It all started with some Harvard University scientists observing children eating popsicles! They noticed that some of the children got dimples in their cheeks from eating these frozen treats and realized that the popsicles were freezing and eliminating small pockets of fat in the children’s cheeks! The idea that cold can target fat cells without damaging the surrounding skin or tissue was truly revolutionary and the inspiration for CoolSculpting.
CoolSculpting is a non-surgical way to freeze away that fat. People no longer need to resort to invasive surgeries with long recovery times to get the look they desire because this incredible technology crystallizes fat cells which are then flushed away over time by the body’s own metabolic processes. With Coolsculpting, a typical treatment lasts about one hour per treatment area. There is even better news because many physicians offer Dual-Sculpting which is the use of two CoolSculpting devices at once. This allows for two areas to be treated at the same time in one session. The use of Dual-Sculpting cuts the patients’ individual treatment time in half. Additionally, because there is no downtime with these treatments, patients can schedule their visit and immediately go about their daily routines. Some patients have reported redness, slight tenderness, and swelling at the treatment site, but this is completely normal and disappears after about two weeks.
During a typical treatment, a technician places a gel pad over the area to be treated to act as a barrier between your body and the CoolSculpting device. Next, the device is cooled to its appropriate temperature and placed on the gel pad. The fat underneath the pad freezes, but not any of the surrounding organs, nerves or tissue since they freeze at a much lower temperature than the fat cells. The CoolSculpting procedure is closely monitored during the entire treatment making it both safe and effective. Once the fat cells have been frozen, they will die and be consumed by regular cells. Through the body’s natural processes, the dead cells are eliminated from the body.
Patients can begin to see results in as little as four weeks after their first treatment as their bodies naturally flush away the unwanted fat cells. The average client needs about two or three treatments to achieve their ideal results. This is a relatively short amount of time considering there is no recovery time as there would be with invasive surgical methods. Once fat cells are flushed from the body, the treatment areas will look 20-25% smaller and those fat cells will not come back. To maintain results, patients should follow a healthy diet and exercise plan. Being consistent about making healthy choices will keep patients looking and feeling their best for years to come.
