CoolSculpting®

During the procedure, a non-invasive gel pad is applied to the surface of the skin in the area where fat is to be treated. A non-invasive applicator draws the fat tissue into a vacuum cup and delivers the controlled cooling. Initially you’ll experience some squeezing, tingling and some “cold stinging” as your body adjusts to the drop in temperature, but after about 5-10 minutes most people just report numbness. A constant sensation of “pulling” or suction is sometimes felt. To keep the applicator in place, you will not be able to make sudden motions or significant changes in position. So be ready to sit still. You can take the time to read, listen to music, use the computer, or what many patients do…take a nap!

This is what is really nice about CoolSculpting®…there is no downtime! After the procedure, you can resume your normal activities- we have had patients in the gym running, swimming, and lifting weights within 1-2 hours after a treatment! Some surface redness may last for a few minutes to a few hours, much as if you had iced a sore muscle. The treated area will feel a little hard or rigid, but this passes quickly as well. Some localized bruising may occur, which will clear up in a few weeks. (I didn’t experience any though I bruise easily.) Many people experience a temporary dulling of sensation in the treated area that may last 1-8 weeks. After an abdominal treatment, many patients will complain of some discomfort, like a muscle ache or cramp, which may last for up to a few weeks but gradually resolves. Clinical studies confirm the selective reduction of fat with evidence of gradual thinning of the fat layer over a period of two to four months. More importantly, cryolipolysis has not produced any significant adverse side effects in the studies to date. The noted effects have been minor and temporary. (1)

Studies show a 20-30% reduction of fat, 3-4 months after treatment, although most patients will report that they start feeling less fat in the treated area in about 2 months. At the 3 month point, photos are repeated and it is possible to undergo an additional treatment if further reduction is desired. Some folks are in a big hurry to lose the fat. No matter what medicine does, we can’t change the laws of human biology. Your body will take its own time to digest the frozen fat. But the upside is that what you will experience, and what others will see, is a natural reduction of fat. In a study profiling a total of 1445 patients, the mean time from the procedure to an objective outcome evaluation was 3.83 months with the mean reduction in subcutaneous fat tissue of 19.55% when compared to a designated control site on the patient’s body. (2)

CoolSculpting® permanently destroys the fat cells in the treated area. The eliminated fat cells cannot grow back. However, remaining fat cells can grow larger if more calories are taken in than are burned up through daily activities and exercise.

CoolSculpting® works only on fat and does not work to improve loose skin. Therefore, if you are worried about loose skin and have tummy fat, it may be better to consider LaserLipo as the permanent fat reduction method, since LaserLipo also improves skin tightness.

That’s really impossible to tell without a consultation in person with the doctor. Generally speaking, CoolSculpting® is appropriate for fat elimination if you are within 10-30 lbs. of your ideal body weight and your skin is firm and tight. Look at the RealSelf review about CoolSculpting® above to get an insight by someone who has had the procedure. If you’re not exactly in this zone but are still interested in the procedure, perhaps because of a medical condition, then listen to what we say about realistic expectations for results. Keep in mind, at the New You Center we’re here to help you find solutions to your bodysculpting problems, not just sell you a therapy because we have a machine. That’s not how we work because that’s not good medicine. All bodysculpting is a medical procedure requiring a physician diagnosis. You wouldn’t just go buy a new hear procedure you saw on the news based on price and what you read on a medical website now would you? Unfortunately there are providers out there more than willing to sell you a procedure to make a buck. As a physician my job is to help you make informed decisions. I’ll be honest about the results you can expect with whatever procedure you decide upon. I want you to consider your options, even if that means sending you to another physician to get the results you want.

They are very different, especially since CoolSculpting® actually creates permanent loss of fat cells, while Zerona causes a temporary decrease in the size of fat cells! CoolSculpting® uses cryolipolysis (fat freezing) to permanently destroy the fat cells in the treated area. About 25% of the fat layer has been demonstrated to be removed with a single treatment, although it is possible to have additional treatments if you desire more fat to be permanently eliminated. Zerona uses low level laser beams to place a temporary opening in fat cells to “leak out” some of the stored fat and thereby shrink the cell. The cell is still intact and has the potential to get larger again by storing fat if more calories are consumed than are burned up during the course of a day. Therefore, it is possible to lose and regain fat repetitively in the same area over time since the fat cells are never permanently removed. Generally a minimum of 6 Zerona sessions are recommended, and it is possible to repeat sessions if the fat is regained. Zerona states it uses a “cold laser” since the patient does not perceive heat (which is generally felt when a laser is used), but this should not be confused with Cool Sculpting®, which actually uses controlled cooling to permanently destroy fat.

We no longer offer Liposonix®, although it is an alternative to CoolSculpting® and Laser Lipo/SmartLipo®. The reason we discontinued use was:

1. Patients experienced significant levels of discomfort compared with CoolSculpting® and Laser Lipo/SmartLipo®.
2. Unsatisfactory results compared with CoolSculpting. One clinical study showed an average reduction of 14.67% to 28.5% with CoolSculpting® while the reduction experienced using ultrasound (Liposonix) was only 10.3% to 25.5%. More pain and less gain just didn’t seem like a good clinical trade off for the patient. (3)

LaserLipo/SmartLipo® goes by various brand names but they are all laser assisted lipolysis or laser liposuction. They all use a 1mm laser fiber inserted under the skin using an equally tiny hole. The heat melts the fat cells turning them into an oily substance that is removed by aspiration. The heat seals off blood vessels significantly reducing bruising. The heat also stimulates collagen production in the treated area, tightening the skin in the treated area. LaserLipo is great if:

1. You want a one and done procedure.
2. You have a bit more subcutaneous fat to remove than CoolSculpting can handle.
3. You want to the added skin tightening.

CoolSculpting is great if:

1. You don’t like the idea of even a minimally invasive procedure.
2. You have a medical condition that counter indicates LaserLipo.
3. You don’t mind sitting for multiple sessions.

Either procedure is the “right choice” depending on your circumstances and your goals. Choice is good!

CoolSculpting® has evolved significantly since I was the first aesthetic physician in Ohio to offer it. Zeltiq has developed multiple applicators. I have all of them so you don’t have to worry we can freeze fat in arms and inner thighs and lots of other places like visible fat bulges in the submental area, thigh, abdomen and flank, along with bra fat, back fat, underneath the buttocks (also known as banana roll), upper arm and even double chin. If you’re not sure feel free to give us a call and ask. A study showed that for arms and thighs there was a significant reduction of 0.41 and 0.72 cm respectively.(4) Another study showed that using the conformable  applicator 86% were satisfied with cryolypolysis for their lateral thighs with an equal percent noticing visible fat reduction. 97% would undergo a second treatment. A panel of three physicians could identify the effects of treatment in 87% of these cases in a blind study where they had to select the before and after pictures.(5)