Month: June 2019

Freezing Fat Away: What to Expect from CoolSculpting®

Every person has some degree of superficial fat, but we all store fat differently. Many people have discovered that frequent exercise and dieting that leads to overall weight loss may still not reduce resistant bulges of fat in specific areas, such as under the chin or on the flanks or abdomen. This may be explained by the fact that regardless of body type, we establish a set number of fat cells during our childhood and teenage years. These numbers stabilize in adulthood. When adults gain or lose weight, the fat cells are not changing in number, but are expanding or shrinking in volume.

Destroying fat cells, as with the cold from a CoolSculpting® treatment, actually changes the numbers, however.

Studies have shown that adipocytes (fat cells) are more sensitive to temperature changes than the surrounding muscle, skin, and more. The CoolSculpting® applicator impacts all of this tissue, but only the fat cells are irreparably damaged. The cooldown that kills the fat cells is followed by an additional massage that intensifies the process. Throughout this treatment, patients can read, take a nap, or even answer emails. Once it’s done, patients can return to their usual activities.

Before any of this, however, a member of the Germain Dermatology team will help you determine whether or not you are a good candidate for CoolSculpting® during a one-on-one consultation. This is also when you will work together to pinpoint problem areas and develop a personalized treatment plan that caters to your individual needs.

A non-invasive alternative to surgical fat-reduction techniques, CoolSculpting® offers many benefits: It is convenient, helps clothes fit better on patients, and is fast, safe, and effective.

Initial results typically appear within six to eight weeks, with the most dramatic changes visible within two to six months. Depending on your ideal outcome, multiple sessions are likely required to get the most out of this treatment.

Learn more about CoolSculpting® in the Charleston area, or arrange a consultation by contacting Germain Dermatology directly. Send a message online or call 1-844-SC-CHILL.

CoolSculpting® vs Liposuction: Comparing Fat Reduction Strategies

Before making a decision on which fat-reduction strategy to choose, it’s important to understand the major similarities and differences between nonsurgical and surgical options. As Charleston-based fat reduction specialists, the Germain Dermatology team is highly experienced in all aspects of nonsurgical CoolSculpting®. Here are four aspects to consider:

Treatment Areas

CoolSculpting® and liposuction surgery can both be used to address resistant pockets of fat on most of the body. Efforts are commonly applied to under-the-chin fat, belly fat, love handles, banana rolls, inner thigh fat, saddlebags, and flabby upper arms.

How They Work

Quite simply, liposuction vacuums manually loosened fat from specific areas of the body. The procedure typically lasts between one to four hours and requires patients to receive general or local anesthesia. An incision is made, and fat is suctioned through a thin tube that may be waved back and forth to separate the fat cells from the surrounding tissue. After this, the incision is sutured shut, and patients often set aside days or weeks for recovery and recuperation as swelling, bruising, and other side effects resolve.

CoolSculpting® utilizes localized freezing to kill of fat cells by crystallizing them. No incisions are required, as the entirely non-invasive device works through the surface of the skin to cool the fat cells beneath. Once killed off, these unwanted cells are gradually metabolized and filtered out of the body. Generally speaking, while each person’s treatment plan will vary depending on his or her goals, CoolSculpting® sessions require roughly a half hour to an hour spent in the clinic. No down time is required after, and any bruising or swelling will resolve on its own as patients go about their daily lives.

Results

Most patients will see visible results from CoolSculpting® after about three weeks, with optimal results showing up around three months later. Multiple sessions may be required to achieve the desired contours. Liposuction reveals immediate volume reduction, but post-surgical swelling must fully resolve over days and weeks in order to best show off the new contours. In both cases, the fat cells removed by the procedure are gone for good.

Safety and Convenience

Part of the appeal of CoolSculpting® is its non-invasive nature, which makes it faster in terms of the session itself, as well as recovery. No anaesthetics are required. It is also considerably less expensive than a surgical solution, which carries the associated risks and costs of sedation.

For more details on CoolSculpting®, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Germain Dermatology team. Call 1-844-SC-CHILL or send a message online.