CoolSculpting is safe, effective, and here to stay. As of 2018, over two million CoolSculpting procedures have been performed globally, and patient reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. Furthermore, CoolSculpting has been assessed by over 40 peer reviewed journals, all of which have agreed that this procedure substantially reduces the amount of fat in treated areas. Still, even with as popular as CoolSculpting has become, some misconceptions about it remain prevalent. As such, if you’re interested in having CoolSculpting, you should make sure you’re up to date with all of the facts outlined below:
5 Essential Facts About CoolSculpting
1. CoolSculpting is not intended for use on heavily overweight patients.
Many people are drawn to CoolSculpting because will provide a simple, painless way for them to lose weight—without surgery. However, while it’s true that CoolSculpting can help patients lose a small amount of weight, it’s not actually intended for use on patients with a BMI over 30. CoolSculpting won’t harm an overweight patient in any way, of course, but it doesn’t tend to produce dramatic results when applied to heavier people. CoolSculpting typically reduces the amount of fat in targeted areas by about 24%, which is not enough to create a marked difference in large deposits of fat. Indeed, there is no cosmetic procedure—surgical or nonsurgical—that can turn a heavy patient into a slim one.
What CoolSculpting can do, however, is sculpt the bodies of patients who are either a normal weight or just slightly overweight. CoolSculpting is often used to get rid of stubborn belly fat that does not respond to diet and exercise, for example. New moms also turn to CoolSculpting frequently in order to get rid of the additional fat deposits that sometimes “hang on” long after pregnancy, increasing the size of the flanks and thighs. In other words, if you’ve done the hard work of eating healthily and exercising but you still have a few “problem areas,” then this procedure can help you get rid of them—permanently.
2. CoolSculpting may be safe, but it’s still important to choose a highly trained, qualified practitioner when having this procedure.
Unfortunately, because it’s possible to purchase “knockoff” fat freezing machines, unscrupulous individuals sometimes promise to provide CoolSculpting to patients at a reduced rate… And the results can be disastrous. At best, treatment from an unqualified practitioner will simply yield no results; at worst, it could seriously compromise your health. It’s therefore incredibly important to make sure the person performing your CoolSculpting treatment is a fully certified medical professional, e.g., a board certified plastic surgeon. You should also ask to see “before and after” photographs showcasing successful CoolSculpting treatments your chosen practitioner has performed in the past.
3. CoolSculpting is completely noninvasive, but some patients still experience mild pain and discomfort after having this procedure.
The vast majority (about 90%) of CoolSculpting patients experience little to no pain, swelling, or discomfort either during or after CoolSculpting. The fact that no incisions are made during this procedure means that patients don’t have any surgical wounds to heal from, so they can return to their usual activities immediately. However, a small minority of patients (about 10%) have bodies that react to fat freezing by producing an inflammatory response—and this can result in several weeks of mild to moderate soreness and swelling. If this happens to you, you can manage it with over the counter pain relievers and the application of a cool compress.
4. CoolSculpting shows promise in treating mild skin laxity.
Fat freezing treatments activate the body’s healing response, which causes the body to send more of the growth factor known as collagen to treated areas. Because collagen is responsible for keeping our skin strong and hydrated, some CoolSculpting patients notice that the condition of their skin also improves after having this procedure. This aspect of CoolSculpting is especially useful for new mothers who are dealing with loose belly skin as a result of pregnancy.
5. The results of CoolSculpting don’t happen overnight.
CoolSculpting does not remove fat directly from the body like liposuction. Instead, it damages fat cells through the use of extreme cold, and this causes the body to gradually excrete those fat cells. While this process is as effective as surgical fat removal, it takes more time; most patients see the full results of their CoolSculpting treatment manifest after two to three months.
If you have any questions about CoolSculpting that were not covered in the points above, feel free to contact us. We’ll be happy to share our knowledge about this revolutionary fat freezing treatment with you.
