CoolSculpting/Zeltiq™™ - Related FAQ's

Q: I don't understand how my friend was able to reduce his lovehandles so fast when we both have worked out in the same gym for years and watch our diet. We just have not been able to reduce this over-the-belt pouch of fat. He told me he had CoolSculpting but I don't know what it is. How does it work?

A: CoolSculpting, by Zeltiq, utilizes the principle of cold-induced fat necrosis. In other words, scientists have known that freezing cold temperature can permanently kill fat cells. The adipocytes are sensitive to temperature. If the love handles are meant to be stores of calories for the future in case of emergency need of energy, then it is understandable that they are resistant, often, to fat reduction via exercise or diet. There was a report in the scientific literature referring to popsicle fat necrosis. Young children who had a frozen popsicle in their mouth too long actually lost fat in their cheek and they became hollowed out. Scientists then explored why this happened and eventually, when a demand for non-surgical fat reduction was present, scientists explored this option. The CoolSculpting device is attached to the bulge of skin that harbors the fat.

Negative suction pulls the skin and fat into the machine. In between two electrically controlled chilling plates, the unit of skin and fat sits for one hour. During this time the fat freezes and without surgery, these fat cells are killed. During the several months after CoolSculpting by Zeltiq, the body's defense cells scavenge, find the dead fat cells, and digest them. Approximately 80% of patients lose 20% of volume, based on scientific tests done during the exploration part of the testing, by the 4th month. There is slightly more loss after four months. Some patients can have more than one treatment to improve their results and currently, my patients are offered to repeat the process a few times, three months apart. There might be bruising but this is temporary. Some slight sensitivity and even temporary numbness can occur. Some people swell a little for several weeks from the inflammation of the healing but this is normal and should go away on its own as the tissue shrinks in volume over the months after the procedure. Of course, there are no guarantees, and some patients may not get as good a result as others, and some a much better result, and some may not notice improvement.

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