What’s the Difference Between Coolsculpting and Liposuction?

With hot weather approaching, many people start to think about reshaping their bodies to prepare for a summer wardrobe or a beach vacation. If you’ve been concerned about your silhouette, we offer two great options to remove fatty deposits that haven’t responded to diet and exercise. You now can choose either liposuction or CoolSculpting, depending on your individual concerns and desired outcome. Both procedures provide permanent results.

Are you curious about how liposuction is different from CoolSculpting? Let’s start by taking a look at how these two body-contouring options work. They both have the same goal of spot fat reduction but achieve that in very different ways. In the liposuction procedure, a hollow tube, or cannula, is inserted in the body to remove fat cells. Because the cannula are inserted through incisions, a healing process and some recovery time will be necessary. By contrast, CoolSculpting is a non-surgical FDA-approved technology that treats the same type of stubborn pockets of fat that liposuction does. Instead of using surgical procedures to remove the fat, though, the area to be treated is drawn up between two cooling panels. These panels cool the targeted cells, literally freezing them! The body then naturally flushes away the dead fat cells. Fat cells will continue to break down and flush out for up to four to six months after the treatment.

Is CoolSculpting better than liposuction? Each procedure has advantages, and one may be more suitable for your particular concerns. The chart compares the two treatments.

BODY SCULPTING OPTIONS COOLSCULPTING LIPOSUCTION
procedure type: nonsurgical surgical
anesthesia: no yes
best for treating: small to moderate areas of fat larger deposits of fat, fine-tuning surgical results
target areas: best for upper and lower abdomen, back, inner thighs best for waist, abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs, back, chest, inner knees, upper arms, neck
optimal results: reduces fat bulges dramatic change in body contour
final results seen: 1 to 3 months immediate change, complete results in 3 to 6 months
downtime: none 1 week before normal activities; 6 weeks until vigorous exercise
repeated treatment needed: perhaps not generally
permanent results: yes! yes!

With either method, the results achieved by either liposuction or CoolSculpting are best maintained by a commitment to a healthy diet and the practice of a fit lifestyle.

Still unsure which is the better approach for you? Come in for a free consultation and we can let you know which method will help you say goodbye to your unwanted fat. If you’re interested in CoolSculpting, we’re now offering an awesome new approach called “Treat to Transformation.” We’re super excited about it; it’s an overall assessment that creates a holistic treatment plan for giving you a beautiful sculpted body.

Contact us to learn about how you can get a slimmer, smoother silhouette for summer. We’d love to help you look better in your bikini!

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