Nearly half of all adults in the United States attempted to lose weight in 2021. Exercise and dieting are still the preferred options for dealing with unwanted body fat, but there are instances when not even these can offer the right results.
If you have been struggling with stubborn body fat that exercise and dieting do not diminish, turning to CoolSculpting could be the right choice. Learn more about this non-surgical procedure and the benefits it can offer.
What Is CoolSculpting?
CoolSculpting is a fat freezing treatment that can remove stubborn fat in certain areas of the body. The method is also known as cryolipolysis, and the FDA approved it in 2010.
Cryolipolysis works by freezing fat cells, breaking them down as the cells die so that your lymphatic system can eliminate them. Fat cells are more affected by cold temperatures than other kinds of cells, so the process does not harm other tissues or skin cells.
CoolSculpting is a non-surgical and non-invasive procedure with a high success rate that does not use needles. At our center, we use two special paddles that we apply to the treatment area. The paddles cool quickly, destroying anywhere from 20% to 25% of fat cells in the targeted location.
This is not a weight-loss treatment. We recommend it to people who have tried exercising and dieting without being able to remove pockets of fat in certain areas. The most common areas we treat are:
- Inner and outer thighs
- Submental area (under the chin)
- Distal thighs
- Belly
- Back
- Sides
- Along the bra line
- Upper arms
Those who benefit most from treatment are people who are patient, since results can take two to three months to appear, and people who can pair this treatment with a healthy lifestyle. Both men and women of all skin types can benefit from this option.
Women who are pregnant or nursing, people who are obese, or those who cannot handle the cold well should speak with us about alternative treatments. We also do not perform cryolipolysis on areas that have varicose veins, rashes, lesions, or nerve problems.
Benefits of CoolSculpting
Fat freezing procedures like cryolipolysis have no downtime because they are non-surgical. The appointments are quick, usually about 30 minutes, making it possible for you to return to your daily life right after.
CoolSculpting allows us to offer patients customized treatments. We can target the exact areas you are struggling with, and we can even incorporate other aesthetic procedures, like laser hair removal, into the session.
Fat freezing procedures are permanent. Once we complete treatment, you do not have to worry about regular maintenance appointments. By pairing cryolipolysis with diet and exercise, you should be able to maintain your results.
Preparing for CoolSculpting
The first thing you have to do is schedule a consultation with us. Together, we will decide on the treatment options you can benefit the most from. We will ask for your medical history and whether you have undergone cosmetic procedures of this type before.
A week before the appointment, you want to stop taking blood-thinning medications like ibuprofen, aspirin, St. John’s wort, and fish oil. If you take these or any other medications, let us know.
You will also want to ensure you do not tan the treatment area and that it is not damaged. If you smoke, stop at least a week before the CoolSculpting session. Smoking can delay the healing process.
On the Day of Treatment
Wear loose clothing to the appointment. Eat a light meal or snack before the fat freezing treatment, but abstain from coffee right before the appointment. Although you will not be able to move around much as we perform the cryolipolysis, you can read a book or use your phone.
We will take pictures of the treatment area before beginning the session. Then, we will mark the placement of the applicator, giving you time to confirm the results you want.
To protect your skin, we apply a special gel, and then we place the applicator. Depending on the number of areas we are treating at one time, the appointment can last between 30 minutes to a few hours.
Once treatment is over and we remove the applicator, we will massage the area to help destroy more fat cells. If you have treatment in areas other than your thighs or arms, we will also give you a compression binder to wear. It provides comfort, but you can stop wearing it at any time.
You can return to your normal activities right after the procedure.
After Treatment
After the fat freezing procedure, you will start slowly seeing a reduction in the thickness of fat layers in the area. You can begin seeing changes after just three weeks, but the most dramatic results will appear after three months. The fat-eliminating process can continue for up to six months.
If you prefer, you can schedule a follow-up appointment after those first three months to take more pictures and see the progress. At that time, we can schedule additional treatments.
Get Rid of Stubborn Fat
A cryolipolysis procedure like CoolSculpting allows you to target those pockets of fat that not even exercise and dieting have removed. This non-surgical and non-invasive fat freezing procedure offers permanent results that can leave the treatment areas looking more toned and sculpted.
At Laser Skin Solutions Jacksonville in Jacksonville, FL, we offer the latest in body sculpting, including CoolSculpting and TruSculpt 3D. With our state-of-the-art facility and our soothing environment, we can help you achieve the fat-reduction results you want. Schedule a consultation today.