Body fat is complicated. It can be stubborn and difficult to rid from your body. One thing is fairly consistent: it may be difficult to achieve the look you want without a little bit of help. The Aesthetic Center in Darien, CT is here to help.
Body fat is complicated. It can be stubborn and difficult to rid from your body. One thing is fairly consistent: it may be difficult to achieve the look you want without a little bit of help. The Aesthetic Center in Darien, CT is here to help.
CoolSculpting is scientifically known as cryolipolysis, meaning a procedure to freeze (cryo) fat cells (lipo) and kill them (lysis). This FDA-cleared treatment works by placing an applicator on the skin that suctions to the area you want to target.
The device then places carefully regulated cooling plates against the surface of the skin to bring fat cells down to the desired temperature. At this temperature, targeted fat cells are irreversibly damaged. Once this damage occurs with the fat cells, they eventually die and are eliminated by the body. This part of the process will take longer. However, you can start to see results in as little as a few weeks and the final effects are typically achieved in about three months.
During our Connecticut CoolSculpting procedure, a variety of sizes and shapes of applicators can be placed over a gel pad. This pad is designed to protect your skin from being damaged by freezing temperatures. The applicator(s) will be placed on the target area(s) for a specified amount of time, at designated temperatures.
The area(s) of treatment will be determined by you and your doctor. Depending on the area(s) selected, your session could take 30 to 90 minutes to complete. Multiple areas can be treated in the same session and there is virtually no downtime. Once the device is applied to the skin, you may feel sensations of tugging, pulling, mild pinching, tingling, intense cold, aching, stinging, or cramping at the treatment site.
The area will feel very cool for the first few moments during activation. Then these various sensations will subside as the area becomes numb and you will not feel anything. Once the freezing part of the treatment is complete, the practitioner will massage all treated areas to break up the fat cells that have been crystallized during the procedure. Immediately following your session, you will have a raised area where the appliance was placed. After the areas are massaged, you may see a slight difference in your skin’s appearance.
The ideal candidate for CoolSculpting is someone who is not too far from their ideal body weight and has reasonably good skin elasticity. Most importantly, the fat needs to be “pinchable”. If you can pinch the area causing a bulge, in most cases, we can eliminate these fat cells.
CoolSculpting can theoretically treat any unwanted fatty areas of the body, but it is currently FDA-cleared for the abdominal area, lower back (love handles), the midback (back fat or bra fat), upper arms, below the buttocks (banana roll), the thighs, and for under the chin and jawline where fat cells collect and form a “double chin”.
Please keep in mind though, that the applicator must be able to effectively attach to the treatment area. Therefore, you must have enough fat to pinch in any of these areas for the treatment to work. Please be aware, although the CoolSculpting procedure is designed to remove fat, it is not intended as a weight-loss treatment.
For many decades, the only way to quickly rid the body of excess fat (excluding diet and exercise) was liposuction. Liposuction does remain the gold standard in fat reduction as it allows for direct sculpting and total control of fat removal by the surgeon. However, liposuction is a more invasive procedure that can require weeks of recovery time and anesthesia.
You will start to see changes in your treated area(s) within four to eight weeks, with full results typically within 12 weeks. If it is determined that you need a second session, you can return as early as eight weeks. Frequently, people will require more than one session. This particularly true with female patients. Females tend to have fatty deposits in undesirable areas as a result of hormonal changes and may need to undergo two or three rounds of treatment to achieve the desired effect.
With CoolSculpting Fairfield County patients often see approximately a 20-25% reduction in fat cells in the area treated. The best part is, once fat cells are destroyed in the treatment area, they are gone for good. If you would gain weight at some point in the future, it will distribute evenly throughout the body, just not in these targeted treatment areas.
It is important that you inform your doctor if you have any pre-existing hernias, medical conditions (including recent surgery), and any known sensitivities or allergies; as side effects may result from these conditions.
The CoolSculpting procedure may not be for every individual. You should not undergo a CoolSculpting procedure if you suffer from cold agglutinin disease, cryoglobulinemia, or paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria.
If you are interested in exploring CoolSculpting treatment, contact our Connecticut plastic surgery office, conveniently located in Darian, CT, to schedule your consultation.
If you are considering plastic surgery in Fairfield County or anywhere in Connecticut, contact us to schedule a one-on-one consultation with one of our expert plastic surgeons.
722 Post Road, Suite 202, Darien, CT 06820
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Sat: Closed
Sun: Closed
*Disclaimer: results are not guaranteed, may not be permanent, and can vary per individual. Some images are of models, not actual patients.
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