When Is The Best Time For Non-invasive Procedures (like CoolSculpting) and Why?
Surgical procedures such as a tummy tuck or liposuction can require you take time off work and limit activities post-surgery to allow incisions to heal. CoolSculpting®, on the other hand, allows greater flexibility for our patients, making anytime a good time for non-surgical body contouring.
With CoolSculpting, there are no incisions and no anesthesia, so not only can you multitask during your procedure with your favorite book or show, you can head right back to work or your other daily activities immediately after your treatment. Your treatment itself will last one to three hours, depending on your personalized treatment plan. CoolSculpting is the ideal body-sculpting treatment for an on-the-go person who is looking for permanent fat reduction.
What is Body Contouring/Sculpting?
CoolSculpting® is a non-surgical body contouring treatment that uses technology called cryolipolysis, or fat freezing, to target stubborn areas of fat.
It is FDA-cleared for treating fat bulges under the chin, under the jawline, on the thigh, abdomen and flank, along with bra fat, back fat, and fat underneath the buttocks and upper arm. It’s also cleared to affect the appearance of lax tissue under the chin.
During your treatment, we’ll place the CoolSculpting® device on the treatment area. The device draws your bulge up between two cooling panels. You will feel a firm pull, then pressure and intense cold, as CoolSculpting® Cryolipolysis technology uses targeted cooling to crystallize fat cells. This sensation will dissipate after a few minutes. Once fat cells are crystallized, they begin to die off. CoolSculpting® freezes and kills fat cells without harming skin, nerves, vessels or muscles.
Is CoolSculpting for Weight Loss?
CoolSculpting® is a procedure for fat reduction — intended to change the shape and contour of your body — not for weight loss. The procedure reduces fat cells in the targeted treatment area by 20 to 25 percent and is not a recommended treatment for obesity.
Results from Body Contouring/Sculpting
Following your CoolSculpting® treatment, you may return to all normal activities with no medication. You will not require any downtime following your CoolSculpting® procedure, but there are some potential side effects, ways you can maximize recovery and an ideal timeline in which you’ll begin to see noticeable results following your body-contouring treatment.
After CoolSculpting®, when your body recognizes fat cells are no longer functioning, it naturally removes them. This can take a little bit of time – so you can expect to see your CoolSculpting® results about four to six weeks following treatment. To experience the very best possible results, sometimes patients need two to three rounds of treatment per area.
Your best and full result will be visible 90 days following your final treatment. If you have any big events or vacations coming up, we’ll work with that date and develop your treatment plan to ensure your most confident results!
CoolSculpting Potential Side Effects
You might experience mild side effects such as redness or tingling in the treatment area. You may also have firmness, bruising, tenderness, itching, aching or cramping. While these potential side effects should not require any downtime, we recommend you take them into account.
For example, if you’re planning to wear a bikini on your beach vacation, you may want to plan your series of CoolSculpting® treatments to finalize several weeks to allow any potential swelling and/or bruising to resolve.
Achieving Your Best CoolSculpting Results
We want you to experience the very best and longest-lasting CoolSculpting® results, and there are a few steps that you can take following your treatment to help.
To ensure long-lasting results from your CoolSculpting® treatment, maintain a healthy weight and active lifestyle following your procedure. While CoolSculpting® removes a percentage of fat cells in the area treated, it’s still possible for you to gain weight if you consume more calories than you burn.
To learn if you’d be a good candidate for CoolSculpting® and how the treatment works, take a deeper dive here. To schedule a consultation with our CoolSculpting® specialist, call 512-327-2227 or book online here.