Everyone has some things they don’t particularly like, but that they have to live with. Take your boss, for instance. Maybe your mother-in-law. Possibly your mood-driven 16-year-old daughter.
But unwanted fat doesn’t have to be on that list. You CAN get rid of it with the team at Elite Plastic Surgery. And if you’re not keen on doing it surgically through liposuction, you can opt for a method that 16-year-old might call “chill,” CoolSculpting.
What is CoolSculpting?
CoolSculpting is a relatively new body-sculpting tool. It was approved by the FDA for use on the flanks in 2010, on the stomach in 2013, and on the thighs in 2104. It uses controlled freezing of fat cells to reduce fat in target areas.
Where did CoolSculpting come from?
CoolSculpting was invented by two doctors, Drs. Anderson and Manstein, both affiliated with the Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. They were studying the phenomenon of popsicle panniculitis, where children eating popsicles develop cheek dimples due to decreased fat in their cheeks. They hypothesized that this effect could be applied to fat elsewhere in the body.
How CoolSculpting works
As they researched their idea they found that fat cells are sensitive to cold at a higher temperature than nerves, skin, and muscle cells. They then found the precise temperature that damaged fat cells while leaving the surrounding other structures unharmed. They called this concept cryolipolysis. And that became the basis of CoolSculpting.
When the fat cells are exposed to the cold temperatures they become terminally damaged and eventually die. The body then removes these dead cells as it does with other dead cells in the body. In a CoolSculpting session, approximately 25% of the fat cells in the target area are frozen and die.
What to expect during your CoolSculpting procedure
A CoolSculpting session involves cooling panels that are positioned on the target area. As the cooling begins, you’ll first feel intense cold. This quickly dissipates. In some areas, you’ll feel some pulling as suction brings your skin to the freezing panel. After about 5 or 10 minutes the area becomes numb and you really don’t feel much else. Our patients read, watch videos, play games on their phone, or even take a nap during their CoolSculpting sessions. One treatment takes roughly one hour per treatment area.
There must be some recovery time, right?
Nope. CoolSculpting is totally non-invasive. After your session, you can get back to work or your normal gig immediately. You’ll start to see improvements is a few weeks, but for the fat to die and be removed from the treatment areas takes from three to four months to be fully realized.
Schedule a consultation
Interested in losing the fat without any recovery time? Call Elite Plastic Surgery in Grand Rapids at (616) 459-1907 for an appointment.
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