CoolSculpting® 101

COMMON QUESTIONS

CoolSculpting® is FDA-cleared for the treatment of visible fat bulges in the submental (under the chin) and submandibular (under the jawline) areas, thigh, abdomen, and flank, along with bra fat, back fat, underneath the buttocks (also known as banana roll), and upper arm. It is also FDA-cleared to affect the appearance of lax tissue with submental area treatments. CoolSculpting® is not a treatment for weight loss.

What is CoolSculpting?

CoolSculpting is a body-contouring treatment developed by Harvard scientists that uses a process known as cryolipolysis to target and freeze fat cells. This freezing process effectively eliminates pockets of stubborn fat from the body that won’t respond to diet and fitness alone.

Does CoolSculpting Really Work?

Extensive research and testing in clinical trials has proven that CoolSculpting, or cryolipolysis really works. In 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved CoolSculpting for the removal of unwanted fat from the flanks. Two years later, the device was approved for the safe, effective removal of unwanted abdominal fat. Today, CoolSculpting is approved to treat stubborn unwanted fat in 9 FDA approved areas.

CoolSculpting is the gold standard in non-invasive body sculpting. Furthermore, due to the non-invasive nature of this treatment, many people are choosing Coolsculpting over liposuction. Although individual results vary, you can expect this effective fat removal tool to remove 20 to 25% of unwanted fat from large areas and up to 80% of unwanted fat from small areas.

What Areas of The Body Can CoolSculpting Treat?

CoolSculpting is FDA-cleared for the treatment of visible fat bulges in several areas of the body, like the abdomen, flanks, thighs, chin area, underneath the buttocks, upper arm, and back areas. A good place to start is to ask yourself what is your area of most concern.

How Does CoolSculpting Work?

During your treatment, specialized applicators are applied to the treatment area and cooled to a freezing temperature for 35-45 minutes until the fat cells are destroyed. Fat cells freeze before tissue, muscle, and skin, so the surrounding area is unaffected by the cooling effect. The initial sensation can feel a little achy but subsides after a few minutes. Once the fat cells are frozen, they die, and over the next few months and the body eliminates them naturally.

How Long Does a CoolSculpting Treatment Take?

Your treatment session may take anywhere from 35 minutes to a few hours depending on the areas you are trying to target. For example, treatment around the chin and jawline takes around 35 minutes. Contrastingly, areas of the back, abdomen, arms and thighs, could take several hours.

During your consultation, we will discuss your aesthetic goals with you and evaluate your current body fat distribution to give you a better idea.

How Quickly Will I See the Results of This CoolSculpting Treatment?

Most people enjoy the final results of treatment within one to three months of their final treatment session. The frozen fat cells are metabolized out of our lymphatic system post treatment. If your lymphatic system is slow due to illness or an unhealthy lifestyle, it may take up to six months to see the final results of your treatment.

How Many CoolSculpting Treatments Will I Need to Achieve My Desired Results?

You will need between one and three treatment sessions to achieve your desired results. Most people who are within 10 pounds of their goal weight will only need one session per area for satisfactory results. People who are 11 to 30 pounds away from their ideal weight may need two or three sessions per targeted area depending on their body fat distribution.

How Does CoolSculpting Compare to Liposuction?

CoolSculpting is far more convenient than liposuction. Even though only one procedure is needed to achieve your ideal results, liposuction is considered inconvenient for many people because of the downtime. With CoolSculpting, you don’t have to take any time off from work to recover and only minimal preparation is required.

How Should I Prepare for CoolSculpting?

It is true that CoolSculpting® helps you get rid of fat, but it is NOT a weight loss treatment. Typically, it is recommended for patients who are within 10 pounds of their target weight. Patients can stop taking NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, and other blood-thinning drugs and supplements for three days before treatment to minimize risk of bruising. Patients should be well hydrated and have eaten a light meal or snack prior to treatment.

Am I a Good Candidate for CoolSculpting?

The best candidates for this Body Sculpting treatment are those who are at or near their goal weight but their diet and fitness efforts have fallen short and have rendered them unable to lose those last few pounds on their own.

Our experts will advise you during your initial consultation whether CoolSculpting is appropriate for you. Although the FDA has approved CoolSculpting, it is not for everyone. You should not be treated with CoolSculpting® if you suffer from cryoglobulinemia, cold agglutinin disease, or paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria. Tell your provider if you have any medical conditions including recent surgery, pre-existing hernia, and any known sensitivities or allergies or if you plan to become pregnant.

Schedule Your Initial Consultation

If you are ready to undergo a non-invasive treatment with no downtime that will effectively remove those stubborn pockets a fat on your body, don’t wait any longer. Contact us today at Urban Allure in San Francisco, CA, and schedule your initial CoolSculpting consultation.

CoolSculpting® Important Information

Indications

The CoolSculpting® procedure is FDA-cleared for the treatment of visible fat bulges in the thigh, abdomen and flank, along with bra fat, back fat, underneath the buttocks (also known as banana roll), and upper arm in patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of ≤ 30 and in submental and submandibular areas in patients with a BMI of ≤ 46.2. It is also FDA-cleared to affect the appearance of lax tissue with submental area treatments.

Important Safety Information

CoolSculpting® is contraindicated in patients with cryoglobulinemia, cold agglutinin disease, or paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria.

Ask your patient about any medical conditions including recent surgery, pre-existing hernia, and any known sensitivities or allergies.

During the procedure patients may experience sensations of pulling, tugging, mild pinching, intense cold, tingling, stinging, aching, and cramping at the treatment site. These sensations subside as the area becomes numb. Following the procedure, typical side effects include temporary redness, swelling, blanching, bruising, firmness, tingling, stinging, tenderness, cramping, aching, itching, or skin sensitivity, and sensation of fullness in the back of the throat after submental or submandibular area treatment.

Rare side effects may also occur. Paradoxical hyperplasia (visibly enlarged tissue volume in the treated area) may develop 2-5 months after treatment and requires surgical intervention for correction.

As with any medical procedure, a consultation should be done by a licensed healthcare professional to determine if the patient is a candidate for treatment. Consult the CoolSculpting® System User Manual for a complete list of Contraindications, Warnings, Precautions, and potential side effects. Treatment applications that deviate from the guidelines are not recommended.