Has this happened to you? You spend weeks, maybe even months, following a healthy eating plan and exercising consistently several times a week. Yet at the end of the day, you still see pockets of stubborn fat in various areas on your body.
Knowing you’re not alone may not do much to help the way you feel, but knowing there are viable solutions to help you eliminate those fatty pockets should give you a reason to smile.
While there are a number of non-invasive options available, this article compares two of the most popular procedures.
Coolsculpting®
Coolsculpting® is a cosmetic procedure designed to eliminate fat cells, causing death by freezing. Specific targeted areas are cooled to a temperature of 30°-40°F and sustained there for about an hour.
The frozen fat cells are absorbed by the body and naturally processed and eliminated along with other dead cells in the body.
It takes the body some time to process all the fat cells. Results from the procedure can take up to four weeks to be seen, and optimum results are typically seen after about three to six months.
Some of the advantages of the Coolsculpting® procedure include:
- Virtually pain-free treatment
- No incisions, sutures, or scarring
- No downtime needed – resume normal activities immediately
There are also a few disadvantages associated with Coolsculpting®. Some of the most common ones include:
- Results may not be as dramatic as some other cosmetic treatments for fat removal
- Little if any skin tightening is achieved with Coolsculpting®
- Multiple treatments may be required to obtain the results you want
- Risk of skin surface irregularities
- Takes a long time for ultimate results to appear
SculpSure®
SculpSure® was introduced as a body shaping and contouring procedure in 2016. Unlike the freezing method used by Coolsculpting®, SculpSure® utilizes the heat from laser energy waves to destroy the outer membrane of the fat cells.
After the fat cells are destroyed, the body’s process of eliminating the dead fat cells is the same as what it does after a Coolsculpting® treatment. Initial results can begin to be seen within about six weeks following a SculpSure® session, with full results noticeable around the 12-week mark.
SculpSure® treatments have several advantages, and most patients are extremely pleased with their results. Some of the most common advantages include:
- No surgery – procedure is totally non-invasive
- No downtime needed
- No incisions, sutures or scarring
- Brief treatment time – each session takes about 30 mins
- Multiple areas can be treated at the same time in a single session
- Up to 24% reduction of fat cells with each session
- No numbing needed beforehand
The biggest disadvantage associated with SculpSure® seems to be the fact it just hasn’t been on the market as long as the Coolsculpting® technology. Coolsculpting® was developed back in 2010, with SculpSure® making its debut more recently, in 2016.
Whichever method you ultimately choose, it’s important to note that neither was designed to treat obesity. Best results are obtained when you are at or near your ideal weight, usually within 20 or 30 pounds. Your doctor can be your best resource in helping you determine the best body shaping procedure for your specific goals.