Does Fat Freezing Really Work?
Coolsculpting seems to be everywhere these days. The commercials show smiling people running their hands over trim bellies and thighs tempting you to give it a try. We have a lot of people who come into the office because of these ads and most echo the same questions. Here are a few of the frequently asked questions we get:
DOES COOLSCULPTING WORK?
This is by far the number one question and the answer is YES! You’re born with your fat cells and they continue to develop through puberty. With that said, if you were to gain a lot of weight that fat needs to go somewhere. That could mean creating more fat in the squishy subcutaneous layer or as visceral fat, the fat behind your muscle wall around your organs in the abdominal area. There are three ideal ways of killing fat cells: freezing them, heating them, or sucking them out. Death of the cells means it is permanently gone. CoolSculpting treats your subcutaneous fat layer, that squishy pinchable fat, by cooling the fat cells down to an exact temperature until they freeze while not harming your skin in the process. Your body then gets rid of those dead cells through the lymphatic system. Each CoolSculpting treatment may kill up to 25% of the fat cells in the area we’ve treated. Most patients will need one to four treatments.
DOES COOLSCULPTING HURT?
There is a little discomfort for the first 5-10 minutes as the applicator is placed and the area is brought to the correct temperature. The feeling is similar to leaving an ice pack on an area for a little too long. It’s common to experience tingling, cramping, pinching, burning, or stinging sensations during the initial cool down. All of these feelings are normal and are usually temporary. After the first 5-10 minutes, these sensations subside and people are comfortable enough to read, watch a movie, catch up on emails, or even take a nap while snuggled under a cozy blanket. When the CoolSculpting applicator is finally removed, a 2-minute massage is done in the area to make your treatment more efficacious. In all honesty, this massage is not relaxing and can ache as the area warms back up.
HOW LONG DOES A TREATMENT TAKE TO PERFORM IN THE OFFICE?
Each applicator takes 35 minutes to complete. Most patients need multiple applicators in one treatment area. For example, most abdominal areas need 4 applicators per treatment. In this instance you will be at the office for about 3 ½ hours which includes pre- and post-treatment activities. Two applicators average 1 ½ hours.
WHAT ARE MY RESTRICTIONS AFTER COOLSCULPTING?
NONE - There is no downtime! Even if you feel a little sore, numb, or swollen afterward, there are no restrictions and you may continue with your daily life immediately after the treatment. We do recommend exercising and drinking plenty of water in the weeks following your CoolSculpting treatment.
HOW FAST WILL I SEE COOLSCULPTING RESULTS?
Most patients will start to notice their clothes feeling a little looser about 8 weeks after the first treatment. The final results are usually seen 12 weeks after your last treatment. Remember, this is not weight loss, it is fat loss! Think of it like this... take 20 cotton balls and put them on a scale; now remove seven of these cotton balls. You will see a loss of volume but the weight will not change significantly.
DOES THE FAT GO SOMEWHERE ELSE?
Once a fat cell is killed, it’s dead for good. If you should gain weight after your treatments the cells that remain in the treated and surrounding areas will expand, but those that were eliminated will not come back.
CoolSculpting is a great treatment for those individuals who have exercised and dieted but yet stubborn fat pockets still remain. Freezing fat should by no means be used as a weight-loss solution. It does work best on people who have a BMI (body mass index) of 30% or less and those who are close to their ideal weight. If you need help reaching a goal weight before trying CoolSculpting, our office can help by referring you to a provider who specializes in nutrition.
We would love to sit down with you and see if you’re a good candidate for CoolSculpting and answer any other questions you might have. Please feel free to call the office at 303-866-0180 to set up an in-office consultation.