Tightening and Toning Your Body: CoolSculpting
With summer quickly approaching, people are hitting the gym and eating their greens in an effort to feel tight, toned, and swimsuit ready. With the correct diet and exercise, most people can lose unwanted or excess body fat. Unfortunately, it is impossible to target specific areas of fat through exercise. As a result, no amount of effort in the gym can quickly erase certain areas of stubborn and immovable body fat.
Luckily, CoolSculpting, approved by the FDA in 2010, is an excellent option for anyone wanting to target persistent body fat areas that seem impervious to both diet and exercise.
Since its invention, CoolSculpting continues to gain attention and popularity as it is one of the few noninvasive alternatives to procedures like liposuction. If this sounds like something you’re interested in but still have questions or are unsure how to get started, keep reading.
This post breaks down everything you need to know about tightening and toning your body using CoolSculpting technology. Beginning with what it is, how it works, and finally weighing the options to determine if the procedure is worth the investment.
It is impossible to target specific areas of fat through exercise.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
According to the experts, fat is susceptible to temperature, particularly extreme temperatures. For example, when fat cells are frozen, they crystalize and go through apoptosis (cell death). The CoolSculpting machine uses controlled cooling to freeze and kill unwanted fat cells in patients. When the frozen fat cells die off, the body naturally eliminates them—leaving the skin tighter and toner than before.
Fat cells die at 39 degrees Fahrenheit/4 degrees Celsius. The CoolSculpting device reaches temperatures as low as 12 degrees Fahrenheit/-11 degrees Celsius to penetrate through the skin layers to target the fat cells beneath.
However, results are not visible for at least four weeks post-treatment. Typically, patients see a peak fat lass around week eight, and by 12 weeks post-treatment, patients experience complete fat loss in the treated area. Given that results after one treatment are usually inadequate for full-fat loss, you will need to factor in downtime of six to eight weeks between each of your treatments.
To account for this time, we recommend that you schedule your CoolSculpting sessions at least three to six months in advance of any special event that you have coming up.
WHAT AREAS CAN BE COOLSCULPTED?
The great news is that the CoolSculpting procedure is effective on both men and women. We often tell patients that the machine can target any area on their body that can be pinched. Some of the most popular places people like to treat are the double chin, inner or outer thighs, stomach, love handles, and back bugle.
Depending on the targeted area’s size, you will need between two and four treatments to experience permanent results. During your consultation, your technician will assess the site and provide an optimal recommendation specific to you. With each treatment that you have, the better results you will see.
WHO IS IT FOR?
CoolSculpting works best for patients who are within 5-20 pounds of their healthy body weight. It is not recommended for anyone that is significantly overweight or obese. Instead, the procedure is more for finely tuning and toning stubborn areas of body fat. Think lower tummy fat or the extra bulge above your sports bra line.
Frequent exercise and a balanced diet is the best way to keep unwanted weight gain at bay! CoolScuplting is the extra cherry on top.
HOW LONG DO RESULTS LAST?
Most patients should see complete fat loss between one to three months as this is how long the body takes to eliminate dead fat cells. With weight maintenance, the results from CoolSculpting are permanent, and the treated fat cells are gone for good.
However, we do like to emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy and controlled weight to see optimal results. Although CoolSculpting is a permanent fat reduction technology, patients must control weight. If patients gain a significant amount of weight post-treatment, the fat will just be misplaced somewhere else on the body.
WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE?
Depending on the treated area’s location, you may feel the sensation of pulling, tugging, pinching, intense cold, tingling, stinging, aching, or even cramping. However, most people describe the procedure as mildly uncomfortable but completely tolerable. It is so bearable that most patients can completely relax, enjoy a movie, or even nap during the process. While you kick back, your stubborn fat is dramatically reduced.
Further, the procedure is entirely noninvasive. As such, the risks are low, and the gain is high with up to a 25 percent reduction of fat in the treated area. There is little to no downtime following the procedure, and you will likely be able to go back to work and assume your normal day-to-day activities.
You may notice temporary redness, tingling, stinging, tenderness, or temporary numbness of the treated area, but this will quickly subside, usually within the week following the procedure.
IS IT WORTH IT?
Arguably 90 percent of CoolSculpting patients will say that the procedure is well worth the time and investment. If you are on the fence, know that tightening and toning your body is easily accessible and right at your fingertips! Imagine the confidence boost you will have after just a few short weeks with more minor bulging, a flatter stomach, or thinner/smoother thighs.
Feel free to reach out to us if you are interested and think you might be a good candidate for the procedure. Our goal is for each of our patients to look and feel their best with a tighter, more toned body.
At Wellspring Plastic Surgery we offer complimentary consultations to ensure our patients are completely informed, comfortable and receive the best results.
Call us at 512-600-2888 to set up your consultation!
