Sunset Cosmetic Surgery’s Board Certified Plastic Surgeons Weigh In on the Coolsculpting Fat Freezing Fad
With so many alternatives to traditional liposuction on the market today, choosing the best option can be very confusing. Each one claims to be the best way to blast fat cells and reduce unsightly bulges. Let’s look at one of the latest trends and its claim to be a risk free, cost-effective alternative to liposuction.
Cryolipolysis, popularly known as Coolsculpting, is a procedure that uses controlled cooling for non-invasive reduction of local fat deposits to reshape body contours. The exposure to cooling causes cell death of subcutaneous fat tissue, without apparent damage to the overlying skin. Coolsculpting is often billed as a nonsurgical alternative to traditional liposuction.
Coolsculpting reviews on the Internet vary from positive to very negative, which indicates that people are not always clear on what they can or should expect when they purchase a package of Coolsculpting sessions. The positive Coolsculpting reviews are generally from people who only needed a small section of fat removed, which is achievable for this procedure. Such reviews tend to promote the relatively inexpensive Coolsculpting cost when compared to traditional liposuction. However, the two procedures are far too different in their effectiveness and time-commitment to be adequately compared.
Dr. Svehlak has experience with the Coolsculpting technology and explains the differences. “The science works, but in my experience the results are subtle and for patients with stubborn pockets of fat, and for many, the effort and the time are not worth the results Coolsculpting is able achieve” Dr. Svehlak explains. “Patients can expect maybe a 20% reduction in fat in the given area with this technology after several sessions, whereas liposculpting is far more accurate and effective for targeted fat removal, removing up to 70 or 80% of the fat in a given area at one time.”
With the low effectiveness percentage, Coolsculpting may be best for clients interested in smoothing out contours of the body where very little fat removal is necessary.
Liposuction is still the most effective procedure for reshaping larger areas of the body and removing stubborn, hereditary pockets of fat. But what about the person who needs more than what Coolsculpting is able to offer, but doesn’t actually need a full liposuction procedure? IS there a happy medium?
Dr. Svehlak and Dr. Yamini have a solution that has worked very well for thousands of patients. It’s an in-office procedure called MINI SCULPT for patients seeking an effective procedure for smaller body refinements. MINI SCULPT targets small pockets of localized fat using micro-targeted liposuction for smooth results with less post-operative recovery time than traditional liposuction. MINI SCULPT is a minimally invasive sculpting procedure done in an outpatient setting using only local anesthetic to temporarily numb the area being treated. With smaller target areas and no general anesthesia or operating room overhead costs, MINI SCULPT can be done at a fraction of the cost of a full-body liposuction. Further, it can remove 2-3x more fat in a single 1-2 hour appointment than Coolsculpting can remove over multiple sessions, and often at about the same price. For most, MINI SCULPT can offer better results in less time for about the same price as a CoolSculpting package.
For most, MINI SCULPT can offer better results in less time for about the same price as a CoolSculpting package.
Dr. Yamini adds that MINI SCULPT is best for people with localized pockets of stubborn fat who want to get more measurable results than they could with Coolsculpting, yet have realistic expectations about it’s limitations vs. full-body liposuction. “Someone who needs 3 or more areas treated or several pounds of fat removed at once is not a good candidate for MINI SCULPT.”
As always when making a decision about a procedure such as Coolsculpting or liposuction, it’s important to discuss your particular goals, medical history and lifestyle with your plastic surgeon so they can present you with the best options for your physique.
To learn more about MINI SCULPT as an option, visit our MINI SCULPT information page, view the Liposuction Gallery, or contact Sunset Cosmetic Surgery at 310-858-9100.
