woman getting a coolsculpting treatment

Coolsculpting – What You Need to Know

The lower abdomen and the inner thighs are two of the most difficult places of the body to tone. Even if you follow a strict diet or exercise routine, you might find it hard to achieve the look that you desire. With that in mind, the aesthetics industry has found and developed lots of different techniques and approaches that target these two areas, in particular, to slim them down and help tone the body in the best possible way.

One such treatment that is very popular and in-demand is Coolsculpting. For those who are unaware of this procedure, it is highly sought after as it is a nonsurgical approach with great results. It literally freezes the fat cells in difficult areas, such as the thighs and the lower abdomen.

Here is everything you need to know about this treatment.

What is Coolsculpting?

Coolsculpting, also known as Cryolipolysis, as of 2021 was the number one noninvasive body sculpting treatment in the world. As the numbers show, there have been over 4 million treatment cycles, 75 published papers, and over 500 study patients. That is more in every category than any other noninvasive body contouring device. This treatment, which is performed using an FDA-cleared Coolsculpting device uses cold to destroy the fat cells in a particularly targeted area. No sedation is needed, compared to liposuction. With each treatment, the fat is reduced by 20-24% percent on average.

What does the treatment consist of?

With any treatment where you are working to decrease weight or burn fat, you need to have the before and the after results. So, it is more than evident that this treatment starts with taking measurements plus photographs of the desired area that is going to be targeted for slimming. There is a special applicator that is detached from the CoolSculpting device and is then attached to the area of the unwanted fat. This applicator is chosen based on the size, shape, and pinchability of the fat. The applicators have a degree of suction. The applicator for the outer tights is flat, without suction, and is also commonly used on the flanks. It is applied so that there is no space between its surface and the surface of the skin, and at the same time, comes the cold. When the cold is coming through the device, there is feedback to the device and it can be automatically adjusted.

This type of treatment usually lasts about 35 minutes but can take up to about 75 minutes based on the area being done. The cold that is sent from the device, freezes the fat, it then starts to crystalize. When the applicator is moved to some other area, the treated area needs to be massaged manually or treated with radio waves, because that is the way to break the crystals.

What makes this treatment very popular is that there is no downtime. When the treatment is done, you can go home or continue with the errands that you have scheduled for the day. This is one of those treatments that can be done continuously so that you can achieve the look that you want. The first results are visible after one month, but the best way is to keep up with the treatment for at least three months when you will see the real results. You can also expect to lose between 20 to 24 percent of the fat cells in the targeted treatment area.

How long do the results last?

The results from Coolsculpting are very long-lasting. This is because the fat cells after puberty, the stem cell capabilities that produce fat cells turn off. That is why the number of fat cells at age of 18 is most commonly the number of fat cells that you have the rest of your life. Throughout life, as we gain or lose weight, these fat cells can either expand or contract, but their number never changes. When the cells are exposed to Coolsculpting, around 20-24 percent of them solidify, freeze and then die as a result of the treatment. The body needs about 3 months to fully dispose of the treated fat cells, but when they are gone, that is final and they will not return.

Who is the candidate for Coolsculpting?

woman pinching abdominal fatYou may be a candidate for Coolsculpting if you are close to the weight you want to be but have resistant areas of fat that won’t go away either with exercise or diet. This is a treatment that can be used for your chin, upper arms, inner and outer thighs, knees, bra bulges, back fat, flanks, and waist and abdomen. All of those who are in the process of losing weight close to their goal or want to remove fat and change shape are candidates and suitable for Coolsculpting.

On the other hand, people who suffer from conditions such as cryoglobulinemia, cold agglutinin disease, and paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria should avoid it. It can cause serious complications to people with these disorders.

What are the risks of Coolsculpting?

Like all treatments, Coolsculpting too has some possible risks. However, they are temporary and are resolved within a few weeks. Some of these risks include redness after the treatment, mild swelling, bruising, tenderness, numbness, or dull sensation that can last for about 1-2 weeks. There can also be some sensitivity or tingling around the area that is treated.

There is the possibility of a rare side effect, paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH). This is an increase in fat at the treatment site. The risk is 1/20,000 or 0.0051%, making this an uncommon event. There are treatments for it in the unlikely event it occurs.

How much does Coolsculpting cost?

The price of the Coolsculpting varies and depends on how many cycles will be included in the treatment as well the areas you wanted to be treated. Your cost will vary based on your personalized treatment plan. The typical range is from $600 to $4700 with the average being $2400 It will also vary by the experience level of your provider and their practice location. Some providers have special pricing for a series of procedures or offer payment plans, so be sure to ask.

Overall.

Coolsculpting is a non-invasive, FDA-approved treatment that can help you lose those last few inches. Coolsculpting uses controlled cooling to eliminate fat cells without damage to the surrounding tissue. There’s no surgery or downtime involved, so you can get back to your everyday life immediately. Contact us today for more information.

 

 

References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/coolsculpting-risks
https://premierecenters.com/2020/04/01/how-much-fat-can-you-lose-with-coolsculpting/
https://www.healthline.com/health/coolsculpting-does-it-work
https://www.healthline.com/health/cool-sculpting-cost
https://www.realself.com/nonsurgical/coolsculpting#who’s-a-good-candidate