CoolSculpting® Fat Freezing Treatment

If you pinch the skin in the area you are interested in treating and are able to raise 1 to 2 inches of excess skin (fat), then you will benefit from CoolSculpting®. CoolSculpting® is designed to remove isolated pockets of fat that persist, even with diet and exercise.

The CoolSculpting® treatment works best for people whose BMI is normal, or less than 25. We recommend at least two treatments per area for best results. If your BMI is between 25 and 30, we suggest 2 to 3 treatments. We don’t recommend CoolSculpting for persons whose BMI is greater than 30 because there will be too much fat in the target area to notice a difference after treatment. The procedure will not reduce your weight or treat obesity.

People who have a disease that is made worse by cold or have hernias in the area to be treated should not have CoolSculpting®. People with a large amount of fat in the target area will not notice an improvement after treatment.

CoolSculpting® applies targeted cooling to problem areas to freeze and eliminate fat cells. It can reduce stubborn fat by up to 20-25% in the treatment areas, all with little to no downtime and no surgery.

CoolSculpting®  uses cryolipolysis, which is just a technical way to say fat freezing. When fat cells freeze, they die and are then naturally eliminated through the body’s natural process. Don’t worry: This process happens so gradually, you won’t necessarily notice a difference in your day-to-day life.

CoolSculpting^® Elite is FDA-cleared for the treatment of visible fat bulges in the submental (under the chin) and submandibular (under the jawline) areas, thigh, abdomen, and flank, along with bra fat, back fat, underneath the buttocks (also known as the banana roll), and upper arm. It is also FDA-cleared to affect the appearance of lax tissue with submental area treatments.

Most patients begin to notice an improvement in 8 to 16 weeks. This is because the treatment only freezes the fat; it does not remove it. It takes time for the body to reabsorb the treated fat. A single treatment reduces the fat in the target area by about 20%.

These procedures are not for everyone. You should not be treated with CoolSculpting® or CoolSculpting® Elite if you suffer from cryoglobulinemia, cold agglutinin disease, or paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria.

Tell your doctor if you have any medical conditions including recent surgery, pre-existing hernia, and any known sensitivities or allergies.

During the procedure, you may experience sensations of pulling, tugging, mild pinching, intense cold, tingling, stinging, aching, and cramping at the treatment site. These sensations subside as the area becomes numb.

Following the procedure, typical side effects include temporary redness, swelling, blanching, bruising, firmness, tingling, stinging, tenderness, cramping, aching, itching, or skin sensitivity, and sensation of fullness in the back of the throat after submental or submandibular area treatment.

Rare side effects may also occur. CoolSculpting® and CoolSculpting® Elite may cause a visible enlargement in the treated area, which may develop 2 to 5 months after treatment and requires surgical intervention for correction. Read more about this in our blog.

Please see CoolSculpting® full Important Safety Information and CoolSculpting® Elite full Important Safety Information for additional information. Patient results may vary.

Prior to treatment all potential risks and side effects will be discussed with you by your medical provider and cosmetic coordinator.

The applicator will be placed on the treatment area, and there will be a slight sucking sensation as it adheres to your body, followed by that signature cooling effect.

During the procedure you may experience sensations of pulling, tugging, mild pinching, intense cold, tingling, stinging, aching, and cramping at the treatment site. These sensations subside as the area becomes numb. Following the procedure, typical side effects include temporary redness, swelling, blanching, bruising, firmness, tingling, stinging, tenderness, cramping, aching, itching, or skin sensitivity, and sensation of fullness in the back of the throat after submental or submandibular area treatment.

We advise patients to not drink excessive liquids prior to treatments. After the applicator is detached, your provider will massage the area following the treatment with, a radial shockwave device called ZWAVE to further break down cellulite and accelerate treatment results so you can resume your normal activities without restriction.

Each CoolSculpting® Elite treatment is different, so it depends on which areas of the body and how many of them you plan on doing. Depending on the area, treatment can be done in as little as 35 minutes. If you opt to do multiple treatments in a session, expect to spend more time. The CoolSculpting® Elite machines feature dual applicators, allowing patients to do multiple treatment areas at once, reducing the amount of time spent in office as compared to using 1 CoolSculpting® applicator.

While you will see up to a 20-25% fat reduction in the treated area after a single treatment, it depends on the person and the area being treated. Your provider will work with you to determine if additional treatments are necessary to reach your desired goal.

You’ll start to see changes as soon as 1-3 months post treatment. Final results may take 6 months or more.

The CoolSculpting® Elite treatment helps eliminate stubborn pockets of fat. But, since CoolSculpting® Elite is not a weight loss treatment, it is possible to gain weight post-treatment if you don’t keep up your healthy habits. This kind of weight gain will most likely happen evenly throughout your body, not just in treatment areas.

CoolSculpting® is the only device that uses cold to remove fat. Other approaches use ultrasound, radiofrequency energy, liposuction, and lasers.

Yes. Loose skin can be tightened with either the Tripollar Apollo or Thermage devices. The skin may be tightened before or at least 1 month after CoolSculpting®, but not on the same day in the same treatment area.

Cost depends on the size of the area treated, the number of areas treated, and the number of treatments per area. The cost for a single treatment of one area (e.g., abdomen or love handles) starts at $1500. Since CoolSculpting® is a cosmetic procedure, the cost is not covered by your insurance. Cost is determined during cosmetic consultation based on the size of area being treated and number of treatments.

To learn more about CoolSculpting®, please call 847-459-6400 or contact us to make an appointment with one of our cosmetic coordinators.

CoolSculpting® is cleared by the FDA for the flanks (love handles), thighs, abdomen, and chin.

Because CoolSculpting® is a voluntary medical aesthetic treatment, it is not covered by insurance providers and FSA companies.