If your weight or your body feels hard to live with right now, this is for you. You might be living with obesity and tired of being told what to do. You might be at a healthy weight and still dread getting dressed. You might have a complicated relationship with food that nobody knows about. All of those are real, and none of them is a failing.
We are a clinic that offers fat freezing, and some people reading this should not book with us, at least not yet. This guide covers who to talk to, what "unhealthy" means, and how to decide whether a treatment is right for you.
If you need help now
A mental health emergency is as serious as a physical one, and you will not be wasting anyone's time.
- If a life is at risk, or you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe: call 999 or go to A&E. Do not drive yourself: ask someone to drive you, or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
- England: use 111 online, or call 111 and select the mental health option. You can also ask for an urgent GP appointment.
- Scotland: phone NHS 24 on 111 and choose the mental health option.
- Wales: call 111 and press option 2.
- Northern Ireland: call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000, free and open 24 hours every day, or make an emergency appointment with your GP or out of hours service.
- To talk to someone: call Samaritans on 116 123, free, or text the word 'Shout' to 85258 (Shout is free, confidential and 24/7). If you are under 19, you can also call Childline on 0800 1111.
We checked every contact detail here on 7 November 2026. Hours can change, so please confirm them on the service's own site.
Is this a health issue, a feelings issue, or both?
Feeling fat and having an unhealthy weight are different things, though they can overlap. Looking different from an ideal is not a health problem. A normal body stores fat. And 66% of adults in England were overweight or living with obesity in 2024, so you are not unusual.
These BMI bands, from NICE and NHS Inform, are for screening, not goals to aim for.
| BMI | Band |
|---|---|
| Under 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5 to 24.9 | Healthy weight |
| 25 to 29.9 | Overweight |
| 30 or more | Obesity |
For people of South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean background, NICE and the NHS use lower thresholds, because risk appears at a lower BMI: overweight is 23 to 27.4, and obesity is 27.5 or above.
BMI has limits. It cannot tell muscle from fat, and NICE advises caution in people with high muscle mass and people aged 65 and over. If your BMI is under 35, the guidance is to keep your waist to less than half your height, a ratio under 0.5. If measuring yourself makes you feel worse, leave it to a clinician.
The reverse holds too. NICE notes that someone in the healthy range may still have central adiposity, meaning extra fat around the middle. And being underweight has its own risks, including a weak immune system and bone fractures. The NHS says to speak to a GP if you have lost weight suddenly, or if you use the control of food to cope with feelings.
Where weight is raising health risks, the NHS says losing a small amount, 5 to 10% of body weight, can improve health. But NICE is clear that being more active and eating better bring benefits that are not limited to weight.
What is realistic for a body
Bodies change regardless of effort. Women tend to carry more body fat than men, many of them around the hips, while central fat is more typical of men. Reviews describe abdominal fat increasing with age, sometimes with no change in body weight. And the NHS says weight gain during perimenopause and menopause is common, often around the stomach and upper body.
Exercising one area cannot be relied on to remove fat from that area. The studies conflict, and those showing a local effect are small.
In a Mental Health Foundation survey of UK adults in March 2019, 22% said images on social media caused them to worry about their body image. That figure is self-reported and cannot show cause. In experiments, viewing appearance-ideal images lowered body image, while the long-term link with overall social media use was very small, and studies of comparing yourself to others are correlational. That suggests, without proving, that what you look at may matter more than how long you look. If certain accounts leave you feeling worse, you are allowed to mute them.
Talking to your GP
The NHS says to see a GP if your BMI is in the overweight or obese category and you want help, your waist is more than half your height, you have a condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure, or you have, or think you may have, an eating disorder. Your GP may also discuss weight loss medicines.
If you have felt dismissed before, NICE guidance is on your side. Clinicians should ask permission each time before discussing your weight or measuring you, and should avoid attributing all symptoms to weight.
- Specialist services: a GP may refer you if you need a lot of extra support.
- Self-referral: you might be able to refer yourself to local weight services. Check your GP surgery website or ask reception.
- NHS Digital Weight Management Programme: a free, 12 week online programme from NHS England, through your GP surgery, for adults with a BMI of 30 or more (27.5 for people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds) who have diabetes, high blood pressure or both.
- Local tiers: these vary. In North West London, Tier 2 means group sessions, nutritional guidance and help with physical activity. In Greater Manchester, Tier 3 availability and criteria vary across the area.
Our own tip, not NHS guidance: write down what you most want to say, and take someone with you if that helps.
Mental health and body image support
You do not have to be in crisis to deserve support.
| Service | Where | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
| NHS Talking Therapies | England only | Self-referral, no diagnosis needed, age 18 or over (16 or 17 in some areas). Covers low mood and body dysmorphic disorder, among others |
| Living Life | Scotland | Phone and online CBT-based support for mild to moderate difficulties, 16 and over, registered with a GP in Scotland, not with another mental health service. 0800 328 9655 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm). Not a crisis service |
| Breathing Space | Scotland | Confidential phoneline, over 16. 0800 83 85 87 (Monday to Thursday, 6pm to 2am; Friday 6pm until Monday 6am) |
| SilverCloud | Wales | Free online supported self-help, 16 and over, mild to moderate symptoms |
| CALL | Wales | 0800 132 737, 24 hours a day |
| Lifeline | Northern Ireland | Crisis helpline, 0808 808 8000, 24 hours |
| Rethink Mental Illness | Charity | Practical advice, not a crisis line. 0808 801 0525, normally 9.30am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays |
| CALM | Charity | For over 18s affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts. 0800 58 58 58, 5pm to midnight every day |
In Northern Ireland, we could not confirm a region-wide self-referral service: your GP can help you decide what support you need and refer you. Mind's website is another place to find information. For private therapy, use the BACP directory, because anyone can call themselves a counsellor.
Eating disorders
Eating disorders are not limited to people who are underweight. NICE lists an unusually low or high BMI among the things clinicians should consider, and says not to use a single measure such as BMI to decide whether to offer treatment.
NHS signs include spending a lot of time worrying about your weight and body shape, feeling cold, tired or dizzy, and your weight being very high or very low for your age and height. If this sounds like you, see a GP as soon as you can. If you are worried about someone else, tell them, encourage them to see a GP, and offer to go along.
Beat, the eating disorder charity, has four national helplines, open 3pm-8pm, Monday to Friday. Calls are free.
- England: 0808 801 0677
- Scotland: 0808 801 0432
- Wales: 0808 801 0433
- Northern Ireland: 0808 801 0434
An active eating disorder also means you should not be referred to the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme. That is not a judgement: you need different support first.
Body dysmorphic disorder
Signs of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) include spending a lot of time comparing your looks with other people's, and looking in mirrors a lot or avoiding them altogether. In England, you can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies. The BDD Foundation offers email support at support@bddfoundation.org. It is not a crisis service, and replies may take a few days.
These five questions appear in draft guidance from the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP), which attributes them to NICE. They are a self-check, not a diagnosis.
- Do you worry a lot about the way you look and wish you could think about it less?
- What specific concerns do you have about your appearance?
- On a typical day, how many hours a day is your appearance on your mind? (More than 1 hour a day is considered excessive.)
- What effect does it have on your life?
- Does it make it hard to do your work or be with friends?
If your answers worry you, raise them with a GP or therapist before any cosmetic treatment.
How to decide about aesthetic treatment
What fat freezing cannot do. It reduces small, pinchable areas of fat. It is not weight loss or a treatment for obesity, most people see no significant change on the scales, and it cannot reach deep internal fat. It does not treat disordered eating, and we cannot promise it will change how you feel about yourself.
The risks. Redness, numbness, bruising, swelling and tingling are common and temporary. Rarely, paradoxical adipose hyperplasia makes the treated area grow larger, forming a firm mass. It is not dangerous to health, but it does not go away on its own and correcting it needs liposuction. A 2025 systematic review put it at about 1 in 455 patients. Think honestly about how that would feel.
Questions to ask yourself.
- Why this, and why now?
- Is this my idea, or is someone pressing me?
- If the area changed and everything else stayed the same, would it be enough?
Who should not book yet.
- Anyone with a suspected or active eating disorder. See a GP first.
- Anyone with suspected or diagnosed BDD. The draft JCCP paper says to see a mental health professional with expertise in BDD first.
- Anyone in a very low place who hopes this will lift it.
- Anyone whose main goal is losing weight, or whose weight is changing right now.
- Anyone with a cold-related condition such as cold urticaria, which rules treatment out. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, get medical advice first.
Give yourself time. The draft JCCP guidance, written for its registrants, says people should have at least 48 hours to reflect. We would treat that as a minimum.
A clinic may not ask. We found no confirmed legal requirement for psychological screening before non-surgical treatment in England. Guidance recommends it, and in 2023 the government said a mandatory risk assessment was not required. So a clinic may not ask how you are feeling. A good one should. If it approves everyone, walk away.
Whatever you decide
Wanting a treatment can be a reasonable, informed choice, and so can deciding against one. If you still want to talk it through, you can book a no-pressure assessment through our fat freezing page. And if you close this page and call your GP instead, or simply decide not now, that is a good outcome.
Having an aesthetic treatment, honestly weighed up
What it can offer
- Fat freezing can reduce a specific, pinchable area of fat without surgery, which may be exactly what you want if that area is your concern
- Wanting a change can be a reasonable, informed choice, and it does not mean something is wrong with you
- A proper assessment gives you an honest view of whether you are suitable, and you are free to walk away afterwards
What it cannot offer
- It is not weight loss or a treatment for obesity, and it cannot reach deep internal fat, so it does not deal with health risks linked to weight
- It does not treat an eating disorder or body dysmorphic disorder, and nobody can promise it will change how you feel about yourself
- It has real risks, including paradoxical adipose hyperplasia, a rare complication in which the treated area grows larger and correcting it needs surgery
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I see a GP or a clinic first if I am unhappy with my weight?
If you are worried about your health, your eating or your mood, start with a GP. A GP can check your overall health, talk through weight services and support, and help you work out what you need. A clinic can only tell you whether a cosmetic treatment might suit you, which is a much narrower question.
Am I unhealthy if I just do not like how I look?
Not necessarily. Looking different from an ideal is not a health problem, and a normal body stores fat. BMI and waist-to-height ratio are starting points for a conversation with a clinician, and neither one settles the question alone. Being unhappy with your body is still worth taking seriously, whatever your size, and support is available.
Will fat freezing help me lose weight or feel better about myself?
It is not a weight loss treatment, and most people see no significant change on the scales. It reduces small areas of fat that can be pinched. It cannot treat disordered eating, and we cannot promise it will change how you feel about yourself. If you are hoping it will lift your mood, please talk to someone first.
Where can I get eating disorder support in the UK?
See a GP as soon as you can. The charity Beat has national helplines, open 3pm-8pm, Monday to Friday: England 0808 801 0677, Scotland 0808 801 0432, Wales 0808 801 0433, Northern Ireland 0808 801 0434. Check its website for current hours.
Who can I call if I need to talk to someone today?
Call 999 or go to A&E if a life is at risk. For urgent mental health help, call 111 and choose the mental health option in England or Scotland, or press option 2 in Wales. In Northern Ireland, call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000. Anywhere, you can call Samaritans on 116 123. Check each service's own site for current hours.
