A surprising number of adults are willing to undergo invasive medical procedures and take on significant potential risk in order to cosmetically alter their bodies to make them firmer, more youthful, and generally more in keeping with the “ideal” beauty aesthetic. But you don’t necessarily have to go under the knife in order to minimize fine lines and wrinkles or reduce body fat. There are a wide variety of noninvasive options available these days that can deliver the cosmetic results you crave with nary a nip, tuck, or stitch. And CoolSculpting is a newer procedure you might not yet be familiar with.
What is Coolsculpting?
The process involves the use of machinery that is designed to attack and reduce body fat through the use of intense and targeted cooling procedures. It’s sort of like the opposite of Thermage, which uses heat to contract the skin’s surface, resulting in a tighter, trimmer appearance. But CoolSculpting actually targets fat beneath the skin and works to “freeze away the fat”. How does it work, though, and more importantly, does it hurt?
So, the skinny on pain is this: there are times during the procedure where there is discomfort; however, it is manageable. The healing process can be painful for a few days, but with the aid of OTC or prescription medication (either topical or oral), pain can be minimized. But the results are so significant that most patients will quickly forget the short-lived side effects of the procedure.
How it works
Here’s how it works. CoolSculpting technology can be used on several areas of the body where patients typically want to reduce fat. It begins with placing the CoolSculpting device on the area to be treated. The device is designed to target fat cells beneath the skin with intense cooling that actually causes cells to freeze, crystallize, and die. Over time (a few days, weeks, or months) the body will work to eliminate these dead fat cells, flushing them from your system and leaving you with a leaner physique.
Because this procedure is non-surgical, there’s really no downtime. Although you may need some medication to cope in the days following CoolSculpting, depending on your particular threshold for pain, there are no restrictions on activities, so you shouldn’t need to take time off work or change your lifestyle in any way. And the results last a lifetime. When paired with proper diet and exercise, or other treatment options, results are amazing. It may not be right for everyone, but if you need help eliminating stubborn belly (or other) fat and your best efforts aren’t doing the trick, consider CoolSculpting as a viable alternative to surgical procedures.
