 Clinic. “For isolated fat pockets in a patient with good skin tone, CoolShape delivers. For patients whose skin has also softened in the treatment area, or who have a cellulite component, Onda gives you more tools. The consultation should be a genuine conversation about goals.”
Both treatments target subcutaneous fat — the fat beneath the skin. Neither addresses:
- — the deeper fat around the abdominal organs, associated with metabolic health risk. This requires dietary and lifestyle intervention.
- — both are body contouring treatments for patients already at or near a healthy weight, not alternatives to weight management.
- — neither treatment improves or builds muscle. For patients interested in muscle enhancement alongside fat reduction, the at SW1 Clinic addresses this separately.
Sarah, 38, had returned to her pre-pregnancy weight but was unhappy with the persistent fullness in her lower abdomen and flanks. Skin laxity in the lower abdomen — a common post-pregnancy concern — was also present.
After consultation, a combination approach was recommended: CoolShape for the flanks (isolated fat, good skin tone) and Onda Coolwaves for the lower abdomen (fat plus skin laxity). Three months after completing treatment, she reported significant improvement in both areas. “The combination targeting different concerns in different areas made more sense than one single treatment,” she said.
A consultation at SW1 Clinic will assess your specific body composition concerns, identify the most appropriate treatment for each area, and set realistic expectations for outcomes.
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[1] Dierickx, C. C., Mazer, J. M., Sand, M., Koenig, S., & Arigon, V. (2013). Safety, tolerance, and patient satisfaction with noninvasive cryolipolysis. , 39(8), 1209–1216. [2] Ingargiola, M. J., Motakef, S., Chung, M. T., Vasconez, H. C., & Sasaki, G. H. (2015). Cryolipolysis for fat reduction and body contouring: safety and efficacy of current treatment paradigms. , 135(6), 1581–1590. [3] Adatto, M. A., Adatto-Neilson, R., & Morren, G. (2014). Reduction in adipose tissue volume using a new high-power radiofrequency technology combined with infrared light and mechanical manipulation for body contouring. , 29(5), 1627–1631. [VERIFY CITATION]
