When people hear that there’s a treatment that permanently removes fat without surgery, and by freezing it, they are often in disbelief. But that is exactly what Coolsculpting does. It uses a technique known as cryolipolysis to destroy fat cells. Once those fat cells are destroyed, the body flushes them away over the next few months. Best of all, once they’re gone, they’re gone for good.
If you’re considering this fat removal treatment, you might wonder where it came from and how exactly it works. As it turns out, it’s not just the way Coolsculpting works that’s interesting. The treatment also has an interesting origin story.
The Origin of Coolsculpting
You have small children and Popsicles to thank for the development of fat-freezing treatments. Doctors noticed that some children developed dimples in their cheeks a few hours to several days after sucking on Popsicles. The condition was dubbed “popsicle panniculitis,” due to the inflammation of the skin caused by the cold treat.
Children are more likely than adults to develop panniculitis because they have considerably more fat in their cheeks. The phenomenon of popsicle panniculitis got a pair of doctors wondering if freezing temperatures could be used to target fat in other areas of the body and in adults. The doctors conducted a number of tests on pigs, finding ways to administer cold to the animals. Those tests eventually lead to the development of Coolsculpting, which came to Europe in 2009 and to the US in 2010.
What Happens During Coolsculpting?
During a Coolsculpting treatment, a combination of suction and freezing temperatures works to destroy unwanted, stubborn fat cells. During treatment patients sit in a comfortable position while an appropriately sized applicator is placed on the target area. At the start of the treatment, the applicator suctions up the area and begins to freeze it.
Although you might feel a bit of tingling in the skin at the beginning, once that becomes numb, you won’t feel anything. While the treatment destroys fat cells, the skin and other tissues in the region are left unharmed.
The fat removal treatment works by targeting only the fat that you want to remove. During an hour long treatment session, as much as 25 percent of the fat in an area like the tummy, hips or thighs can be destroyed by the cold temperatures.
What Happens After Coolsculpting?
The damaged fat cells don’t immediately leave your body after Coolsculpting. Instead, they crystallize and eventually die. Your body then works to remove the dead fat cells, creating a slimmer silhouette. How dramatic your results are and how long it takes for them to be visible depends on a few different factors.
While some people might notice a difference after just one treatment session, many need two or more to see a noticeable change in the size of their waistline or in the circumference of their thighs. The treatment can remove up to 25 percent of fat cells from an area, but it can often take multiple sessions to get that result.
It’s also worth noting that results can take as long as 16 weeks (4 months) to become visible. It all depends on how quickly your body is able to eliminate the destroyed fat cells. One of the benefits of the treatment, though, is that once those cells are gone, they are permanently gone.
Who’s the Best Candidate for Coolsculpting?
The ideal Coolsculpting candidate isn’t a person who wants to lose a lot of weight. Although the treatment takes away unwanted fat, it’s not considered a weight loss treatment. That’s because the amount of fat you lose from Coolsculpting isn’t enough to make a major difference on the scale.
It’s usually recommended that you lose any unwanted pounds first, then consider the treatment. Think of it as the final step on a weight loss journey. You’ve done the hard work to lose 50, 25, or 10 pounds. Coolsculpting can help you lose that final inch or so of unwanted fat or target those stubborn areas like the love handles.
The quality of your skin can also determine if you’re a good candidate for the fat removal treatment. Although you might not lose dramatic amounts of fat from the treatment, you will still lose a few inches. Ideally, your skin will still be elastic enough to bounce back after the fat’s gone, instead of hanging or drooping from your body.
Your health also matters. Coolsculpting is usually recommended to people who are in good overall health and who don’t have any untreated or unmanaged chronic conditions.
Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique in Houston, Texas, is one of the only providers in the area to offer Dualsculpting, or Coolsculpting treatment in two areas of the body at once. Dualsculpting allows you to speed up the fat removal process, treating twice as many areas in half the time. The spa also offers the CoolMini for people looking to eliminate stubborn fat in the chin area.
To learn more about how Coolsculpting works and to see if it’s the right procedure for you, call 281-810-9083 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Paul Vitenas and the team at Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique today.