Do you lose weight with CoolSculpting? The answer would be no.
Cryolipolysis, though a wildly popular sculpting procedure, is not a weight loss treatment but a fat reduction treatment.
It is designed to help eliminate the stubborn fat that may be difficult to shed with diet and exercise alone. Despite localized fat cells being eliminated as a result of the treatment, realistic weight loss is not anticipated.
It can be a great option if you have an event coming up and want to have a slimmer and more sculpted figure. Coolsculpting is proven safe however, there are those with certain conditions who shouldn’t undergo them.
If you’ve tried diet and exercise but couldn’t eliminate specific unwanted fat, your doctor might recommend it.
What Is CoolSculpting?
Coolsculpting is a body contouring treatment. The procedure helps reduce the appearance of cellulite on the legs, buttocks, and arms.
It works by nonsurgically reducing fat deposits in areas of your body using cold temperature. Your body will recognize that fat as foreign and an irritant if it is cooled down to a very low temperature, which is referred to as cryolipolysis.
“Cryo” means cold, and “lipolysis” means the destruction of fat. Cryolipolysis was developed as a result of what happens to fat during frostbite. The freezing point of fat is higher than that of skin.
Using a cryolipolysis machine, your fat is cooled to the degree that will cause it to be destroyed while sparing your skin and other tissues any injury. The frozen fat cells are picked up by the body’s immune system to be expelled from the body.
CoolSculpting Procedure
How does coolsculpting work? In this fat removal treatment, the surrounding skin and tissue are unharmed, while the remaining fat cells are destroyed by the cooling panels without the need for anesthesia or surgeries.
Both surgery and needles are not used in cryolipolysis. Between two paddles, the apparatus supports the area of your body where you want to lose unwanted fat.
Your doctor leaves the paddles in place for 35 to 1 hour and 15 minutes as they quickly cool. About 20% to 25% of the fat cells in the targeted location are killed during that period.
You might not experience the full effects for a few months, but you might start to notice some improvements right away. Over this period, your immune system gradually eliminates the destroyed fat cells and flushes them out through your liver.
How Much Fat Can Be Removed With CoolSculpting?
Between 20 and 80% of the fat cells in a certain area will be removed throughout each session. While the amount of subcutaneous fat in a given location influences how much excess fat can be removed, the size of the area is the most crucial factor in determining how much fat can be removed.
How many inches you can expect to lose throughout the treatment session depends on a variety of factors. The size of the area you are targeting is one of the most important variables that affect how many inches you can anticipate losing.
You may lose no more than half an inch of fat if you are trying to get rid of it from a smaller area. You may lose two to three inches of fat if you are removing extra fat from a large area, like your chest or stomach.
As a result, you can anticipate that the following session will remove roughly 25% of the fat cells that remain in a particular location if you destroy 25% of them in a given area after one session.
How Long Does It Take to See CoolSculpting Results?
Within two to three weeks, you’ll start to see some preliminary results. As the body rids itself of dead fat cells over the next few months, improvements will gradually continue.
While some existing fat cells, like the fat beneath the chin, can be removed with just a few sessions, other places where you can see excess fat might need a series of treatments. It could take six months for the full results.
Several months after your last CoolSculpting procedure, you can witness the final effects. After treatment, most patients have a leaner, more sculpted appearance as well as an increase in confidence.
With two to six CoolSculpting sessions, moderate body contouring is often possible. Up until the desired outcomes are attained, treatments are to be spaced 4-6 weeks apart. Which is something you’ll need to consider when timing your appointments.
How Long Does CoolSculpting’s Effect Last?
Depending on the outcomes you’re interested in, they may be permanent or semi-permanent. This fat removal treatment does remove inches from the treatment areas and it works best if you are at or near your ideal weight.
It kills off fat cells giving you an assurance that they are permanently gone. However, if after coolsculpting you gain weight, fats may come back in the treated area or areas.
Different Ways To Maintain CoolSculpting Results
Do not gain weight. Avoiding weight gain is one of the most important things you can do to keep your CoolSculpting effects for as long as feasible.
Putting on weight after having CoolSculpting can encourage the growth of new fat cells as well as their production. Use these helpful hints to extend your CoolSculpting results:
- Avoid weight fluctuation
- Keep a balanced and healthy diet
- Attend follow-up treatments
Exercise Routine to Maintain Your CoolSculpting Results
Another key technique to avoid gaining weight following CoolSculpting is through exercise. Before beginning a new workout program, you should consult your doctor, especially if you’ve ever been injured or are now experiencing any health problems.
For optimum CoolSculpting benefits, a mix of cardio and weight training usually works best. Strength training helps you build muscle and gives your stomach a more toned appearance, while cardio burns calories and aids in weight maintenance.
By having at least one rest day each week, you can alternate between days of cardio and days of strength training.
You don’t need a severe or strenuous fitness program to get results. The recommended amount of time for moderate cardio or strength training each day is 30 minutes.
Who Shouldn’t Get CoolSculpting?
Even though CoolSculpting is non-surgical and generally highly safe, not everyone is a good candidate. Other medical issues may make a person ineligible, and some people may not be able to achieve the desired outcomes via non-surgical body contouring.
You Have a Serious Health Issue
Even non-surgical elective medical procedures should not be pursued if you are not in good health. Although there are very few hazards associated with CoolSculpting, risks can be increased by uncontrolled medical conditions.
Additionally, your body can have a hard time breaking down the fat and recovering following the treatment. Waiting until you have control over a serious medical problem is preferable if you’re considering CoolSculpting.
Certain particular conditions may completely disqualify potential patients. Here are some health conditions who are not suitable candidates for CoolSculpting:
- Cryoglobulinemia
- Cold agglutinin disease
- Diagnosed with lupus
- Multiple sclerosis, or Raynaud’s disease
- Has Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria (a type of anemia that destroys your red blood cells when you’re in cold temperatures)
To ensure your safety, it’s critical to be open and honest about your medical history during your CoolSculpting appointment.
You’re Planning to Have a Baby Soon
Consider how your pregnancy may affect your CoolSculpting outcomes if you’re planning to have a baby or expand your family in the near future. The body fat distribution will shift throughout pregnancy, which may cause you to negate the benefits of your treatment.
You’re Disappointed in Your Weight
Many people mistakenly believe that weight loss is the purpose of body sculpting procedures like CoolSculpting. Sadly, this is simply untrue.
Body contouring treatment should not be viewed as a weight loss treatment in and of itself but rather as the final touch to your weight loss journey. CoolSculpting is ideal for problem areas of stubborn fat all over the body.
It’s recommended to wait a few months until you’re at or close to your goal weight if you’re not yet satisfied with your weight. Waiting till you are close to your goal weight will help you achieve better outcomes with CoolSculpting.
You Lack a Maintenance Strategy
The dead fat that is eliminated with CoolSculpting, like with all body reshaping techniques, is permanently gone. Even if you put on weight again, the dead fat cells won’t come back.
However, it doesn’t follow that the treated parts won’t ever grow again. CoolSculpting does not remove all fat cells from the treatment area and new fat cells can be generated. The remaining fat cells can still swell with weight gain.
Maintaining your results after CoolSculpting requires dedication and a commitment to a healthy lifestyle. To help ensure that you don’t gain weight following the treatment and wind up back where you started, you need to be prepared with a diet and exercise plan.
You might not be ready for CoolSculpting if you haven’t made the decision to commit to a healthy lifestyle.
Your Skin’s Elasticity is Poor or Have Other Skin Issues
Your CoolSculpting results will be impacted by skin elasticity. If your skin isn’t elastic enough, it could be difficult for it to pull back when the fat melts away.
People with thin skin may want to think about a different surgery, such as a stomach tuck, which involves surgical skin tightening.
If you are diagnosed with Cold urticaria (a skin condition that causes hives on your skin when it gets cold), you should avoid CoolSculpting.
You’re Doing it for Somebody Else
All of us experience intense pressure to seem a certain way. Take a step back if you’re being pushed to have CoolSculpting when, for your own happiness and confidence, you don’t want it.
Nobody should ever make you feel as though you need to get cosmetic surgery in order to feel valuable. Your body, your rules, your happiness!
CoolSculpting Safe Areas
CoolSculpting can be done on multiple areas of the body where fat lives and are most difficult to get rid of. There are however certain areas in your body where it shouldn’t be done.
Cryolipolysis should not be performed in the following areas:
- Varicose veins
- Nerve problems
- Rashes or lesions
Cryolipolysis target area:
- Belly
- Between the chin and the jawline
- Beneath the butt
- Between the bra lines
- Thighs
- Sides and Back
- Upper arm
Side Effects And Risks Of CoolSculpting
While there are a number of advantages to CoolSculpting, it’s crucial to be aware of the risks if you’re thinking about getting it done.
The following are a few side effects of CoolSculpting:
Aches or Pains
You can have some minor discomfort, stinging, or aching at the treatment site after a CoolSculpting procedure. This can be because the treatment uses extremely frigid temperatures.
Temporary Skin Irritation
Irritation of the skin due to cold temperatures can cause bruising, skin sensitivity, temporary skin discoloration, and swelling.
Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia
In paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH), the number of fat cells increases rather than decreases in the treated area. According to research1, it happens in fewer than 1% of cases, making it uncommon.
A sizable, firm and often painless lump beneath the skin in the treatment area can result from the problem. Additionally, a change in body weight could be apparent.
It happens when the stimulus (the freezing of fat cells) triggers a reactive mechanism in the fatty tissue that causes the fat cells to thicken and grow rather than dissolve and allow the body to process and eliminate them. Only after a cryolipolysis, or CoolSculpting body shaping therapy, is PAH known to happen.
Male patients are more likely to experience paradoxical adipose hyperplasia as a result of cryolipolysis, although the exact origin of the condition is unknown2.
Paradoxial Adipose Hyperplasia (PAH) will not go away on its own, and you need to see a doctor to perform either liposuction (a surgery that takes out fat from specific parts of your body) or tummy tuck (a procedure that removes extra skin and fat from your stomach).
Do You Lose Weight With CoolSculpting: Recap
Cryolipolysis will not help you lose weight. It is a fat removal treatment, and it works best for body contouring. It is not intended for comprehensive fat removal like liposuction.
Depending on how much fat needs to be eliminated, cryolipolysis can take several months to finish. The results vary on how much fat you have on a certain body area.
This body sculpting treatment is not for everyone and it is highly recommended to seek the advice of your doctor before doing any medical procedure to see the possible risks.
Finally, when you do decide to go with CoolSculpting, maintain a balanced diet and workout routine to get the most out of its results.
Citations
2 Jalian HR, Avram MM, Garibyan L, Mihm MC, Anderson RR. Paradoxical adipose hyperplasia after cryolipolysis. JAMA Dermatol. 2014 Mar;150(3):317-9. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2013.8071. PMID: 24382640; PMCID: PMC4171727.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4444424/