People keep asking, “Is CoolSculpting effective?” We understand sometimes it sounds too good to be true. CoolSculpting® is a nonsurgical fat loss procedure that is FDA-cleared.
You may have heard you can’t spot reduce to eliminate unwanted, stubborn fat. Indeed, diet and exercise cannot target specific areas of fat. No amount of sit-ups will give you a flat tummy if your body naturally retains a little extra fat in your lower belly. We all have those stubborn areas which vary by body type. CoolSculpting® treatment is targeted to specific areas, so you choose where you want to lose the fat.
So, the short answer to the question is yes, CoolSculpting® is effective. However, you need to go into it with reasonable expectations.
Is CoolSculpting a Weight Loss Program?
Sometimes people hope they can lose weight through CoolSculpting®. It isn’t a weight loss program; it targets fat in specific areas and only some of that fat. The treatment works best for people who are close to their goal weight and want to re-sculpt their proportions by reducing fat in specific stubborn areas.
Other procedures can remove more fat, like liposuction vs coolsculpting. Also, traditional diet and exercise or weight loss surgery are better options for those who need to lose significant weight.
How Does CoolSculpting Work?
During a CoolSculpting® session, your provider uses a special applicator to apply cool temperatures to the fat below the skin.
Fat cells are especially vulnerable to cold, so some of those fat cells are frozen or crystallized and destroyed. Over the next few weeks, the body naturally flushes out the destroyed fat cells, and your results unfold. This process is called cryolipolysis. CoolSculpting® reduces fat in nine areas of the body.
CoolSculpting® is an FDA-cleared, non-surgical cosmetic treatment for fat cell reduction and body contouring. It’s quickly gaining popularity because it’s non-invasive, and the results are permanent.
Let’s look at the science behind CoolSculpting® and explain how it works.
What Is CoolSculpting®?
CoolSculpting ® is a cosmetic procedure based on cryolipolysis, a method of breaking down fat deposits using cold temperatures.
In the 1970s, scientists noticed that fat is more susceptible to cold injury than the surrounding tissue. This led to the development of fat-freezing techniques. Cryolipolysis destroys fat cells and induces an inflammatory response in the body. The body then removes the dead cells through natural processes.
The FDA cleared CoolSculpting® in 2010 after a series of clinical trials confirming its safety in controlled conditions. The studies also showed an average fat reduction of up to 20% after 1-3 treatments over several months.
How Does CoolSculpting® Work?
CoolSculpting uses a hand-held vacuum device to freeze and permanently destroy fat cells. In the weeks following the treatment, the lymphatic system processes the frozen fat cells and eliminates them as waste. BUT does cool sculpting work?
CoolSculpting is performed in a clinic or medspa in Charlotte, like The Skin Center. Depending on the areas you want to treat, a session takes less than a few hours, and you have no significant downtime as you would with a more invasive procedure. You may feel a cool tingling sensation, be a little tender for a few days, or even have some mild bruising, but you won’t typically need to take time off work.
CoolSculpting is FDA-cleared for fat reduction in nine areas of the body, including:
- Belly or abdomen
- Flanks or love handles
- Bra roll area
- Upper and lower back
- Thighs
- Underneath the buttocks, aka the banana roll
- Under the jaw
- Under the chin
- Upper arms
Does CoolSculpting® Get Rid of Stubborn Fat?
As mentioned, you choose the area where your CoolSculpting treatment targets. According to Coolsculpting’s data, people often see a reduction of 20-25% fat in the targeted area in the month after a CoolSculpting or cryolipolysis treatment session. Due to the targeted nature of the treatment, this is stubborn fat in places that people consider their “problem areas.” That said if you compare cooltone vs coolsculpting you can see that combined, they can help you see the desired results.
Is CoolSculpting® Both Safe and Effective?
The FDA clearance indicates that CoolSculpting® is considered safe and effective, but what is that based on? No treatment is suitable for everyone; talk with your provider about any health issues you have and your medical history so they are aware of any potential contraindications you may have. For example, some researchers found that people with cold-induced conditions like Raynaud’s disease may want to avoid CoolSculpting®.
The journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery published a review in 2015 covering 319 journal articles or studies that were used to demonstrate the effectiveness of CoolSculpting®. They found people lost more fat compared to other non-invasive fat loss procedures available at the time, like ultrasound, with minimal lasting side effects. The reviewers concluded it is effective and safe in the short term, but more research is needed to gauge long-term safety.
How Does CoolSculpting® Compare to Liposuction?
Sometimes people ask how CoolSculpting® compares to other fat-loss procedures like liposuction. It is important to distinguish that liposuction is a surgical procedure. It also isn’t intended as a substitute for weight loss and works best for people close to their healthy weight range. In contrast, CoolSculpting® is non-surgical and non-invasive.
This means to have traditional liposuction done; you will need to see a plastic surgeon who will use pain management techniques. Since CoolSculpting® is a non-invasive procedure, you may need a topical anesthetic, and other medical professionals, such as specially trained nurses, may administer the treatment.
CoolSculpting® is usually less expensive than liposuction since it isn’t surgical. However, there are limits to how much fat you lose per session. You can have more removed through liposuction, and the results are easier to predict. Still, a non-surgical option may be more attractive and cost-effective for someone who wants to lose stubborn little fat.
Schedule a Consultation to Experience it for Yourself
The Skin Center by CPS is the premier medspa of Charlotte Plastic Surgery. Besides the treatment areas mentioned above, we also offer CoolSculpting for double chin.
Together, we are committed to providing the most advanced aesthetic services, positive results, and exceptional patient care. While CPS is dedicated to plastic surgery, we specialize in non-surgical treatments, such as CoolSculpting®, Botox®, dermal fillers, and lasers.
Our team includes nurses specializing in cosmetic treatments. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
