CoolSculpting® is the brand name for a process approved by the FDA in 2010 known as cryolipolysis. The process has been shown to eliminate stubborn fat by freezing and killing the cells. Because fat freezes at a higher temperature than the skin does, fat cells can be frozen without affecting nearby skin in the process.
During the procedure, a device will be used that holds the targeted area between two paddles, and these two paddles cool down very quickly and are then left in place for a desired amount of time. After the time has elapsed, approximately 25% of the fat cells in the target area will have been destroyed. Over several weeks following the procedure, the body’s natural processes will slowly eliminate the dead fat cells, leaving a trimmer, more fit-looking body. New York City residents are fortunate to have an outstanding CoolSculpting® clinic in NY at the Bared Monkey center, where expert staffers and the most modern equipment await.
What can CoolSculpting® do for you?
CoolSculpting® does better than any other process, removing fat from areas of the body that are typically challenging to reduce weight. For instance, areas like love handles, the lower tummy, the area around the bra line, and the upper thighs are generally very resistant to dropping weight.
Even a regular exercise program will generally not dislodge these unwanted pounds; it takes something special to address them. Something special is CoolSculpting®, which reduces well-defined fat bulges from stubborn areas. Since it’s one of the least invasive and safest procedures available, CoolSculpting® has soared in popularity over the past few years and is now being offered at many clinics around the country.
One thing it is not is a weight-loss strategy – the procedure specifically intends to remove stubborn pockets of fat from hard-to-treat areas of the body. However, it is not a general strategy for losing weight. It’s also such a comfortable and pain-free process that many patients fall asleep during the procedure.
Since the procedure is non-surgical, there is also no recovery time necessary, and a person being treated can resume their normal activities right after a session. The person can even drive home after undergoing CoolSculpting®. When coupled with a program that includes a healthy diet and regular exercise, CoolSculpting® can help you achieve your ideal appearance and a level of fitness that may have been out of reach.
The CoolSculpting® procedure
Through cryolipolysis, fat cells are frozen in place, which effectively kills the fat cells near the skin’s surface. It is not intended as a weight loss strategy and is instead designed to remove pockets of fat from areas of the body that are difficult to impact via exercise.
The procedure involves applying a gel to the target area to protect nearby skin. Doctors or technicians will use special applicators to cool the skin around the target area. This cold is kept between 30 minutes and two hours to kill off the fat cells in the area, with no damage occurring to the skin, nerves, or muscles.
Over the next one or two months, the dead fat cells will be eliminated by the body, and the patient should see a 20% reduction in fat in the targeted area. Normally, it will require several such sessions for the patient to see a fat reduction in the neighborhood of 50% or 60%, thus leaving the area looking much more toned and fit. In most cases, the procedure is not covered by health insurance, so patients will be obliged to pay out-of-pocket costs.
Questions people often ask.
Many people are unfamiliar with the CoolSculpting® process, so it is only natural to have questions about the procedure and what it can do for them. Below are some of the most commonly asked questions, along with the appropriate answers:
- Who Can Be Treated? – The procedure is primarily intended for patients unable to remove persistent pockets of fat through diet and exercise, usually because those areas simply don’t respond to exercise. It is not the best fit for patients who have loose skin or poor skin tone, for those who can’t handle cold conditions very well, for obese persons, pregnant or nursing patients, and it should not be used on patients who have varicose veins, nerve issues, or rashes and lesions.
- Does It Work? – CoolSculpting® works, and scientific studies have shown that it reduces fat in target areas by between 10% and 25%. It is safe and effective and causes no damage to the body while delivering no side effects that would last longer than a day. There are virtually no risks associated with the treatment, provided it is only used on those considered good candidates for the process.
- Are Results Permanent? – Provided that a program of exercise and a healthy diet are maintained after undergoing CoolSculpting®, the results can be permanent. Since the fat cells are killed off and eliminated from the body, they cannot grow back and will not re-appear. If you can maintain your weight after CoolSculpting®, the fat lost during the procedure will stay off permanently, so there won’t be any need to repeat the process.
- How Much Do I Need to Pay for CoolSculpting®? – Anyone considering CoolSculpting® as a way to remove fat from certain body areas should be prepared to pay the entire procedure cost themselves. Insurance carriers typically do not underwrite the cost because it is considered a cosmetic, and therefore optional, procedure. Actual costs will depend on the body part(s) being treated, how many sessions will be needed to achieve desired results and the specific part of the country where treatment is aimed at. Typically, a CoolSculpting® treatment procedure will cost between $2,000 and $6,000, depending on the abovementioned factors.
- Does It Hurt? – Most patients who undergo the procedure have described CoolSculpting® as being somewhat akin to having the skin pulled or tugged on and feeling the device’s intense cold. There is sometimes also some soreness in the affected area, as though you have been through a good workout, and there have also been some reports of mild pain which quickly dissipates afterward.
- Is the Procedure Safe? – The CoolSculpting® process is 100% safe and effective, which is one reason the FDA approved it for usage in 2010. There are no known serious risks associated with the procedure, and it has never caused any major patient issues.
- How Many Sessions Will I Need? – This will depend on the patient’s expectations of the process. As mentioned above, each CoolSculpting® session can remove up to 25% of the fat cells in a given area, so a single session will be needed if this is a patient’s objective. However, if someone is trying to remove all the fat cells from your love handles, it will be necessary to schedule several sessions, removing 25% during each session.
- How Much Fat Can the Procedure Remove? – Any given session can remove somewhere between 10% and 25% of all the fat cells in the target area. So, if 25% of the fat cells on your thighs have been removed, there would be 75% remaining. The next session would remove as much as 25% of that remaining 75%, and the rest would have to be removed in subsequent sessions.
- What Happens to the Fat? – The body will gradually eliminate the dead fat cells over one to four months. This is the best way to remove the fat because it doesn’t require effort or intervention. You will gradually notice that the target areas have become slimmer and that the fat has been permanently eliminated.
- How Can You Maintain the Results? – The best way to maintain the results achieved through CoolSculpting® is to begin a program that includes regular exercise and a healthy diet. By maintaining overall body weight, a person should be able to keep the fat from returning to the target area where fat cells were recently killed off.
Summary
Not everyone is a candidate for CoolSculpting®, but anyone looking to remove some stubborn areas of fat around your thighs, love handles, tummy, or chin, may be a good candidate for the process. You can expect that several sessions might be needed, but once you’ve achieved the fat loss you wanted, the results will be permanent.
For individuals looking for a CoolSculpting® clinic in NY, Bared Monkey in New York City is the best place to go. Here you’ll find expert technicians who provide all the attention you deserve and answer all questions. Contact us today so we can arrange for an initial consultation, at which we can discuss your hopes and expectations about the process. We have the most advanced equipment and knowledgeable and experienced staff to make the experience the best.
