Coolsculpting for Fat Loss and Body Contouring
May 31, 2022
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Adrienne Stewart MD
Adrienne Stewart MD
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If you struggle with pockets of fat in certain areas of your body that just don’t seem to respond to diet and exercise, you may be looking for a solution to remove them.
Many fat removal treatments are available, including traditional liposuction, radiofrequency treatments, and cryolipolysis. All of these have their advantages and disadvantages. However, many of our patients find that cryolipolysis — or CoolSculpting — works well and targets the fat cells they seek to get rid of.
CoolSculpting is a revolutionary, FDA-approved non-surgical treatment that can target stubborn pockets of fat that form in various areas of the body, including the abdomen, love handles, thighs, upper arms, and back. It involves no downtime, and patients can return to their normal activities immediately following an appointment.
Results become evident over the next two months, as the body naturally eliminates the damaged fat cells through the lymphatic system.
CoolSculpting can reduce body fat in specific areas through the use of a specialized device. This device cools subcutaneous fat cells to a temperature at which fat freezes.
Once a fat cell has been successfully frozen, it will die. In the next few weeks, the body processes the fat lipids out through the lymphatic system, resulting in a slimmer physique. Optimal results often appear within three months of the procedure.
It’s important to understand that CoolSculpting is not a substitution for weight loss. While you may lose a few pounds due to the loss of fat cells, its real impact can be seen through body contouring results.
The device can effectively eliminate pockets of fat that appear in certain areas that don’t respond well to diet and exercise. To obtain the best results with CoolSculpting, you should be within your recommended weight range.
Patients who undergo CoolSculpting should also understand that the results may not be permanent, especially if they don’t follow a regular diet and exercise program. Staying at a normal weight without significant fluctuations can help you maintain your results.
There are several advantages to undergoing CoolSculpting, including the following:
While traditional liposuction requires sedation and incisions followed by a significant recovery period, CoolSculpting is an entirely non-surgical body contouring procedure. This means that there are no incisions made into the body. There is also no need for sedation.
The process is generally comfortable once the patient has adjusted to the temperature of the cooling device. CoolSculpting is ideal for those who can’t afford to take off long periods from work or other responsibilities to recover from cosmetic surgery.
Provided that the patient maintains their weight and follows a diet and exercise routine, the results obtained from CoolSculpting are permanent. Once a fat cell is killed off during the procedure, it does not reappear.
However, new fat cells can appear if you gain weight. These may appear in the area targeted during your initial CoolSculpting treatment.
Once our patients see the results of their CoolSculpting procedure, they are often more motivated to follow a healthy lifestyle. Losing fat in places that have plagued you for a long time can be a huge confidence booster. This can keep you motivated to stick to a healthy diet and minimize junk food and alcohol consumption.
Women and men who have fat pockets in certain areas of the body may feel uncomfortable in more revealing clothing, such as swimwear. However, eliminating these fat pockets can allow for greater comfort in clothing choices such as bikinis or swim trunks.
For those who struggle with love handles, reducing them with CoolSculpting can eliminate muffin tops and result in a sleeker physique.
Before undergoing Zeltiq CoolSculpting, you’ll meet with Dr. Adrienne Stewart for a full consultation. During the consultation, you’ll discuss the goals you are seeking to achieve through the use of CoolSculpting and the areas you wish to target during the procedure.
Be prepared to provide our team with your full medical history and a list of all medications you are currently taking. This will allow us to ensure that you are a good candidate for the treatment.
On the day of your Zeltiq CoolSculpting appointment, you’ll lie down on our table, and Dr. Stewart will map out the areas to be targeted with the CoolSculpting device with a pen. A protective gel pad will be laid over your skin before a paddle is applied to the treatment area.
The CoolSculpting device sucks the skin and fat in the area into the paddle, which lowers the temperature of the area to approximately 14 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are treating multiple areas, you can expect paddles to be moved to different parts of your body during the appointment.
Once a paddle is removed, you may see the skin have a lumpy appearance where the paddle holds the skin and fat together. Our team will gently massage the area to bring it back to a normal temperature and encourage the body to eliminate dead fat cells through its natural processes.
The length of a single CoolSculpting procedure is generally an hour or less. If you are treating multiple areas, you may require more time with the device. Depending on your starting percentage of body fat, you may require multiple sessions before you see the results you are looking for.
Dr. Adrienne Stewart, MD, and the Office of Aesthetic Surgery and Dermatology in Denver, CO, offers Zeltiq CoolSculpting for those seeking a sleeker physique through body contouring.
To find out more about the procedure and determine whether you are a good candidate for CoolSculpting, reach out to schedule a consultation. We’ll be happy to discuss your goals and establish a treatment plan for you.