Lunch-time fat reduction is one of the biggest trends in plastic surgery to date. Today, losing fat has never been easier thanks to the latest advancements in non-invasive body contouring. While a number of treatments exist, two FDA cleared technologies have emerged as clear winners among plastic surgeons and their patients: Coolsculpting® and SculpSure™ Both of these treatments have been clinically shown to reduce body fat by over 20% in a single treatment session. But when it comes down to it, what are the real differences between the two – and which body contouring treatment is best for you?
Treatment
SculpSure™and Coolsculpting® work by targeting and destroying fat cells. Coolsculpting® works by using a deep cooling energy, while SculpSure™ uses laser energy or heat to destroy fat cells. Treatment time varies depending on the number of areas treated. SculpSure™ takes 25 minutes per treatment, while Coolsculpting® can vary from 35 minutes to 1 hour depending on the applicators used.
During a Coolsculpting® session, the treated area is vacuumed into the applicator to make contact with cooling plates, often leading to bruising. During SculpSure™, each laser probe is secured gently to the surface of the skin. At the end of the Coolsculpting® treatment, the treated area requires massage to soften the frozen tissue, which can be a painful experience. With SculpSure™, the probes are simply removed and you are ready to leave.
Recovery
There is no downtime with SculpSure™ treatments and in fact, as early as 2 hours after treatment, there is generally no evidence that you had a treatment. At home, you are asked to massage the treated area twice daily and increase your water intake, but there is no need for medications or other specific requirements. SculpSure™ patients can return to a regular, active lifestyle immediately after treatment. It’s actually encouraged!
With Coolscultping® there will frequently be bruising, swelling and nerve pain that limits your activities. Depending on the size of the treated area a medication to help with nerve pain is prescribed and in some cases, patients find the recovery more painful than the actual procedure.
Results
Results with Coolsculpting® and SculpSure™ are clinically similar, but according to their FDA indications SculpSure™ reports a higher percent of fat removal. Results are seen between six and twelve weeks, once the body has processed and eliminated the damaged fat cells and the swelling goes down. Most patients should expect to see between 20-24% permanent fat reduction in a single session and can go for additional treatment as early as 6 weeks.
Candidates
SculpSure™ and Coolsculpting® are not considered “weight loss” treatments and therefore are not a replacement for diet and activity. Both treatments are ideal for patients who are generally in good shape, but have stubborn areas of fat that are resistant to diet and exercise.
For more information on how non-invasive body contouring may benefit you, please feel free to contact Illuminate Plastic Surgery in Palo Alto, California. All SculpSure™ treatments are performed by Dr. David Boudreault or his wife and Nurse Practitioner, Molly Boudreault.
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