Coolsculpting is a cosmetic procedure that utilizes cold therapy to freeze fat cells. It does not require surgery, anesthesia, or downtime- You can have the treatment in 35 minutes! CoolSculpting was FDA-approved in 2010, and we have been offering CoolSculpting at Radiant Skin Dermatology and Laser since 2014. Our clinical experience is consistent with the 25% fat reduction reported in clinical studies.
Coolsculpting does work reliably to debulk or remove large deposits of fat under the skin resistant to exercise and diet. It is an excellent choice for fat reduction on the stomach/belly area, love handles, double chin area (double chins), bra bulge, excess arm skin around armpits and inner thighs for men and women.
If you’ve already heard about CoolSculpting®, it may sound too good to be true. After all, targeted fat removal procedures of the past always involved incisions, post-treatment wound care, and downtime. That’s why countless NYC locals are using this advanced fat freezing technology to at last attain their ideal physiques.
Cryolipolysis is the science behind fat freezing. Not only has research determined that freezing fat is indeed possible, but it’s also found that fat freezing can be done without causing any damage to the surrounding tissues. Because the procedure can be performed without harming the skin, the entire treatment is performed in a completely safe and non-invasive way. A cooling appliance is placed on top of the targeted area to gradually lower unwanted fat stores to a freezing temperature. Once these fat cells crystallize, they’ll quickly die off. Reaching the point of crystallization pushes fat cells beyond the boundaries of possible self-repair. Over time, the patient’s body will process this crystallized fat and expedite its removal. As many individual fat cells are broken down and moved through the patient’s liver, the treated area will become noticeably smaller in size.
Fat happens to freeze at a much higher temperature than do other tissue types. This is what keeps the surrounding skin and muscles unharmed. Although these structures may grow cold and hard, they will not experience the same die-off. More importantly, they’ll quickly recover as soon as the exposure to cold temperatures has ended. This procedure is capable of removing stubborn pockets of fat at the backs of the arms, under the chin (submental fat), at the hips, thighs and buttocks, and all areas of the abdomen. It is perfect for anyone who’s ready to get rid of their love handles, muffin top, or inner-thigh fat.
The story of CoolSculpting® is an interesting one. The field of cryolipolysis was actually discovered by accident. During an unrelated research project, a team of doctors identified an interesting occurrence in children who ate large numbers of frozen juice bars. Prolonged exposure to cold temperatures appeared to create dimples in the youngsters’ cheeks. Moreover, although concentrated pockets of inner cheek fat had gone missing, none of the surrounding tissues sustained damage. The principal idea of fat freezing was gradually refined and several decades later, CoolSculpting® appeared on the scene. Although it’s certainly not a good idea to try freezing fat with juice bars at home, the tory of CoolSculpting®’s origins is a lasting testament to its efficacy.
CoolSculpting® isn’t a weight loss procedure. Although it will reduce your existing fat stores, the real benefits of this treatment lie in its body-sculpting abilities. This is a treatment that can be used to refine your physique so you’re finally able to have the body shape and the body type that you really want. The shape of your body is not determined by your diet, your exercise plan, or your general life habits. Instead, it is largely defined by genetics. If you have disproportionate fat stores in concentrated areas, it is likely because your are genetically predisposed to do so. In some instances, this is something that can be easily seen. For example, if you have a double chin, you may have relatives who possess the same pad of submental fat at the top of their necks.
Although diet and exercise are nothing short of essential, they do fall short in their ability to truly streamline and sculpt the physique to perfection. To lose weight naturally, you have to establish a calorie deficit, whether by eating less or working out more. When the results of this deficit are distributed, they are always distributed uniformly. This is why people often have to lose multiple pounds before seeing any marked changes in size. It is also why you can drop significant weight and still struggle with a double chin. Disproportionate fat stores do not necessarily mean that you are overweight. More significantly, these fat stores will only decrease in direct relation to other losses in volume across your entire body. In short, for every pound you lose, your entire body will grow smaller uniformly.
For people who’ve long struggled with stubborn, jiggly flab at the backs of their arms, excess fat around their waists, or annoying inner-thigh fat, this news can be downright depressing. Fortunately, problems like these are exactly what CoolSculpting® is intended to correct. Although this treatment isn’t meant to strip your body of any significant number of pounds, the targeted fat loss that it produces can create stunning physical changes.
There is another major advantage that CoolSculpting® has over natural weight loss. This is its ability to destroy unwanted fat cells outright. Once the targeted fat cells have been crystallized, broken down, and processed, you’ll never have to see them again. When weight is lost as the result of a calorie deficit, however, no fat cells actually disappear. Instead, they all simply shrink. It is this uniform shrinkage that produces uniform results. Moreover, after fat cells have shrunk, they have the ability to multiply far more rapidly. This is largely why diligent dieters find themselves quickly regaining lost pounds as soon as they revert back to their old bad habits.
Where dieting shrinks fat cells and expedites their reproduction, CoolSculpting® eliminates them entirely. This attribute has a significant impact on the general expectations for patient outcomes. After all, if targeted fats are permanently destroyed, then treatment results are permanent as well. Once you’ve frozen and eliminated your unwanted fat, you’ll have lasting changes in the overall balance, proportions, and appearance of your physique. It is important to note, however, that CoolSculpting® will not prevent future weight gain. Patients still have to practice moderation in their diets and maintain routine exercise plans in order to enjoy the benefits of treatment indefinitely.
CoolSculpting® is generally best-suited to people who are within 20 to 30 pounds of their ideal body weights and should not be considered a suitable alternative to natural and healthy weight loss. It is not meant to eliminate problems with obesity, and it is not an appropriate treatment for eradicating excess stores of visceral fat. In fact, the basic differences between subcutaneous fat and visceral fat make visceral fat untreatable with CoolSculpting®.
Subcutaneous fat is a soft fat layer that exists just beneath your skin. It is important for all people to have some measure of subcutaneous fat. Many people are well-familiar with this fat, especially across their most stubborn trouble zones. For instance, if you have love handles or a muffin top, you probably grab these every time you slide into your skinny jeans. Subcutaneous fat is easily accessible and you can readily pinch it with you fingers. This is what makes it appropriate for CoolSculpting®. Given that the cooling temperatures used in this process do not have to pass through any significant amount of tissue in order to reach the targeted fats, it’s possible to get impressive results without damaging any nearby structures.
Conversely, visceral fat exists directly within the abdominal cavity. It forms around vital organs like the pancreas and liver. Rather than being pinchable and easy to measure with your hands, this hidden fat often gives the abdomen a hard and distended appearance. Visceral fat is frequently seen as a sign of poor overall health. Too much of this fat can place extraordinary stress on the organs, and put a person at increased risk for many serious health complications. The best way to eliminate this type of fat is by working with your doctor to establish a needs-specific weight loss plan.
Liposuction and CoolSculpting® have very few things in common. These treatments both maintain the same overarching goal of streamlining, refining, and sculpting the physique according to the patient’s cosmetic goals. Moreover, neither of these treatments is meant to replace healthy and natural weight loss. Just as fat freezing only provides targeted fat removal, responsible liposuction only allows for the removal of eight pounds of fat or less during each procedure.
The primary difference between CoolSculpting® and liposuction is the manner in which each treatment is performed. Although liposuction has become increasingly less invasive throughout the years, it still requires one or more surgical openings, actual removal of fat tissues, and significant aftercare and downtime. Whenever incisions are made, there is also the risk of scarring and infection. These are all things that NYC patients should keep in mind when choosing a fat removal or body sculpting method.
In terms of treatment risks and possible treatment difficulties, CoolSculpting® lies on the opposite end of the spectrum. There are no surgical openings with this procedure and thus no risk of scarring or infection. Most NYC patients are able to resume their regular activities right away, and this means that there is no downtime either. With no post-treatment wound care or wound cleaning, fat freezing is by far the most convenient option. It should additionally be noted that while liposuction often involves several weeks of healing, cryolipolysis patients can get on with their lives and spend their time simply watching their results manifest.
During their cryolipolysis procedures, NYC residents often take the opportunity to relax. A small cooling appliance is placed atop the treatment area and buffered with a gel patch. Over the space of 40 minutes to one hour, this device will cool the targeted fats until they crystallize and die off. Once a sufficient level of cooling has been achieved, the appliance will be removed and patients are free to go.
Throughout the cooling process, however, the doctor will periodically examine the treatment area, and massage it gently to break up the crystallized fats. This is done to prevent tissue clusters and to promote smooth and even freezing. As the results start to manifest, this extra measure will ensure that they are both seamless and natural-looking.
While liposuction requires weeks of healing, most liposuction patients are able to assess their results as soon as all immediate and residual swelling goes down. The manifestation of results with CoolSculpting®, however, is a gradual process. From the moment that fat crystallizes, the body works at a very steady and diligent pace to break it down and route it out. How fast the actual removal of this waste occurs is largely determined by the health and efficiency of the patient’s liver and other filter organs. More often than not, it will take between three and four weeks for the results of a CoolSculpting® procedure to start presenting.
The good news is that continued changes can be expected for several more weeks to come. Although you might be eager to see changes in your body right away, this gradual manner of weight loss allows for a truly inconspicuous treatment. No one in your inner circle has to know that you’ve had a fat removal procedure performed unless you absolutely want them to.
Although CoolSculpting is excellent for fat reduction, it's not suitable for everyone. People with certain medical conditions triggered by extreme cold should avoid it entirely. At Radiant Skin Dermatology and Laser, we offer alternatives to Coolsculpting such as Emsculpt NEO, Trusculpt ID, and tumescent liposuction. If you're looking to reduce fat in areas that are resistant to exercise and diet, book an appointment today so we can discuss these alternatives that are best suited just for you!
Few things build confidence like targeted fat removal and body sculpting. Many people are surprised to discover just how much of an impact several pounds of fat loss can have on their appearances when this fat loss is concentrated in one very small and specific area. If you’re someone who’s constantly choosing long-sleeved shirts even when it’s hot, or who’s always trying to suck your stomach in, being able to correct the disproportionate fat stores that you’re unhappy with can be life-changing. You can wear what you want and feel good about how you look in any environment.
Every person’s fat removal and body sculpting goals are unique. As such, the best way to determine whether or not CoolSculpting® is right for you is to reach out and make an appointment with Radiant Skin Dermatology and Laser. At our convenient locations in NYC, our caring and dedicated team of professionals will be pleased to explain this option to you in greater detail and answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to set up your consultation – we look forward to speaking with you!
© Dr. Dele-Michael 2023
All rights reserved.