Do you have unwanted fat on your body that you just cannot get rid of through diet and exercise? Hard to remove fat is usually found in the belly and thigh region. Diet and exercise can not always get rid of these pockets due to stretched skin. There are many different surgical and non surgical treatments available to help. Today we will compare two popular treatments, CoolSculpting and liposuction.
What is Liposuction?
Liposuction is a surgical treatment used to remove pockets of fat in the body. Small incisions allow access to a fatty bulge. The surgeon first puts IV fluid into the area to loosen the fat and to encourage smoother contours. Local anesthetic can be added to numb the area.
After enough fluid is injected, the surgeon inserts a cannula and turns on the suction. Small, round, yellow lobules travel down the plastic tubing from the body into a plastic canister. The surgeon tailors and sculpts by moving the cannula throughout the fatty bulge from different incision sites. Progress is monitored by looking, feeling, pinching, and measuring the amount of fat removed. Liposuction is the most popular cosmetic procedure in America.
What is CoolSculpting?
CoolSculpting is a noninvasive fat –reduction technology that received FDA approval in 2010. Its fat freezing (“cryolypolysis”) treatments have taken off in the US. Freezing fat was the brainchild of two Harvard dermatologists. Intrigued by a report of teething toddlers who had developed cheek dimples after sucking on pain-relieving popsicles, the doctors investigated. Their research confirmed that selective freezing of adipose (fat) cells reduced fatty bulges by 20 to 25%. Patients typically need 1-3 treatments on the same area to get noticeable results. Those findings led to CoolSculpting.
The practitioner makes marks on the area to be treated for precise placement of the device. Then a transparent gel pad is placed to protect the skin, and the applicator head is put into position. Now it’s time to turn on the vacuum. Once the bulge is sucked into a cup, two cooling panels numb the area. The controlled cooling freezes the fat cells without harming the skin, muscle, or nerves. After an hour, the practitioner removes the application cup and massages the frozen mound to break up even more fat cells.
What are the benefits of each procedure?
- Liposuction is a more aggressive approach and can provide complete fat reduction
- Liposuction offers better contouring
- Liposuction gives more immediate results
- CoolSculpting is a noninvasive technology
- CoolSculpting has no down time(or can be very minimal)
- CoolSculpting has fewer risks (though not risk-free)
- CoolSculpting is a treatment option for those who can’t have or don’t want surgery
Still not sure which option is best for your unwanted fat? Contact us to learn more about each procedure and find out if you are a candidate for either treatment.
