Even though our CoolSculpting machine is kept busy all year long, the pre-holiday season is one of our busiest for treatments. Perhaps it’s the flurry of fall events after the relaxing days of summer, or the holiday parties around the corner, or the destination beach vacation that recently got booked.
But often it’s just the desire to improve stubborn areas of body fat that just won’t budge no matter how regularly we exercise or how clean we eat. Diet and exercise aren’t always successful for these fixed areas of fat. Fortunately there is a non-surgical option to selectively target these trouble spots to help you look and feel your best.
CoolSculpting is a non-surgical body contouring treatment that effectively reduces areas of unwanted fat. It is an increasingly popular procedure for adult men and women of all ages. The results are long-lasting with stable weight with the added bonus of no surgery, no needles and no downtime.
What is the Technology?
The knowledge that cold can selectively damage fat cells without damaging the surrounding tissues was used to develop CoolSculpting technology.
A vacuum applicator is used to suction tissue into a cup where the fat is frozen between cooling panels. Controlled cooling is used to selectively target fat cells just under the skin without damaging the skin itself-brilliant! The treated fat cells are frozen and the body processes these cells and removes them over time. Once the fat cells are removed they are permanently eliminated.
Am I a candidate for CoolSculpting?
The ideal candidate for this treatment is someone who despite eating a healthy diet and exercising still has areas of stubborn unwanted fat. The fat layer in the area must be at least 1cm thick and ‘pinchable’ (soft) fat. With our machine we can treat multiple areas of the body by using different sized and different shaped applicators.
During your cosmetic consultation, your Dermatologist will determine if CoolSculpting is the right procedure for you. The team will develop a customized treatment plan that may consist of one or more sessions depending on the targeted areas to be treated and your body contouring goals.
People are often surprised by the areas that we can treat effectively with CoolSculpting (under the chin, bra fat area, upper arm, flank/love handle area, abdomen, under the buttock, inner and outer thighs). Both men and women respond very well to CoolSculpting but is worth mentioning that we do not always treat men and women exactly the same. For example, a woman may desire more of an hour-glass shape to her waist and a man may desire more of a V-shape to his waist and torso. Our customized assessment and treatment plan places the applicators in the most appropriate positions to contour your body for the most flattering result.
What to expect on the day of your treatment
On the day of your treatment, consent forms are reviewed and signed and baseline photos and your weight are taken so your improvement can be followed. We mark your skin to determine exactly where we want to place the applicators to obtain the best outcome. The skin is cleansed followed by a protective gel pad being placed on your skin. The vacuum applicator is applied and the cooling process is started. Initially you may feel sensations of pulling, aching or cramping. These symptoms resolve quickly as the tissue freezes. The remainder of the procedure is very comfortable and patients often nap, use their devices or watch a movie. When the applicator is removed we massage the area to break up the ice crystals in the fat cells. Although this is somewhat uncomfortable for two minutes it is very tolerable for most and is an extremely important step in obtaining optimal results.
Downtime and Recovery
Mild bruising, redness, and swelling can occur but this does not tend to slow our patients down. Some patients experience temporary tenderness, skin sensitivity or numbness. When you leave our office you can continue with your usual daily activities. Perhaps one of the most appreciated aspects of this treatment is that there is typically no downtime.
Is CoolSculpting right for you? Call 604-682-7546 or email info@pacificderm.ca for a cosmetic consultation!