Few cosmetic treatments introduced in the past few years have had the impact of CoolSculpting. Toronto women and men continue to make the nonsurgical fat reduction procedure one of the most popular treatments at my practice. With the introduction of new applicators, CoolSculpting is even more versatile, allowing patients to address excess fat in most areas of their bodies and faces.
CoolSculpting’s success stems from its ability to combine effective results with a no-downtime procedure that can be completed during your lunch hour. But it’s important to understand exactly what the device is designed to accomplish — as well as what it won’t do. In this blog post, I’ll explain the procedure to help you determine if you can benefit from CoolSculpting:
What CoolSculpting Does…
The best candidates for CoolSculpting are women and men in good overall shape who exercise regularly and watch what they eat, but who want to target trouble spots where bulges of fat remain. The most common treatment areas are familiar to most people — think belly fat, “love handles” on the waist, upper arm fat, or a double chin. Thighs, “bra fat,” and the lower back are other areas that often concern patients.
CoolSculpting reduces fat by using cold temperatures to freeze fat cells. The controlled temperature isn’t cold enough to damage the skin or other tissues because fat cells begin dying without reducing the temperature that much. The body naturally removes the fat cells destroyed through the CoolSculpting process (called Cryolipolysis®.)
CoolSculpting applicators enable treatment providers to customize the procedure to address each patient’s specific concerns. Some are shaped to fit a particular area — such as the CoolMini™ for treating a double chin — while others are flat, for areas where there isn’t enough skin to suction between the CoolSculpting panels.
What CoolSculpting Doesn’t Do…
CoolSculpting isn’t designed to remove large areas of fat or tighten excess skin. In an earlier blog post, I explained the differences between CoolSculpting and 2 surgical procedures — liposuction and tummy tuck. Those 2 procedures are better-suited for patients with larger amounts of excess fat or skin. Liposuction is also an alternative to CoolSculpting for patients who want more immediate results. The tradeoff is the recovery time that’s needed after the procedure.
CoolSculpting won’t erase the appearance of stretch marks, and it doesn’t reduce cellulite. Some laser treatments can minimize stretch marks, and tummy tuck surgery — because it removes excess skin — can often reduce or eliminate stretch marks.
Even though the fat cells destroyed by CoolSculpting treatments are removed from the body, some fat cells in the treatment area remain. These cells can enlarge if patients don’t get enough exercise, or have unhealthy diets. In other words, bulges may emerge again as fat cells grow.
Fortunately, many CoolSculpting patients are motivated to maintain their toned areas and continue leading healthy and active lifestyles after the procedure.
Leave a Reply