If you could lose 25% of your love handles in a single non-surgical treatment, would you think it was worth it? Nearly 3/4 of patients who report their experience with cryolipolysis on cosmetic surgery patient review site RealSelf.com say, yes, absolutely!
Cryolipolysis describes the process by which cold kills fat, and since 2010, men and women from coast-to-coast have been slimming down with the help of FDA-approved CoolSculpting by Zeltiq. Part of the appeal? It’s non-surgical, less expensive than liposuction, and has a reputation for working particularly well for trouble spots such as belly rolls and love handles.
Here’s how it works: The CoolSculpting device has an applicator that literally grabs these areas and uses a vacuum to suction and isolate the fat to be treated. Next, it delivers precise, controlled cooling to the targeted fat over a 1- to 2-hour period.
Not only do patients consistently report a 20% to 25% loss of fat in the area treated by this fat-freezing technology, you can expect an additional 20% to 25% additional loss with each consecutive treatment. So in just two treatments you can say goodbye to half of your unwanted excess without a single day of downtime!
Is CoolSculpting right for you? These 5 facts can help you to decide:
Each treatment area takes about an hour. That means, if you’re wish is to freeze away those love handles, expect to be in the office for 2 hours—1 hour of treatment for each side.
All that suction from the device will leave you with a misshapen mass of fat under the skin. However, this aftereffect is temporary and will be massaged down by your doctor immediately after the procedure.
While there’s nothing that will keep you from returning to your day, you may feel like you’ve had a good workout in the treated area and have soreness and/or a tingling sensation for a few days.
Some patients see result in a matter of weeks; others take up to 6 months to see the full effects of CoolSculpting. On average, however, most patients can expect to see their results in about 3 months.
Just because CoolSculpting can deliver results doesn’t mean that they’re permanent. Part of the responsibility lies with you. Be sure to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly to maintain your results.
Originally Published May 21, 2013