CoolSculpting is one of the most popular cosmetic treatments patients request from our dermatologists. Its ability to freeze fat from common problem areas such as the midsection, flanks, and thighs sets CoolSculpting apart from every other treatment we offer at our practice in Dallas, Texas.
Because CoolSculpting is still relatively new, patients are often unsure what the treatment entails and how to prepare for it. Here’s a brief overview of how we work with our CoolSculpting patients.
Your Consultation
As with any other treatment at our practice, your time with us begins with a consultation, which accomplishes multiple things. First, it’s your time to ask any questions you might have and talk about what areas you want to treat. There are a variety of areas that can be safely and effectively treated with CoolSculpting, from “bra bulge” to back fat to the area just above the knees – we’ve done it all!
Based on what we hear, it’s then our job to answer any questions you might bring up, examine you, develop a customized treatment plan, and explain how the treatment session will go. You’ll work with our medical aesthetic team and a patient care coordinator, covering details such as whether you want to schedule multiple treatments and the cost of CoolSculpting, which varies depending on what areas you want to treat.
Your Treatment
Your treatment can begin right after your consultation or at another time. You don’t need to do anything special to prepare for the procedure. A given treatment session for most areas of the body — including the midsection, hips, and even a double chin — lasts about an hour. Areas of “non-pinchable” fat, such as on the thighs, take a bit longer. We offer DualSculpting™, which uses 2 CoolSculpting machines to cut down on treatment time by addressing 2 areas at once.
The treatment itself begins by cleansing the area(s) to be treated, then placing the applicator on the unwanted fat. The process varies slightly, depending on whether the fat is in an area that can be “pinched,” but we have multiple applicators to work with even small areas of unwanted fat.
The first 10 minutes or so may feel quite cold, but the body becomes accustomed to the sensation and numbs soon, much like with using an icepack. Patients typically spend the majority of the session reading, catching up on email, or even napping. Most say they are surprised by how simple and comfortable the process is.
Your treatment session ends with the Zimmer ZWave®, a radial pulse device that stimulates new collagen production and allows us to break up more fat cells. We apply the ZWave at this critical juncture to enhance your results by smoothing and tightening the skin. We find this gives our patients greater fat reduction and improved results!
Instead of the manual massage that follows most CoolSculpting treatments, the ZWave breaks down the fibrous connective tissue associated with cellulite and helps smooth and tighten the skin. The non-invasive procedure helps accelerate the results of your CoolSculpting treatment without discomfort.
Your Results
After a session, you can go about your normal daily business as soon as you walk out the door. There is no downtime. Patients do experience varying amounts of redness and tenderness in the days that follow, and swelling can be present for up to 8 weeks.
CoolSculpting encourages the body to gradually remove the fat cells that were targeted, and it’s a process that takes about 3 months to come to fruition. Patients see a slimmer, smoother contour after 1 treatment, but some return for additional treatments to improve their results further. Check out these before-and-after photos to see results past patients have achieved.
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It’s as simple as that. If you’d like to come in for a CoolSculpting consultation, please contact us and we’ll be happy to schedule an appointment.
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