Stubborn fat. It’s part of our reality. Despite a healthy diet and consistent exercise essential to your health and wellness, many bodies are simply resistant to change. And that means that a suitable surgical or nonsurgical fat reduction treatment might just be the answer for a more slimmed and toned physique.
Two favorite medical procedures known to reduce and eliminate fat are liposuction (the second most commonly performed cosmetic surgery procedures in 2019) and CoolSculpting®, a noninvasive fat-freezing treatment. While both are effective techniques to slim and contour specific body areas, but there are a few key differences that might help you determine which is best for your own body.
What’s the Main Difference?
We’re glad you asked! One key difference is that liposuction is a surgical procedure and CoolScultping is a nonsurgical procedure.
During liposuction, excessive fat is removed from deposits beneath the skin using cannulas (hollowed tubes) connected to a suction device. It’s a technique designed to contour localized areas of unwanted fat, while reshaping specific parts of the body. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 250,000 people underwent liposuction procedures in the U.S. in 2019, ranking it just behind breast augmentation as the most popular cosmetic surgery in the States.
CoolSculpting, on the other hand, is a noninvasive treatment that uses a precise cooling device to gently freeze away fat cells underneath the skin. The in-office procedure is virtually painless and requires minimal, if any, recovery time. While CoolSculpting can target specific, treatable areas anywhere there’s excess fat on the body, it cannot remove large areas of fat from the body. If you wish to remove a lot of fat, we will likely suggest liposuction (along with a healthy lifestyle!)
What Can I Expect From the Procedures?
The success of liposuction, which involves small, inconspicuous incisions and a long, narrow suction tool, depends not only on adequate fat removal but also on retraction (shrinking) of the skin overlying treated areas. This is why it requires a board certified plastic surgeon with experience precisely sculpting away fat to enhance the shape of an area. It is typically performed under general anesthesia, and medications are administered for your comfort. After a liposuction procedure, results are immediate and only get better as you recover. (This is in contrast with CoolSculpting results, which are typically seen 2-3 months down the line.)
The CoolSculpting® treatment, however, takes about one hour and is done in our office. Using the applicator device, our trained professionals safely deliver controlled cooling to a specific area. As its name suggests,it will feel a little chilly. This gently and effectively targets the fat cells underneath the skin, drawing fatty tissue in. Treated fat cells are then crystalized (frozen), and die. Over time, your body naturally processes the fat and eliminates these dead cells, leaving a more sculpted you!
What Areas Do They Target?
As we mentioned, CoolSculpting is the ideal treatment for smaller, stubborn areas of fat on the body, like love handles or a double chin! The treatment can also be used in a variety of areas to reduce excess fat, including the abdomen, back, thighs, chest or bra rolls.
While CoolSculpting can only treat one area at a time, liposuction gives patients far more freedom with the ability to tackle a variety of areas in one surgery. Typical treatment areas include the chin/jowls/neck, abdomen, flanks, back (including bra rolls), chest (specifically to address male breasts), hips, thighs, knees, calves and ankles or the butt. Liposuction can also be performed alone or in combination with other procedures (like a tummy tuck, breast reduction or facelift).
What’s the Difference in Recovery and Treatment Frequency?
During your liposuction recovery, a compression garment or elastic bandage may be used to control swelling and compress the skin. And although results will be immediately visible, your improved body contour will be more apparent once the swelling and fluid retention subside. The exact timeline will vary depending on the extent of your procedure, but you should prepare for a recovery period with limited activity for a few weeks to months. In general, most patients enjoy the fact that liposuction leaves very small incisions that are easy to conceal. And even better, liposuction is one of the most permanent fat-reduction surgeries available.
In contrast, CoolSculpting has little recovery, if any. In fact, many patients get the procedure during their lunch break. After your treatment, you are free to resume all regular activity, including work. Although side effects might include temporary redness, skin sensitivity, swelling, bruising, tenderness or itching, all of these are temporary and should resolve within days or weeks. When it comes to results, those will be visible within one to three months. With CoolSculpting, most patients see results after a series of two or more treatments on a specific area, and we suggest spacing these procedures out by several weeks so progress can be assessed.
Are Both Effective Options?
Yes! Which procedure is right for you depends entirely on your lifestyle and aesthetic goals. The most important checklist item is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Majewski. The purpose of this is to evaluate whether you’re a candidate for either treatment and to develop a plan that will help you achieve your goals.
If you’ve been considering fat-reduction treatments, give us a call or schedule your appointment here!
