You’ve been hitting the gym regularly and watching what you eat, but those stubborn areas of fat just won’t budge. Sound familiar? Many of us struggle with unwanted fat that seems resistant to diet and exercise. If this describes your situation, you might be curious about CoolSculpting®—a popular nonsurgical fat reduction method that’s helping people achieve their body contouring goals.
But how does CoolSculpting® get rid of fat, exactly?
CoolSculpting®’s Fat Freezing Explained
CoolSculpting® is an FDA-approved cosmetic procedure that uses controlled cooling to eliminate stubborn fat that resists all your efforts through diet and exercise. Unlike a surgical procedure like liposuction, CoolSculpting® is completely non-invasive, meaning there are no incisions, no anesthesia, and minimal downtime.
The technical term for the process is cryolipolysis, which essentially means “fat freezing.” The fundamental principle behind CoolSculpting® is remarkably simple yet scientifically sound: fat cells freeze at higher temperatures than other cells in your body. This allows the treatment to target and kill fat cells without damaging surrounding tissues.
How Does CoolSculpting® Get Rid of Fat?
When you undergo a CoolSculpting® treatment, here’s what actually happens to your fat cells:
First, a gel pad is applied to the treatment area to protect your skin. Then, the CoolSculpting® applicator delivers precisely controlled cooling to the targeted area. This intense cold penetrates through your skin to reach the subcutaneous fat layer.
When fat cells are exposed to these cold temperatures, they undergo a process called apoptosis—essentially, programmed cell death. The fat cells crystallize, die off, and then your body naturally processes and eliminates these destroyed fat cells over time.
What’s fascinating is how your body removes these dead fat cells. After the fat cells freeze and die, your white blood cells, part of your immune system, recognize these cells as damaged. They then begin a cleanup process, breaking down the fat cells and their contents. Your lymphatic system gradually collects these broken-down fat cells and naturally eliminates them from your body.
This process is entirely different from what happens when you lose weight through diet and exercise. When you lose weight traditionally, your fat cells shrink but remain present. With CoolSculpting®, the actual number of fat cells decreases in the treated area because your body permanently removes them.
What Happens During a CoolSculpting® Treatment?
During your CoolSculpting® session, your provider will first mark the treatment areas with a skin marking pencil. After applying the protective gel pad, they’ll position the CoolSculpting® applicator over the targeted area, which creates a vacuum to draw the fatty tissue into the applicator cup.
You’ll feel intense cold for the first few minutes, but this sensation typically subsides as the area becomes numb. Each treatment session generally lasts between 35 and 60 minutes, depending on the area being treated. Many people read, check emails, or even nap during their treatment.
CoolSculpting® can treat various areas of the body where stubborn fat tends to accumulate, including:
- Belly fat
- Love handles
- Double chin
- Upper arms
- Inner and outer thighs
- Back fat
- Under the buttocks (banana roll)
The best part? There’s minimal downtime. You can return to your normal activities immediately after treatment, making it a convenient option for those with busy lifestyles.
What Kind of Results Should You Expect?
After your CoolSculpting® treatment, the fat reduction occurs gradually as your body naturally processes and eliminates the dead fat cells. You may start noticing changes as soon as three weeks after your treatment, with the most dramatic results visible after two to three months.
Clinical studies, such as one from the National Library of Medicine, show that CoolSculpting® reduces fat in the treated area by 20-25% after just one session. Many patients are satisfied with their results after a single treatment, while others may benefit from additional sessions to achieve their desired outcome. Your plastic surgeon or dermatologist will help you develop a personalized treatment plan based on your specific goals.
It’s important to understand that CoolSculpting® is not a weight loss treatment or a substitute for achieving your ideal body weight through healthy lifestyle choices. Rather, it’s designed for fat reduction in specific, targeted areas that don’t respond well to diet and exercise.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate for CoolSculpting®?
The best candidates for CoolSculpting® are people who:
- Are at or near their ideal weight
- Have pinchable fat in specific areas
- Have realistic expectations about results
- Are committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle
CoolSculpting® works best on subcutaneous fat—the kind you can pinch—rather than visceral fat, which surrounds your organs and can only be reduced through diet and exercise.
Considerations and Potential Side Effects
Like any cosmetic procedure, CoolSculpting® has potential side effects, although they’re typically mild and temporary. Common side effects include redness, swelling, bruising, tingling, numbness, or discomfort in the treated area. These usually resolve within a few days or weeks.
A rare but noted side effect is paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH), where the treated area becomes larger rather than smaller after treatment. This occurs when fat cells in the treated area grow larger rather than being eliminated. While uncommon (occurring in less than 1% of cases), it’s important to be aware of this possibility and discuss it with your provider.
CoolSculpting® cost varies depending on the treatment area and how many sessions you need. Treatment ranges typically from $600 to $1,500 per area, with most patients needing 1-3 treatment sessions for optimal results.
CoolSculpting® vs. Traditional Weight Loss Methods
Unlike traditional weight loss methods that simply shrink existing fat cells, CoolSculpting® actually reduces the number of fat cells in treated areas. When you lose weight through diet and exercise, your fat cells get smaller, but the number remains the same. This explains why it’s so easy to gain weight back in the same problem areas—those shrunken fat cells are just waiting to store fat again!
After CoolSculpting®, the treated fat cells are gone for good. Of course, the remaining fat cells can still expand if you gain weight, which is why maintaining a healthy lifestyle with proper diet and exercise is essential for long-lasting results.
Is CoolSculpting® Right for You?
If you’re troubled by stubborn areas of fat that resist your best efforts at the gym and kitchen, CoolSculpting® might be worth considering. As a non-invasive procedure with fewer risks than surgical alternatives, it offers an appealing option for those seeking targeted fat reduction without the downtime associated with more invasive procedures.
To determine if CoolSculpting® is right for you, schedule a free CoolSculpting® consultation with a qualified provider. They’ll evaluate your concerns and help you develop a personalized treatment plan to address your specific needs.
Remember, the best approach to body contouring combines targeted treatments like CoolSculpting® with healthy lifestyle choices. By maintaining a healthy diet, regular exercise routine, and ideal body weight, you’ll enhance and prolong your CoolSculpting® results, helping you feel confident in your skin for years to come.
