CoolSculpting and liposuction are both body contouring methods to lose stubborn, unwanted fat from a variety of areas around your body. While they both are perfect for someone who is looking to shed hard-to-reach fatty tissue, the differences between each of these procedures may make one approach better suited to attain your aesthetic goals. And, it is important to understand what those differences are when considering one over the other. Coolsculpting is a non-invasive treatment, while liposuction is a minimally invasive surgical procedure. At Rotemberg Plastic Surgery, Dr. Silvia Rotemberg and her team of body contouring experts can answer any questions you may have regarding one of our other services. If you would like to learn more you’re invited to schedule a personal consultation or call our office directly at (305) 539-7083.
About Stubborn Fat
Whether to alter your appearance or improve your health, the urge to get in shape can lead to a complete tectonic shift in your life, diet, and overall happiness. At first, with a perfect diet and exercise plan, you will start to see the number on the scale falling drastically each and every morning. Soon, those pants you had tucked away in a closet are now all you want to wear, because they fit so perfectly. You’re healthier, happier, and more confident in your body. But there’s one thing that still grabs your attention: pockets of unwanted, nettlesome fat dispersed around your figure.
This persistent fat is known as subcutaneous fat. Subcutaneous fat can be incredibly unresponsive to diet and exercise alone. That’s because this special type of fat is appropriated by the body to avert heat loss, protect the vital organs, and act as a cushion against external stressors.[1] So, while the standard prescription for fat loss is a balanced diet paired with an active lifestyle, eliminating subcutaneous fat deposits requires a different, more measured approach. That’s where CoolSculpting and Liposuction enter the stage. These two procedures, while different in methods and abilities, can achieve your desired aesthetic results.
About Liposuction
Liposuction is a body contouring surgery that removes unwanted fat from the body through a cannula – a slender, hollow and that gently vacuums away the fatty tissue. Making only a few small incisions, Dr. Rotemberg is able to skillfully target the fat tissue around the arms, abdomen, and thighs. While it is an extraordinary procedure on its own, liposuction can also be added on with other procedures like a tummy tuck, a body lift, or a thigh lift to provide maximum results.
About CoolSculpting
CoolSculpting is a non-invasive body contouring procedure that harnesses the science of cryolipolysis to break down fatty tissue with sub-zero temperatures. When a CoolSculpting applicator is placed onto your targeted areas, the fatty tissue is plunged to freezing temperatures causing the fat cells to die, and later be discarded by the body in the coming weeks. This quick, 30-minute procedure will have you in and out of the office with minimal discomfort and able to dive back into the current of your daily routine.
Benefits of CoolSculpting
This innovative approach to fat loss has many benefits that make it perfect for some clients. Those benefits include:
- No downtime required
- Quick, “Lunch-Time” procedure
- Permanent results if no new fat grows in the target areas
- Tailored treatments
- Non-invasive
Benefits of Liposuction
As a treatment that has been mastered and refined over recent years in the plastic surgery industry, liposuction offers many benefits that make it the perfect option for patients who long to see real, lasting results. Those benefits include:
- Achieve a sculpted figure with greater fat loss
- Minimal downtime
- Permanent results if no new fat is gained
- Perfect addition to many other body contouring treatment
- Achieve a sculpted figure with greater fat loss
- Minimal downtime
- Permanent results if no new fat is gained
- Perfect addition to many other body contouring treatment
If you’re interested in learning more about how body contouring procedures can impact your self-esteem and confidence then please feel free to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Rotemberg today!
Personal Consultation in Miami
Your personal consultation will take place at our Miami offices where Dr. Rotemberg will meet and discuss your aesthetic concerns and goals. First, we will go over your recent medical, surgical, and prescription history, and then discuss what brought you in today. Dr. Rotemberg is passionate about procuring an overall sense of your story so that she can make the next chapter of that story even better than the last. Next, she will examine your areas of concern and explain which treatment option(s) she feels is best suited to achieve your goals. This will then serve as the outline for your treatment plan at Rotemberg Plastic Surgery. If a list of preparatory steps is prescribed then please be sure to follow those in the interim. It is important so that a smooth procedure and optimal results can be ensured.
Liposuction Procedure
At the onset of your liposuction procedure, anesthesia will be administered. Once that has taken effect, Dr. Rotemberg will make a series of small incisions around the target area. This is where the cannula will be inserted. This will remove the fatty tissue from the body, leaving the other neighboring tissue intact. Once the desired results have been achieved and all the necessary fat has been extricated, Dr. Rotemberg will stitch up the incisions. Once the surgery is completed and the anesthesia has worn off, you will be released home to focus on your recovery.
CoolSculpting Procedure
After your CoolSculpting procedure has been scheduled, you will come to our Miami office and lie down on our treatment chair. Here, a CoolSculpting applicator will be placed on your target areas. Many patients report feeling only a cold twinge at first that soon subsides, and then experience numbness in the area. The CoolSculpting applicator will drop the fat tissue to freezing temperatures, keeping the surrounding areas unaffected and unaltered.[2] If you would like to learn more about the cosmetic contouring industry please feel free to scroll through other blog posts from Rotemberg Plastic Surgery. After about 30 minutes, you will be free to walk out the door, unimpeded by any looming side effects or necessary recovery measures.
The Bottom Line
Choosing between liposuction or CoolSculpting really comes down to your decision, needs, and expectations for the procedure as well as the downtime. There are some differences between the two that would benefit some more than others. Those differences include:
Amount of Downtime
For many people interested in body contouring procedures, the thought of having to spend more than a few days focused on recovery can be a deal-breaker. Since liposuction can require general anesthesia and is an invasive procedure, this means that downtime is required for liposuction and not for CoolSculpting. A person who chooses liposuction can get back to their normal hustle and bustle in as little as two weeks whereas CoolSculpting patients can return to their daily lives within the hour.
Amount of Fat Loss
However, the longer downtime may be worthwhile for some patients, as liposuction does extract more fat more efficiently than CoolSculpting. Because the procedure physically extracts the fat, the fat loss is instant and greater than a CoolSculpting procedure. Fat loss with CoolSculpting is seen gradually over the next couple of weeks and months after.
Amount of Sessions
While liposuction is a one time procedure, CoolSculpting may warrant multiple sessions depending on the size and density of the target tissue.
In short: Liposuction is a one time procedure that instantly erases more fat than CoolSculpting but requires significantly more downtime.
Cost
The cost of either your CoolSculpting or liposuction procedure will vary depending on if any other services were added in your treatment, how many places were treated, and how many sessions (if CoolSculpting) were required to achieve your desired results. If you would like to learn more about financing options please visit our financing page or give our office a call at (305) 539-7083.
FAQ
Is CoolSculpting a weight loss procedure?
CoolSculpting should not be seen as a fat loss as the technology is not equipped to produce results that typical weight loss procedures create. CoolSculpting is only performed on individuals who are at a healthy, stable weight and who already lead an active lifestyle.
Is Liposuction a weight loss procedure?
Liposuction is not a fat loss procedure, but rather a body contouring approach to minimizing small pockets of fat in various places around the body. Those interested in experiencing the life-changing results of liposuction are encouraged to be at a healthy, stable weight before being approved for surgery.
What areas of the body can CoolSculpting treat?
CoolSculpting is a trailblazing treatment that attacks and diminishes unwanted fat around the body. It is incredible at clearing away fat around the abdomen, arms, thighs, and back.
References
- Chait, A., & den Hartigh, L. J. (2020). Adipose Tissue Distribution, Inflammation and Its Metabolic Consequences, Including Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease. Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine, 7, 22. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2020.00022
- McKeown, D. J., & Payne, J. (2021). Significant improvement in body contour with multiple cycles of CoolSculpting: Results of a prospective study. Dermatologic Therapy, 34(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/dth.14850