Coolsculpting On Cheeks
Coolsculpting not safe for, or approved for facial use
While Coolsculpting is a great tool and I have a great deal of confidence in its safety and effectiveness for reducing unwanted subcutaneous fat, I always tell my own patients that it is important to also be mindful of its limitations.
There is no safe and effective way to use the Coolsculpting technology on the facial soft tissues at the present time. (Armando Soto, MD, FACS, Orlando Plastic Surgeon)
CoolSculpting the Cheeks
CoolSculpting (CS) is a wonderful new non-surgical treatment to remove a very limited amount of fat under the skin.
The idea of removing fat in the face using this technology has been considered but there are several things to consider.
Coolsculpting Face Cheeks
- to my knowledge there is no applicator specifically for the face, neck or cheeks.
- there is a new “flat” applicator for the outside thigh but again I will share other concerns.
- CS provides spot treatment with no real control to “feather” the edges.
- It requires sucking in a fold of skin which in general most people don’t have enough of on the face and neck; and if they do, probably don’t have much fat.
- fat of the face and cheeks diminish and sag with age so it is best replaced and returned; not removed.
It is best to review your particular desires with a well experienced, board certified plastic surgeon with other skins such as the use of injectibles (fillers and sculptra), laser/radiofrequency/ultrasound skin tightening techniques, face and neck lifting options. (Dean P. Kane, MD, FACS, Baltimore Plastic Surgeon)
New CoolSculpting FDA Clearance For The Reduction Of Submental Fat
There is not yet a CoolSculpting applicator that has been developed for the cheeks, face, or neck. I am not aware of any current FDA approved treatment for non-surgical reduction of cheek fat. (Michael I. Echavez, MD, San Francisco Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Coolsculpting selectively freezes fat cells to induce programmed cell death. The fatty tissue is pulled away from the body into an applicator with freezing plates. There is no applicator for the face and frankly, large cheeks would not be able to be treated try this technology.
While there are specific fat pads in the face and some fatty tissue in the subcutaneous layer, these tissues cannot be pulled into an applicator like the fatty tissue in the abdomen. (Suzanne Kim Doud Galli, MD, PhD, FACS, Washington Facial Plastic Surgeon)
There is still no applicator available to freeze the fat of the cheeks and I doubt that there ever would be one. I’m not aware of any non-surgical options to reduce the fat of the cheeks. (Michael A. Zadeh, MD, FACS, Sherman Oaks General Surgeon)
CoolSculpting is excellent for body fat reduction, not the face!
CoolSculpting is FDA approved for the treatment of fat on the body: notably trunk and thighs. Facial fat reduction with the cryolipolysis technology (freezing fat to permanently reduce it by 20-30%) is not appropriate for the face at this time.
Possibly in the future and the most likely target would be the double chin. (Susan Van Dyke, MD, Paradise Valley Dermatologic Surgeon)
Can CoolSculpting hand piece be used on cheeks now?
No, there is no CoolSculpting hand piece that would work for facial fat. We use a radio frequency treatment called Exilis Elite to help eliminate facial fat and tone the skin. This is an office procedure that typically takes about 2-3 treatments spaced about 1-2 weeks apart.
It takes a few weeks to several months to realize the full result. You want to be careful about removing too much facial fat. A big concern with facial aging is due to loss of facial fat! That is why so many doctors offer facial fillers and fat injections to help restore a more youthful look to the face.
That said, too much fullness of the face and neck can be improved with Exilis Elite. (Steven L. Ringler, MD, FACS, Grand Rapids Plastic Surgeon)