What Is CoolSculpting?
CoolSculpting uses FDA-cleared, innovative technology that contours the body by freezing away unwanted body fat. The most commonly treated areas are the abdomen, flanks (love handles), inner and outer thighs, back fat/bra fat, back of thighs beneath the buttock (banana roll), submental neck (double chin), and arms. The treatment is easy with no downtime and no medications required. Patients can resume normal activities immediately after treatment.
Our maximum number of fat cells is set at adolescence. Fat cells shrink in size when we lose weight and expand in size when we gain weight, but they do not go away with weight fluctuation. Some individuals may have stubborn pockets of fat that are more difficult to reduce despite diet and exercise. CoolSculpting technology targets these hard-to-lose, unwanted pockets of fat, permanently destroying them and leading to lasting results.
How Does CoolSculpting Work?
Despite exercise and dieting, fat can be stubborn. Fat cells can be selectively injured if they are cooled to a certain temperature. CoolSculpting uses safe and effective cold temperatures to freeze fat cells underneath the skin while leaving the skin unaffected. Once frozen, the fat cells are crystallized, irreversibly injured, and go through programmed cell death called apoptosis. In the weeks that follow, our “clean-up” cells recognize the broken-down components from the injured fat cells and naturally remove them from the body.
Am I a Candidate?
Every CoolSculpting session is different—it all depends on your natural body shape and the specific areas of fat you are targeting. Your treatment is completely customizable and your provider will work with you to create a plan that’s quite literally made for you. Although men and women tend to show fat in different areas, the CoolSculpting procedure works for both men and women. you should not be treated with CoolSculpting if you suffer from cryoglobulinemia, cold agglutinin disease, or paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria. Tell your provider if you have any medical conditions including recent surgery, pre-existing hernia, and any known sensitivities or allergies.
What Does CoolSculpting Feel Like?
- Depending on the area, treatment can be done in as little as 35 minutes. If you opt to do multiple treatments in a session, expect to spend more time.
- During your treatment, a gel pad or gel is applied to the targeted area, followed by the treatment applicator.
- Applicators that use vacuum suction pull the targeted tissue into the applicator cup.
- You may feel pulling, tugging, or mild pinching.
- Cooling begins and you will feel intense cold, but this subsides after about 10 minutes as the area becomes numb.
- Many patients take a nap, read or do work during treatment sessions.
- You can return to normal activity immediately after your CoolSculpting treatment.
After Treatment
Following treatment, your provider will do a gentle, two-minute massage of the treated area. It’s normal to experience redness, bruising, and swelling for several days and numbness may persist for a few weeks. Improvement from the treatment is gradual and is seen one to three months after your treatment.
Commonly, two treatment sessions spaced four to eight weeks apart are needed to achieve optimal results. Since CoolSculpting is not a weight-loss treatment, it is possible to gain weight post-treatment if you don’t keep up your healthy habits. This kind of weight gain will most likely happen evenly throughout your body, not just in treatment areas.
