Until recently, liposuction was the “go-to” treatment for those looking to permanently eliminate excess body fat. While liposuction still remains a highly effective and very popular option, newer and less invasive procedures such as Coolsculpting are getting a lot more attention.
At Solomon Facial Plastic, neck liposuction remains the gold standard treatment for treating excess fat beneath the chin, however, some patients prefer a non-surgical approach that doesn’t require downtime from work or school. Coolsculpting is very appealing to many of our patients who are looking to permanently eliminate body fat under their chin, as well as on their abdomen, inner or outer thighs, banana roll, flanks, back as well as arms, because of it’s ease and lack of downtime.
Coolsculpting is a non-surgical procedure that can take between 35 -75 minutes depending on the treatment area. For example, if a patient is looking to reduce the fat on their love handles, each side would require treatment using a Coolsculpting applicator for 35 minutes per side. In the case of the outer thigh, a treatment could require 75 minutes per side.
Following your Coolsculpting treatment, you also have the luxury of returning to your normal activities. The treated area may be slightly red for a few hours following the treatment due the temperature of the applicator set at -11 degrees celcius. In some cases, the area can remain tender for up to 1 week. It’s also quite common for patients to experience mild numbness in the treatment area for up to 4 weeks.
The beauty of Coolsculpting is that it provides a 20-25% permanent reduction of fat to the area being treated. The procedure is performed in one appointment at the SFP Medispa, in a relaxing environment where you can sip an espresso and roam the Internet. No anesthesia is required for Coolsculpting and it is proven to be a safe and successful procedure that doesn’t leave scars and takes 3 months for optimal results.
Liposuction on the other hand, offers approximately 70-80% permanent fat reduction to the treated area and can be performed in a single surgical procedure as well. Unlike Coolsculpting, optimal results aren’t visible for up to 6 months following the procedure, however results can be seen as early as 4-12 weeks following surgery. Liposuction is also an invasive surgical procedure that requires anesthetic and the potential for scarring. Following a liposuction procedure, you will also require one week of downtime at home to rest and recover, and will need to wear a compression for up to 6 weeks for a complete recovery.
Liposuction is considered to be the more aggressive of the two treatments as more fat can be removed in one session. Coolsculpting while also permanent removes less fat per treatment and may require up to 3 treatments for patients to get their desired results. Coolsculpting is also an ideal option for areas of the body that have smaller fatty deposits. It’s also an appealing choice for patients looking to avoid surgery should they have health issues that have the potential to escalate with surgery.
How to decide between Coolsculpting and Liposuction in the end, is a personal choice. It can depend on how aggressive you want to be. If your goal is to avoid surgery, you may need to accept less dramatic results, with multiple treatments. If a significant fat reduction is your goal, then liposuction surgery might be the best option for you. For more information about Coolsculpting, feel free to call our office at 905-764-7799 to schedule your complimentary consultation with our Coolsculpting specialist.
At Solomon Facial Plastic, we are highly experienced in Coolsculpting and we take pride in our patients’ success. If you would like to schedule a complementary consultation to see if you’re a candidate for Coolsculpting, feel free to call our office at 905-764-7799.
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In order to best assist you, we require all cosmetic patients to schedule a virtual or in-person consultation. There is a fee of $200 plus HST for all consultations. Your consultation fee will be credited towards your procedure and/or treatment. To schedule a consultation, please complete the attached form or call our office at 905-764-7799. We look forward to hearing from you.
