Cryolipolysis: Info, Prices, Photos, Reviews, Q&A

CoolSculpting, which which freezes the fat, presents smooth natural looking results with no downtime and takes only about 6 weeks to see results. 20-25% of the fat is removed in a treated area, and most patients require 2 treatment to experience the desired results.

CoolSculpting can be used on large pockets of fat and is approved for many areas of the body. Laser lipolysis is usually reserved for areas that only have a small amount of fat, and is generally only applied in the abdomen and love handle area.

In addition, the majority of laser lipolysis treatments are done in conjunction with traditional liposuction as more of a fine tuning. (Edward Stokes, MD, West Hollywood Physician)

Both are great fat reducing procedures but with different levels of invasiveness and results.

Coolsculpting is ideal for small fatty areas that need to be reduced. Coolsculpting can do this in a comfortable 1 hour in-office procedures without anesthesia or downtime.

Coolsculpting is limited to about a 25% reduction (it can be repeated for more) and the amount of faft that can be placed into the applicator. Laser lipolysis or smartlipo, is actual surgery that requires local anesthesia and is performed while awake.

Even though it is definitely more involved than Coolsculpting, laser lipolysis has some distinct advantages. The surgeon can actually sculpt your body for better curves and remove more fat in different places. Laser lipolysis also adds heat that causes sin tightening.

So both are great procedures and a consultation would be needed to determine which one is better for your body type and expectations. (Lawrence Broder, MD, Cedar Park Family Physician)

Coolsculpting versus laser lipolysis

Coolsculpting is a very effective way to reduce fatty tissue in small areas of concern. Laser lipolysis can mean different things depending on where you go. In our practice, I use laser assisted liposuction (Slimlipo) to help tighten the skin in addition to reducing the fat.

In general, I find liposuction gives me more flexibility and capabilities to achieve my patient’s goal, but I still have a great number of patients who opt for the non-invasive option. I recommend going to a plastic surgeon who offers Coolsculpting as well as other surgical options for you to compare.

I was the first plastic surgeon in Houston to adopt Coolsculpting in their practice and still find it a very usual option for my patients.

We even brought on more devices so we can shorten the treatment time for patients who opt for multiple treatment areas. (Young R. Cho, MD, PhD, Houston Plastic Surgeon)

While CoolSculpting is completely non-invasive and non-surgical, Laser Lipolysis is just a laser assisted liposuction. There are incisions made and the laser is inserted into the fat socket, while CoolSculpting remains outside of the body and presses against the skin. (Daljeet Samra, MD, Pleasanton Physician)

Fat Freezing Session

CoolSculpting is a no needles, no risk, no downtime procedure. Both treatments gets similar results but Coolsculpting is not painful and has minimal side effects that do not interfere with your lifestyle. In addition, Coolsculpting is extremely safe as it does not affect any of the surrounding tissue or structures. (Marcia Fleming, MD, Vancouver Physician)

It is important to recognize that Coolsculpting is great for treating larger fat deposits, especially if you can grab a handful of fat. If it’s a much smaller area you might be better off doing lipolysis.

Coolsculpting can be done on the abdomen, love handles, back, chin, upper arms, legs, while lipolysis is normally done on the abdomen and love handles Results are seen sooner in Coolsculpting, usually taking anywhere between 4-8 weeks. (Shamim Shakibai, MD, Los Angeles Physician)

Lipo vs. Coolsculpting

In my experience, I’ve seen plenty of folks who have spent money on Coolsculpting only to end up getting lipo eventually. The issue is which one will give you the better results. On that end, liposuction will always be a better bet.

And with proper technique, the treatment is very minimally invasive and well-tolerated.

Most clients tell me that they wish they hadn’t spent the money on Coolsculpting and had opted for lipo instead. Ultimately it will depend on a number of factors: the size of the area to be treated, the quality of surgeons in your area, the cost for each in your area, etc. (Reza Tirgari, MD, San Diego Physician)

Coolsculpt vs sculpsure

Many of the answers are trying to compare liposuction with coolsculpt but you are asking the difference between coolsculp and sculpsure really. both are good methods and both result in 20-25% reduction of treated fat area.

sculpsure take less time and is much newer so less experience with it. more people had done coolsculpt. some practices do one cool and one hot treatment to give patient best of 2 worlds instead of 2 of same treatment. talk to your local expert. I liked coolsculpting better and offer it in my practice. (Parham Gharagozlou, MD, FACP, Walnut Creek Physician)

Don’t confuse coolsculpting with laser or ultrasound or other cold induced lipollysis

The coolsculpting devices manufactured by Zeltiq are not only the first FDA approved noninvasive fat reduction devices but also the most highly studied, with more peer reviewed publications than any other device, and the most cases performed world-wide.

The science is based on fat cells crystallizing and being broken down and absorbed at specific temperatures. Over the years since Zeltiq received FDA approval for the original device, they have made numerous advances allowing more areas to be treated and treatments done faster.

Laser Lipolysis Machine

The other ways of reducing fat noninvasively with a device utilize heat delivered either by laser or ultrasound. No side by side comparison studies have been published and to date none of those systems has the wealth of science and experience behind it that coolsculpting has.

Neither do any other devices utilizing cold. Finally, don’t confuse noninvasive fat reduction with laser assisted liposuction. Laser assisted liposuction is liposuction using a cannula to remove fat, but introduced with it is generally a laser device with the intent to improve fat reduction or tightening.

A plastic surgeon or dermatologist experienced in liposuction surgery can discuss those benefits and risks. (Heidi A. Waldorf, MD, New York Dermatologist)

Coolsculpting vs Smartlipo / Laser liposuction

Coolsculpting offers a nice lifestyle – getting rid of fat without any downtime, or any invasive procedures. Smartlipo or laser liposuction in general offers more fat removal, more definitive contouring of an area that is not suitable for Coolsculpting.

Laser Lipolysis Procedure For Abdomen

There is minimal downtime, but one does need to wear a compression garment for a few weeks. For patients closer to their ideal body shape, I would recommend Coolsculpting; For patients with more thicker subcutaneous fat, then they are not suitable candidates for Coolsculpting, but probably good candidates for Smartlipo.

Also Coolsculpting removes a smaller amount of fat. Therefore if the patient’s expectation is about more fat removal, then Smartlipo would probably be a better treatment for this patient. It is important to compare treatments, their costs, results, downtime, etc. to select the best treatment for you. (Sheena Kong, MD, San Francisco Internist)

Coolsculpt is non-invasive. Laser, VASER & Bodytite are surgical procedures.

Up until Coolsculpt the only reliable and most effective way of removing fat and contouring bodies without diet and exercise was to perform some form of liposuction surgery. Laser Lipolysis is a form of liposuction but before the fat is removed, the fat is lasered in order to melt the fat cells.

Other energy assisted liposuction procedures (eg. VASER which uses Ultrasound energy, Bodyjet uses water jet, Bodytite uses Radiofrequency) are all invasive and required anaesthesia, small incisions, compression garments and a few days off work. With the new “treat to transform” protocols and new applicators, Coolsculpting can deliver outstanding results very similar to those possible from Liposuction in the right patients.

So when I show my VASER patients results we can achieve with Coolsculpt, they generally choose Coolsculpt and end up very happy. (Ravi Jain, MBBS, London Physician)