Coolsculpting
Even the fittest of us can have stubborn pockets of fat that just won’t go away, even with daily workouts and a healthy diet. Sounds familiar? If so, Coolsculpting may be for you! This non-surgical fat reduction system can help you reduce unwanted areas of fat without surgery, needles, or little to no downtime. Coolsculpting is the #1 non-surgical fat reduction treatment in the world, for a good reason. By freezing stubborn fat cells, Coolsculpting can help you reduce a stubborn muffin top, love handles, belly fat, double chin, and many other common problem areas without an invasive procedure. WalkerMD is proud to offer this highly effective, safe, FDA-approved procedure.
What is Coolsculpting?
The Coolsculpting procedure is FDA-approved for the treatment of visible fat bulges in various parts of your body. It is also FDA-approved to affect the appearance of lax tissue with submental area treatments. It is, however, not a treatment for weight loss. Coolsculpting relies on a technology by which fat cells are frozen and eliminated. The injured fat cells are gradually removed by the body over four to six months. During that time the fatty bulge decreases in size, with an average fat reduction of about 20%. Coolsculpting relies on a process known as “cryolipolysis,” a process that uses cold temperature to break down fat cells. The fat cells are particularly susceptible to the effects of cold, unlike other types of cells. While the fat cells “freeze,” the skin and other structures are spared from injury. This is one of the most popular nonsurgical fat reduction treatments, with over 450,000 procedures performed annually worldwide. The goal of cryolipolysis is to reduce the volume of fat in a fatty bulge. Some patients may opt to have more than one area treated or to retreat an area more than once. When the Coolsculpting device is applied to an area, controlled cooling essentially kills the targeted fat cells, which are then naturally eliminated by your body as waste over the next three months.
Coolsculpting is FDA-approved to target fat on the:
- Abdomen
- Bra rolls
- Back fat
- Buttocks (“banana roll”)
- Double chin (submental)
- Flanks (“muffin top” or “love handles”)
- Inner and outer thighs (“saddlebags”)
- Submandibular (under the jawline)
- Upper arms
Who is a Good Candidate for Coolsculpting?
Men and women alike are excellent candidates to have fat frozen in their submental area, abdomen, flanks, or thighs. Clients who wish to reduce a localized fat bulge that has persisted despite diet and exercise may be interested in cryolipolysis. Most patients are considered clients are considered great candidates unless you with cold-related conditions, like cryoglobulinemia, cold urticaris and paroxysmal cold hemoglobulinuria, in which case you should not undergo Coolsculpting. Patients with loose skin or poor tone may not be suitable candidates for the procedure either as the skin will not contract to fill the dead space left after fat freezing.
How is Coolsculpting Done?
After an assessment of the dimensions and shape of the fatty bulge to be treated, an applicator of the appropriate size and curvature is chosen. The area of concern is marked to identify the site for applicator placement. A gel pad is placed to protect the skin. The applicator is applied and the bulge is vacuumed into the hollow of the applicator. The temperature inside the applicator drops, and as it does so, the area numbs. Patients sometimes experience discomfort from the vacuum’s pull on their tissue, but this resolves within minutes, once the area is numb. Patients typically watch TV, use their smartphone, or read during the procedure. After the one-hour-long treatment, the vacuum turns off, the applicator is removed and the area is massaged, which may improve the final results.
Coolsculpting Recovery
There are no activity restrictions. Clients sometimes feel sore, as if they had worked out. Rarely do clients experience pain. If that happens, you should contact our office to possibly obtain a pain medication prescription from Dr. Walker, which is rarely necessary. The complication rate is low and the satisfaction rate is high. There is a risk of surface irregularities and asymmetry. Patients may not get the result they hoped for. Rarely, in less than one percent, patients may have paradoxical fat hyperplasia, which is an unexpected increase in the number of fat cells. This is three times more likely in men than in women and is seen more in those of Hispanic or Latino descent.
Schedule Your Consultation
Coolsculpting is a great procedure to help many individuals feel more confident in their appearance. If you are looking to learn more about this procedure to get rid of stubborn fat in various parts of your body, contact us today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Walker.
