I remember when I was being fitted for my wedding dress, and the veteran dressmaker commented on my stomach.
“Oh, it won’t look like that after you have a baby,” she promised me.
More than 12 years later, I can confirm she was right. I’m proud of my baby-tummy, but secretly, sometimes, I wish it was a little firmer.
I love my body, and try my best to exercise and eat healthily to feel good. There’s only so much it can do for me, though.
For some of us, wanting some extra help is a reality. Each to their own, right?
So, when I heard about this thing called CoolSculpting®, I was intrigued; the concept of freezing fat cells with no surgery. Hang on…does it actually require no extra energy exertion apart from my usual regular exercise?
I decided to look into it, and here’s what I’ve learned so far.
So, what is CoolSculpting®?
In short, CoolSculpting is a non-invasive fat-freezing technology that’s designed to reduced superficial and unwanted fat.
Through the process of cryolipolysis, which was developed by Harvard scientists, it freezes the subcutaneous fat cells (fat found underneath the skin) that are usually difficult to shift, even with healthy living.
It’s not a weight-loss procedure, but it is about contouring your body.
Here’s the part I think is so interesting; while the fat cells freeze, the skin and other tissue are spared from injury. Most of the targeted fat cells are damaged beyond repair and die. The body’s natural system removes these dead fat cells over the coming weeks and months post-treatment.
There are no needles or no surgery involved in the CoolSculpting procedure. Perfect for pain-phobes like me. (Yes I had a C-section and am a warrior, but still.)
Who can provide CoolSculpting®?
CoolSculpting has been available globally for many years, and more than eight million treatments have been done as of July 2019 – meaning it’s been tried and tested. In Australia and New Zealand, 185 clinics perform these treatments.
All treatments must be done by certified CoolSculpting technicians. The way it works is that they do an initial consultation, put together a treatment plan and undertake the procedure.
At the initial consultation they work out if it’s right for you, and tailor it to your needs.
Can I get the CoolSculpting® treatment?
The CoolSculpting treatment can be done on most people who have stubborn areas of the body they’d like extra help on, despite living a reasonably healthy lifestyle. If this is something you’re interested in, you can book an appointment with a trained CoolSculpting technician to find out if it’s right for you. In this initial chat, you can also get a better understanding of treatment costs, if it is something you might proceed with.
On that, most CoolSculpting clinics offer package pricing for your tailored treatment, so your sessions can be more affordable.
How does freezing fat cells help in body shaping/body sculpting?
During your treatment session, the CoolSculpting technician precisely marks up the areas to be treated to ensure accurate positioning of the applicators.
Depending on the treatment area, the procedure will take approximately 35 to 75 minutes.
The CoolSculpting treatment decreases the size of the pockets of fat by reducing the number of fat cells in the treated area. The CoolSculpting technicians have intensive training, so they know where to place the applicators to best “sculpt” the body. According to their website, the CoolSculpting treatment has demonstrated fat layer reductions across multiple treatment areas of up to 27 per cent.
What happens to the fat after it has been frozen?
OK, so we know the skin and surrounding tissue aren’t damaged, but where do the dead fat cells go? Your body just eliminates them naturally.
This step-by-step visualisation explains the CoolSculpting process:
What does the CoolSculpting® treatment feel like?
So this is the big question – is it painful?
As mentioned before, the treatment is non-surgical and doesn't use needles.
Controlled cooling is delivered via an applicator to freeze the targeted subcutaneous fat.
Most CoolSculpting applicators use a vacuum to draw the fatty tissue into the applicator cup. During this initial part of the procedure, you may feel some pulling, tugging and or mild pinching/stinging.
But it is not a vacuum sucking fat out of your body. Remember, it’s non-invasive.
When the applicators are removed, the technician performs a two-minute massage on the treated area to break up the fat cells.
The sensation felt during that part of the process is apparently different for each person; some are fine, others (most likely me, who has a child-like threshold for discomfort) say it can be slightly uncomfortable for a short period of the massage.
What can I expect in the hours and days after the treatment?
According to the CoolSculpting website, there can be some swelling or numbness in the treated area, or it may feel tender. But that usually subsides pretty quickly.
As the treatment is completely non-invasive, most people return to work and their daily activities immediately after the treatment.
What are the results I can expect to see after treatment?
You should start to see results at six weeks and see final results around 12 weeks after treatment. This is because it takes around this amount of time for your body to naturally eliminate those dead fat cells.
With the CoolSculpting treatment being so targeted, the remaining fat cells can change in size depending on your lifestyle; that is, they can expand with weight gain or shrink with weight loss. However, the treated fat cells are removed for good.
If you're like me and you're in the research phase, head to CoolSculpting's website to find out more or find a clinic that offers CoolSculpting.
Note: Information discussed above outlining how CoolSculpting affects fat cells and how it works in the body is based on porcine models