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Does Fat Freezing Work? Two Experts Weigh In on CoolSculpting

vogue logoOriginal Article by Mackenzie Wagner. Blame it on bikini season or the forthcoming gala circuit, but recently, at dinner parties across the country, a topic has been on the tips of tongues:

CoolSculpting. Not an entirely new technology, the fat-freezing procedure formally called cryolipolysis was first discovered after, rumor has it, doctors noticed that children who ate a lot of ice pops experienced fat degradation in their cheeks. “Fat is more temperature-sensitive than your skin,” explains UCLA professor and plastic surgeon Jason Roostaeian. “It goes through the cell death process before your skin does.”

CoolSculpting was first approved by the FDA in 2010, but recently gained attention when it was rebranded from minor spot treatment to a noninvasive alternative to liposuction, promising to eviscerate love handles and bra bulge with the wave of a cooling paddle. Sound too good to be true? According to Roostaeian and Manhattan-based CoolSculpting guru Jeannel Astarita, the technology works. Here, they discuss the ins and outs of fat freezing, from weight loss to health risks.

How Does It Work?

CoolSculpting procedures use rounded paddles in one of four sizes to suction your skin and fat “like a vacuum,” says Dr. Roostaeian. While you sit in a reclined chair for up to two hours, cooling panels set to work crystallizing your fat cells. “It’s a mild discomfort that people seem to tolerate pretty well,” he says. “[You experience] suction and cooling sensations that eventually go numb.” In fact, the procedural setting is so relaxed that patients can bring laptops to do work, enjoy a movie, or simply nap while the machine goes to work.

Who Is It For?

Above all, emphasizes Roostaeian, CoolSculpting is “for someone who is looking for mild improvements,” explaining that it’s not designed for one-stop-shop major fat removal like liposuction. When clients come to Astarita for a consultation, she considers “their age, skin quality—will it rebound? Will it look good after volume is removed?—and how thick or pinchable their tissue is,” before approving them for treatment, because the suction panels can only treat the tissue it can access. “If someone has thick, firm tissue,” explains Astarita, “I won’t be able to give them a wow result.”

What Are The Results?

“It often takes a few treatments to get to your optimum results,” says Roostaeian, who admits that a single treatment will yield very minimal change, sometimes imperceptible to clients. “One of the downsides of [CoolSculpting] is there’s a range for any one person. I’ve seen people look at before and after pictures and not be able to see the results.” All hope is not lost, however, because both experts agree that the more treatments you have, the more results you will see. What will happen eventually is an up to 25 percent fat reduction in a treatment area. “At best you get mild fat reduction — aslightly improved waistline, less bulging of any particular area that’s concerning. I would emphasize the word mild.”

Will It Make You Lose Weight?

“None of these devices shed pounds,” says Astarita, reminding potential patients that muscle weighs more than fat. When you’re shedding 25 percent of fat in a handful of tissue, it won’t add up to much on the scale, but, she counters, “When [you lose] what’s spilling over the top of your pants or your bra, it counts.” Her clients come to her in search of better proportions at their current weight, and may leave having dropped “one or two sizes in clothing.”

When Should You Start It?

With vacations and summer weddings on the horizon, Roostaeian recommends scheduling your session three months in advance, six at the most. Results are not visible for at least four weeks, with the fat loss reaching its peak at around eight. “By twelve weeks your skin smooths out and looks prettier,” says Astarita. “That’s the cherry on top.” But, reminds Roostaeian, “the results after one treatment are almost always inadequate. Each [treatment] has a downtime, so you want at least six to eight weeks [between appointments].”

Is It Safe?

Because this is a noninvasive procedure, the risks, comparatively speaking, are very low. Contour irregularities can occur the same way they might in liposuction. While the CoolSculpting machine leaves less room for human error in terms of fat removal, it also has its limitations in terms of fine-tuning removal the way an artful plastic surgeon might by hand. So, too, a potential complication lies with your numbed nerves feeling as though they’ve fallen asleep for “weeks if not months—that can happen,” acknowledges Roostaeian. Wounds will not occur, and swelling is minimal. Further risks should be discussed with your doctor.

Male patient receiving an Emsculpt NEO treatment to the abdominal area.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can EMSCULPT NEO do for me?

EMSCULPT NEO is an amazing noninvasive body sculpting treatment. It’s perfect for patients who are looking to get summer body ready! With this state-of-the-art, two-in-one technology, you build muscle and burn fat at the same time! This treatment provides a 30% reduction in subcutaneous fat and 25% growth in muscle on the treated area after a recommended number of treatments.

How does EMSCULPT NEO work?

While you lie down and relax, EMSCULPT NEO sends high-intensity energies deep below your skin, making your muscles contract in a big way that is like doing thousands of crunches or squats in a few minutes. While your muscles are contracting, the energy from the applicator simultaneously sends warmth to your fat cells, heating them up to the point of destruction. So you build real muscle from the contractions while destroying fat cells that are later naturally eliminated by your body.

How many EMCULPT NEO treatments will I need?

The recommended treatment plan is 4-6 treatments, one week apart. Depending on the patient, you may see improvement in your muscle tone, core strength and posture within a few weeks. And you’ll see fat reduction continue for about 12 weeks after your last treatment.

Are there any patients for whom you do not recommend EMSCULPT NEO?

EMSCULPT NEO is great because it has been shown to be safe and approved for all body and skin types. Contraindications include hernia, recent surgery, and pregnancy, so if a patient has any of these conditions, they should wait until they don’t to get EMSCULPT NEO.

What is the difference between CoolSculpting and EMSCULPT NEO?

CoolSculpting is a well-known treatment that is excellent for reducing unwanted fat in targeted areas. EMSCULPT NEO also reduces fat, but it has the benefit of building muscle, which is what its predecessor EMSCULPT was made to do.

Which treatment you choose depends on what your body needs and your personal goals. If you have great muscle tone and only need to get rid of some extra fat in a specific area like your abdomen or below your chin, CoolSculpting is an excellent option. But if you have loss of muscle tone and need more of a lift or tightening to a certain area like your abs or butt, EMSCULPT NEO is your two-in-one solution.

What is your favorite thing about EMSCULPT NEO?

Not only is this treatment super convenient with one treatment lasting only 30 minutes, but there is also no downtime! Patients can go about their day as they normally would immediately after their visit.

Greenwich Med Spa