Learn How Cryolipolysis^®/Fat Freezing in Summerville and Mt. Pleasant, SC, Compares to Other Fat Reduction Methods

CoolSculpting^® is widely considered the industry leader in non-invasive fat reduction for several reasons:

• The fat cells destroyed by the CoolSculpting^® process are gone for good
• It involves no needles, incisions, or prescribed downtime
• Side effects are mild to moderate and temporary
• Patients can resume their usual activities immediately after a session
• Fat deposits can be precisely targeted
• The contoured CoolSculpting^® applicators provide natural-looking, shapely results
• It is the only non-invasive fat reduction procedure averaging of 20 to 25 percent with just one treatment (Coleman, et. al., 2009)

CoolSculpting^® vs. Diet & Exercise

Diet and exercise can only decrease the size of fat cells — they cannot get rid of them. Localized fat deposits that do not respond to such measures (or do not reduce in size past a certain point) are what we refer to as diet-or exercise-resistant fat.

The Cryolipolysis^® process of CoolSculpting^® actually destroys fat cells (without harming the skin or other tissues). Once crystallized, the targeted fat cells die naturally, and are ultimately expelled by the body as waste. In fact, the best candidates for CoolSculpting^® are those who are within a normal weight range but have specific areas of diet-or exercise-resistant fat on their body that they would like to address. CoolSculpting^® does not result in noticeable weight loss and is not a weight loss procedure.

It is important to note that while the fat cells targeted by CoolSculpting^® are destroyed, the rest of the fat cells in the body can still grow with substantial weight gain. To maintain your results, it is necessary to commit to healthy eating and regular exercise — in other words, a healthy lifestyle goes hand in hand with CoolSculpting^®!

CoolSculpting^® vs. Liposuction

CoolSculpting^® and liposuction are both long-term methods of fat reduction, but the ways they work are quite different. Liposuction is a surgical, invasive procedure that requires anesthesia and incisions to be made so that the surgeon can physically extract fat out of the body. While the fat reduction occurs immediately, it takes some time for the body to recover from the trauma of surgery — which often includes moderate to severe swelling, bruising, and soreness around the incision sites. There can also be drainage and risk of infection.

CoolSculpting^®, however, is a gradual process that is much gentler on the body. Once the fat cells crystallize, they lose the energy to function and die. The body then flushes them out naturally over the next one to four months post treatment, after which you will be able to see noticeable results. Depending on your customized treatment plan, multiple treatment sessions may be required to achieve maximum results.

Liposuction may be a more appropriate treatment for certain patients seeking more extensive fat reduction, but this cannot be determined until a certified and experienced provider performs an in-person assessment to see whether this is truly required. Many patients are happy with the significant 20 to 25 percent fat reduction they achieve with a non-invasive, gentler procedure such as CoolSculpting^®. Many others may also find that they are not an appropriate candidate for surgery or would prefer not to deal with the (often significant) risks, medication, expenses, discomfort, scarring, and downtime that a surgical procedure entails.

Traditional liposuction will not tighten the skin. In fact, there are some patients who find that skin laxity may accompany significant fat reduction after liposuction if excess skin removal is not performed in conjunction with the procedure. Because CoolSculpting^® is a more gradual process, the skin has more time to conform to slimmer contours. It is also the first non-invasive fat reduction procedure of its kind that is FDA-cleared to tighten skin in the chin area. While liposuction performed with the assistance of a laser may result in a limited amount of skin tightening, it is still a surgical procedure that requires incisions to do so.

Cryolipolysis^® vs. Other Non-Surgical Fat Reduction Methods

CoolSculpting^® is based on the principle of Cryolipolysis^®, in which fat cells are crystallized with controlled cooling. This crystallization simply takes away the cell’s energy, triggering a process known as apoptosis or natural cell death. In other words, CoolSculpting^® is simply a catalyst that jumpstarts the body’s natural cell death process.

Most other forms of non-surgical fat reduction work by rupturing the cells’ membranes to force them to die unnaturally. They do not work in tandem with the body’s own systems, as CoolSculpting^® does. Cryolipolysis^® also has other unique advantages:

• Because it has been around longer, Cryolipolysis^® has been much more extensively studied for both safety and efficacy.
• As of late 2017, CoolSculpting^® is the first (and currently only) non-surgical fat reduction device that is FDA-cleared for skin tightening of the chin. It is also currently cleared to treat more areas of the body than other FDA-cleared non-surgical fat treatment devices.
• Other devices’ applicators are typically small and uniformly shaped and are not as efficient as the CoolSculpting^® applicators (which come in a variety of sizes and shapes) in treating larger or more uniquely shaped areas.
• Other devices’ applicators do not utilize a vacuum suction, which means they may not as precisely or efficiently target pinchable fat.
• There is currently no other FDA-cleared non-surgical device that can achieve 20 to 25 percent fat reduction after a single treatment.