What is CoolSculpting?

CoolSculpting vs Liposuction

Do you remember liposuction? It is a surgical procedure to remove pockets of unwanted fat. The limitations are that you must be within 30% of your ideal bodyweight, healthy, and a nonsmoker with elastic skin. More importantly, it is a surgical procedure carried out under general anesthesia that carries with it risk, such as infections and uneven fat removal. You should expect bruising, swelling, and soreness for at least a few weeks, and you will be required to wear a compression garment for one to two months after surgery to control swelling. Additionally, you will have to take antibiotics to prevent infection.

What if there were any easier and far less costly non -surgical alternative with little risk and no downtime.

Now there is with the FDA approved CoolSculpting procedure.

CoolSculpting is a non -invasive procedure for eliminating pockets of fat bulges in the submental area, thigh, abdomen and flank, along with bra fat, back fat, underneath the buttocks (also known as banana roll), upper arm and chin.

How does it work?

Years ago, scientists at Harvard University observed that some children who ate popsicles got dimples in their cheeks. The scientists realized that the popsicles were freezing and eliminating small pockets of fat cells.

The idea that cold can target fat cells—without damaging the skin or surrounding tissue—was the insight behind cryolipolysis, the proven science on which the CoolSculpting procedure is based.

The treatment precisely delivers controlled cooling to targets fat cells under the skin. Over time the fat cells crystalize and gradually die off and leave the body through the body’s natural elimination processes leaving a sculpted appearance. Those cells will never return, resulting in permanent results. Untreated areas will have no change in fat cell distribution.

What does the procedure involve?

During the preparation, the clinician applies a gel pad on the body part that the procedure will be done. Then, a roll of fat is placed between two panels that cool the fat to a freezing temperature

As the cooling begins during the first few minutes, you typically feel intense cold. This soon dissipates. With some applicators, you’ll feel some pulling as suction is applied. The area generally goes numb within 5 to 10 minutes of treatment. Many people read, watch videos, work on their laptop, or nap during their CoolSculpting treatment.

What to expect after the treatment:

You may feel some tingling as the area is massaged for 2 or 3 minutes. Patients are usually able to return to normal activities following their appointment. You might feel uncomfortable as the area treated may feel a little sore and appears reddish. You may also feel some stiffness, but this is normal and will last for less than 15 minutes after the procedure. However, you may resume your normal activities.

What results can you expect?

Frozen, dead fat cells are excreted out of the body within several weeks of treatment. You may start to see changes as quickly as three weeks after your treatment, and will experience the most dramatic results after 2 months. Your body will continue to flush out fat cells for up to 4 to 6 months after treatment.

Are you a candidate for CoolSculpting?

CoolSculpting is not for everyone. It is not a treatment for obesity. Instead, the technique is appropriate for helping to remove small amounts of extra fat resistant to other weight-loss attempts such as diet and exercise

CoolSculpting is a safe and effective treatment for reducing body fat in many people. There are some people who should not try CoolSculpting. People who have the following conditions should not do this treatment because of the risk of dangerous complications. These conditions include:

cryoglobulinemia
cold agglutinin disease
paroxysmal cold hemoglobuinuria (PCH)

What Happens if You Gain Weight After CoolSculpting?

The treated fat cells are destroyed and flushed out of your system for good, but weight gain is still a possibility.

The process of gaining or losing weight is different from the process of destroying fat. When you lose weight, your fat cells shrink, making you thinner. When you add more pounds, the cells you do have become larger so you become larger.

If you end up gaining weight after CoolSculpting, the fat that remained in the treated area can increase in size. The same is true of the fat in other areas of the body. Since you have less fat in the treated areas, you might notice that you gain more weight or fat in other areas of the body instead.

Are there side effects?

Following the procedure, typical side effects include temporary redness, swelling, blanching, bruising, firmness, tingling, stinging, tenderness, cramping, aching, itching, or skin sensitivity These effects are temporary and generally resolve within days or weeks. Though rare, some additional side effects may occur. As with any medical procedure, ask your physician if the CoolSculpting procedure is right for you.