8 Common Myths About CoolSculpting
With the demand for CoolSculpting rising on the cosmetic market, it’s important to understand the myths about CoolSculpting – what the true statements are and what is a slight misunderstanding. Knowing the difference between the myths and the truth can ultimately lead to your CoolSculpting experience and how well it goes.
Some common myths about CoolSculpting include:
- You can shed weight by the pounds
- It’s a weight loss alternative
- It can tighten your skin and improve sagging
- It’s only for the stomach
- You’ll see instant results
- CoolSculpting is for everyone
- It’s painful
- You won’t gain weight after your treatment
Myths About CoolSculpting
There are many myths about CoolSculpting that are floating around, tricking patients into believing certain things about CoolSculpting that are often common misconceptions. We want to let you know the 8 common myths about CoolSculpting, and what the actual truth is behind it.
1. You can shed weight by the pounds
One of the biggest myths about CoolSculpting is that it can help you lose weight dramatically. In reality, CoolSculpting is a non-surgical fat reduction procedure and should not be used as a weight loss treatment. It’s used to treat fat resistant to diet and exercise.
While one session can typically reduce about 20-25% of the fat in one area, it usually only comes out to about 1-2 pounds. CoolSculpting leads to a more contoured, toned body or a loss in measurement like your waist, for example.
2. It’s a weight loss alternative
What some people might not know is there is a difference between weight loss and fat reduction. Weight loss causes your fat cells to shrink in size because of a balance between the calories you intake and the amount you burn with activity. The volume shrinks, but the number of cells stays the same. Weight loss can also be due to a loss in muscle and fluid loss.
Fat reduction happens when you use methods like CoolSculpting to eliminate the number of fat cells in an area. This leads to the fewer number of cells that are gone for good.
3. It can tighten your skin and improve sagging
CoolSculpting is mainly used for fat reduction, targeting fat cells underneath the skin, so it doesn’t affect the top layer of your skin. This means that it isn’t a viable solution for improving your skin laxity.
If you have good elasticity, then you don’t have to worry about skin tightening because your skin will tighten on its own to the new shape of your body. If you’re looking for a way to treat skin laxity, check out our BTL Exilis treatment.
4. It’s only for the stomach
While the first CoolSculpting device approved by the FDA was used to treat the stomach area, CoolSculpting is now used to treat a variety of different areas like:
- Chin
- Chest
- Arms
- Flanks
- Stomach
- Outer thighs
- Inner thighs
- Knees
- Upper back
- Lower back
- Buttocks
5. You’ll see instant results
CoolSculpting is a safe and effective procedure, but the results are not immediate. You will notice improvements in as little as 3 weeks, with the most dramatic results at 2 months from your treatment. You can even continue seeing results 6 months out.
6. CoolSculpting is for everyone
The list of who can get CoolSculpting is definitely a lot longer than those who can’t, but there are indeed people who cannot get CoolSculpting. For example, it cannot be used as a treatment for overweight or obese individuals. Also, it should not be used for those with these medical conditions:
- Cryoglobulinemia
- Paroxysmal Cold Hemoglobinuria
- Lymphedema or other lymphatic conditions
- Fibromyalgia
- Eating disorders
7. It’s painful
CoolSculpting is a non-invasive procedure, which means it’s relatively painless. You may feel an intense cold, numbness, or slight discomfort for the first minutes. After that, many patients either read, email, text, surf the web, or just nap. You may experience some redness, swelling, bruising, and firmness, but it will subside. There is also no downtime, which means you can return to your normal activities.
8. You won’t gain weight after your treatment
Your CoolSculpting results and their longevity will rely on you and how you treat your body after your CoolSculpting procedure. There is no alternative to a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and proper dieting. As mentioned before, CoolSculpting is not a solution for weight loss, and it can’t cure that. Gaining weight is a natural part of the growth process in life, and we gain and lose weight constantly. To maintain the figure you achieved from your CoolSculpting treatment, you have to maintain your diet and exercise just as you normally would after losing weight.