“What exactly does a 'cool sculpting' procedure entail?”

It is difficult to address without seeing your areas of concern and understanding your desired results if you would be a good candidate for cool sculpting. Overall, as a procedure, it is very low risk and not invasive if done with a board certified plastic surgeon. I suggest a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon with the American board of plastic surgery.

Cool sculpting is a fat-eliminating procedure that is totally non-invasive, and it is excellent for small areas of concern in the lower abdomen, flanks, back, and thighs. The area with unwanted fat is mapped out and the appropriate applicator is chosen. Fat within the applicator will be "frozen," and this kills the fat cells and your own body will process the dead cells through the body's purification system known as the lymphatic system. The fat that is destroyed is actually about 25% of the treated area, so that two or more sessions may be required for total destruction of unwanted sections of fat. The fat that is eliminated, WILL NOT reappear at any time in the treated areas, so that over the course of 1-2-3 treatments, gradual reduction of fat is achieved, and excellent contouring is the result.

First of all, congratulations on becoming a mother! Lots of things change when baby arrives, and although we love those little angels, you are in good company, as many mothers struggle to find their pre-baby body. Our practice sees postpartum women for consultations and strategizing with them, and we recommend moms wait until they have had three spontaneous menstrual cycles before having CoolSculpting performed. "CoolSculpting" is a non-surgical fat-freezing procedure, which is performed from the outside of the body. The machine has a long "arm" with hand pieces of varying sizes and shapes, depending on the targeted treatment area. During treatment, a gel pad is applied to the skin, and the hand piece is placed over the area. The hand piece uses vacuum pressure to draw fat tissue into the hand piece, and ensures equal and appropriate pressure and temperature. Cooling begins and brings the temperature of the fat tissue down to -10 to -12 degrees for 35 minutes. At the end of the treatment, the hand piece is removed, and the area is massaged for three minutes. Separate areas can be treated on the same day, each 35 minutes in length. Patients often feel the tug of the vacuum, a cooling sensation, and then usually feel numbness during the rest of the 35-minute treatment. They are very comfortable and are usually watching movies, resting, perusing their cell phones or computers, or reading a book. The results of CoolSculpting are gradual. 20%-25% of treated fat cells are reprogrammed to die a natural cell death in the weeks following treatment, and they are flushed out of the body through the lymphatic system. Visible changes were noted in FDA studies at 90 days after treatment. Areas can be treated more than once for additional fat reduction and can be performed as early as one month after the first CoolSculpting treatment session. Risks are minimal, as there are no needles, incisions, or anesthesia involved. The most common side effect is a sensation of numbness or tingling, which can last a few weeks. Mild redness, if it occurs, usually resolves within a few days. Mild tenderness can also occur, and patients describe this as feeling as if they've performed many sit-ups. Although fat cells are lost, the treatment does not result in weight loss. Other treatment options can include surgical interventions, such as a tummy tuck and/or liposuction. Our office regularly consults with patients about all treatment options, to determine the patient's goals, timeline, budget, surgical candidacy, and other factors. For patients interested in CoolSculpting, we require a CoolSculpting consultation appointment, to determine if they are medical candidates, to discuss the treatment itself, explain what to expect during treatments, and to customize a treatment plan for the patient, so the patient has an idea of how many treatments will be needed, and the cost associated with their treatment plan. CoolSculpting is the #1 worldwide nonsurgical fat reduction treatment, and it's a great tool to have in our proverbial belts - our hopefully-shrinking-waistline-belts.

Leslie TenBrink, FNP