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Looking for an effective, non-invasive way to take care of that little fat bulge that no amount of exercise seems to get rid of?
Have you ever heard about Coolsculpting? No? Take a look at the what this innovative procedure has to offer.
“I like to tell patients what CoolSculpting is not,” says Dr. Miriam Hanson, board certified Dermatologist and cosmetic expert at Sanova Dermatology. “Coolsculpting is not a weight loss procedure. This is for those who are in the process of losing weight and are within 20-30 pounds of their ideal weight. This is also for someone who is at their ideal weight, but battles with one or two problem areas, where the fat seems to be more resistant to normal diet and exercise techniques.” In general, patients do not lose weight after this procedure, it is strictly a sculpting tool.
CoolSculpting employs a technique called cryolipolysis. Essentially, it destroys fat cells via extreme cooling. Since this treats small problem areas, the fatty area is sucked in via a vacuum device and compressed between two cooling plates. Those plates then put that section into a kind of deep freeze.
The cold temperatures destroy approximately 20% of the fat cells. The fat cells die, and the fat that they stored is released into the body to be burned off. As adults, we do not generate any more fat cells, so this is a permanent result. This is an effective alternative to liposuction.
Sounds to good to be true? Most people wonder if CoolSculpting causes pain, bruising and downtime, or if there are any risks associated with this procedure?”
After having the CoolSculpting procedure performed, an individual may experience some redness and slight bruising. The bruising results from the vacuuming of the skin, similar to a hickey (you remember those, right?) Some minimal numbness may also occur and it generally resolves in about a week. “These are all expected and common aftereffects, but should not require any downtime or significant time off for recovery,” says Dr. Hanson. Many patients report they experience no adverse effects afterward.
Approximately 1% of patients report having pain that requires medication. This is a rare occurrence, however. If a person would have liposuction performed instead, the chances of needing pain medication would be closer to 100%. So CoolSculpting is by far the better choice in this regard.
Does this procedure sound like something that you would like to explore more? Call our office to consult with our staff and schedule your Zeltiq CoolSculpting consultation.