Have you ever wished that you could rid yourself of pockets of fat permanently? Have you tried dieting and exercising to no avail? If so, you may be a good candidate for CoolSculpting at Rios Center for Plastic Surgery in Edinburg, TX. Today, our experts are answering the most frequently asked questions about this treatment to help you determine if it is right for you, including the durability of the results.
Frequently Asked Questions About CoolSculpting Answered
Will My Results Be Permanent?
The results of CoolSculpting permanent. This treatment destroys fat cells in the targeted treatment area. One of the reasons this body contouring treatment is so great is that, unlike losing weight on your own, it actually destroys the fat cells. This is exciting because adults cannot grow new fat cells.
Once fat cells are destroyed and removed from the area, there will never be as many fat cells in the treated area. However, we find it important to note that this treatment does not remove every fat cell from a treated area. Therefore, if you consume calories in excess of your maintenance needs, fat cells will expand as they fill with stored energy.
If you gain weight after treatment, there is a chance that the remaining fat cells in the treated area will expand. Just keep that in mind when you make decisions about whether to skip your workout for dinner with friends.
How Does Treatment Work?
CoolSculpting works by cooling your fat cells to the point that they freeze to death. One of the most important things to understand about this treatment is that it is completely safe.
While white fat cells freeze to death between 38 and 42 degrees, your skin does not freeze and become damaged until temperatures drop well below freezing. Once the fat cells are dead, they will be picked up by your lymphatic system and eliminated.
How Long Does CoolSculpting Treatment Take?
You can expect your treatment to take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the area being treated. For example, if you are targeting your inner and outer thighs, your session may take only 45 minutes. However, if you are targeting a larger area, like your abdomen or back, your treatment session will take closer to an hour.
Keep in mind, the device will only be applied to your skin for 35 to 45 minutes. Your treatment session can last up to an hour because it takes a while for the device to reach the appropriate operating temperature. If you are targeting two large areas, you should expect your treatment to take approximately one hour and 45 minutes.
How Many Sessions Will I Need to Achieve My Ideal Results?
The only way to know how many sessions you need to achieve your ideal results is to come in for an initial consultation. If you are at or within five pounds of your ideal weight, you should expect to need only one session to achieve your ideal results. If, however, you are six to 15 pounds from your goal weight, you may need two sessions depending on the exact results you want to achieve.
Finally, if you are between 16 and 30 pounds from your goal weight, you may need to target a single trouble area three times before you are satisfied with the results of your treatment. If you are over 30 pounds from your goal weight, you will not be considered a good candidate for this treatment because the results won’t be noticeable enough for you to be satisfied.
What Results Can I Realistically Expect?
The results you can realistically expect depend on several factors, including the size of the areas being treated, the volume of excess fat in the targeted areas, and how much excess fat you want to have removed. For example, if you are trying to remove fat from smaller areas, such as your chin, neck, underarms, or knees, you can expect to lose around 80% of the localized fat cells.
If you are targeting a larger region of your body and you have a moderate amount of excess fat, you can expect to lose approximately a quarter of the localized fat cells. If you have a very large volume of fat, you can expect to lose approximately 20% of localized fat cells.
How Soon Will I See the Results of CoolSculpting Treatment?
You can expect to feel the initial results immediately after treatment. You may notice that the treated region feels smaller as soon as the treatment is over because the fat cells take up less volume once the walls are destroyed. However, at this point, the fat cells have not been flushed out of your body yet.
It will take between one and three months before you start to see satisfying results, and it can take up to six months to see your ideal results. If this seems like a long time to wait for the fat removal results this treatment was designed to provide, there are a couple of things we’d like you to keep in mind. First, it takes easily six months to see the results of liposuction due to extensive swelling. Second, you can facilitate faster results.
What Can I Do to See the Results of My Treatment Faster?
The first thing you should do to facilitate faster results is to massage the treated area for five minutes at a time five times daily. You should start doing this immediately after your treatment and continue through the fourth day following your treatment.
This breaks up the blocks of frozen fat cells to make them more easily picked up by your lymphatic system and increases circulation to the local area. Improving circulation is crucial because a strong circulatory system improves the efficiency of your lymphatic system.
Will This Treatment Help Me Lose Weight?
Yes. When the fat cells are flushed out of your body through your lymphatic system, weight loss will occur. While this treatment provides comparable results to liposuction, and liposuction usually results in a 10- to 11-pound weight loss, this treatment may only result in a five- to six-pound weight loss. The cause of this disparity is the difference in the fat removal technique.
Like liposuction, this treatment results in the removal of fat cells from your body. However, they are not suctioned out of your body as is the case with liposuction. Rather, this non-invasive treatment lets your lymphatic system eliminate the destroyed fat cells from your body. Liposuction results in such a significant weight loss because it also removes blood during the suction process.
How Many Inches Will This Treatment Help Me Lose?
How many inches you will lose with this treatment depends on several factors, including the volume of fat in the treatment area, the size of the treatment area and how many times the targeted area is treated.
If you’re treating an area like your hips or thighs, you may lose five inches approximately six months after your final treatment session. If you’re only targeting your abdomen once, you may only lose an inch or two several months after your session.
Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that the point of this treatment isn’t to help you lose inches off of your hips, thighs, or stomach. The treatment is designed to destroy localized fat cells. A reduction in inches is just an added bonus of eliminating fat cells from a given area.
Will This Treatment Hurt?
No. You will experience neither pain nor discomfort during this treatment. Remember, your skin is only damaged by the cold at temperatures well below freezing, and this treatment only cools your fat cells to approximately 40 degrees.
Your fat cells may be cooled to 38 or 42 degrees depending on factors such as the thickness of your skin and how much fat needs to be removed. However, we will never calibrate the device to the point that there is a risk of skin damage. Since everyone has a different tolerance for cold temperatures, we apply a special gel to the skin to protect it from the cold to ensure your comfort.
If you have further concerns about feeling discomfort during your treatment, let us know during your consultation so we can ease your anxiety. You may need a mild sedative for your anxiety or a topical anesthetic.
Will My Skin Hurt Once the Protective Gel Is Washed Off?
No. Just like your skin doesn’t hurt when it warms up after handling a tub of ice cream, you will experience no pain or discomfort once the numbing effects of the cold temperature wear off. You will simply notice the skin in the treatment area warming up gradually.
Am I a Good Candidate for This Treatment?
During your initial consultation, we will assess, among other factors, your medical history, current health, body fat distribution, and body composition to determine if this treatment is appropriate for you. Furthermore, we will also give you a better idea regarding what to expect before, during and after your treatment session.
The most important thing we look for when determining who is a good candidate for this treatment is overall health. If you suffer from a medical condition, such as Raynaud’s disease, you will be considered a poor candidate for treatment. If, however, you are in good health and there is nothing in your medical history that indicates you may have a negative experience during this treatment, you will be considered a good candidate if you have realistic expectations.
How Should I Prepare for This CoolSculpting Treatment?
To prepare for your treatment, you should wear soft, comfy clothes. Immediately before your treatment you should limit your consumption of beverages and make sure nothing you are consuming, such as foods, drinks, or medications, contain caffeine. You should eat a snack or light meal before your appointment.
Is There Any Downtime After CoolSculpting Treatment?
No. After your treatment session, you are free to return to whatever else you had scheduled for the day. For example, you can return to work or school and then go to the gym afterward. This is one of the most exciting advantages of receiving this treatment rather than going through liposuction, an invasive procedure that requires a month-and-a-half of downtime.
Learn More About This Revolutionary Body Contouring Treatment Today
If you have ever hiked at the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge and wondered how other hikers looked so beautiful? Do you wish there was a way to enhance your aesthetic when every diet and exercise program you have tried has failed? If so, you may benefit from CoolSculpting. To learn more about this life-changing treatment, contact our experts now at Rios Center for Plastic Surgery in Edinburg, TX to schedule your initial consultation.
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