CoolSculpting Bay City, MI

CoolSculpting® is FDA-approved to treat nine different areas of the body. Patients can choose to treat a single area or multiple to reach their ideal body image. Treatment areas include the upper arms, jawline, area beneath the chin, back, flanks, abdomen, thighs, and the area beneath the buttocks. We can also use it to target back fat, also known as bra fat.

Keep in mind that each application is unique, and is influenced both by the anatomical features of the treatment area, the amount of fat to be removed, and so forth. As such, it is difficult to gauge exactly how much weight (or how many inches) will be lost in each location, but in all cases, CoolSculpting® has the potential to dramatically improve aesthetics.

When you arrive for your appointment, you’ll be situated on a treatment bench, and we will place the device in your target areas. Using the process of cryolipolysis, we will use the device to freeze the fat cells in your treatment area. You’ll feel an extremely cold sensation during the treatment, and then the treatment area will become numb.

You’ll be able to relax during the treatment, read, watch TV, or even nap. The treatment process is virtually painless and a comfortable experience. Depending on how many areas you want to treat, treatments can take one to three hours. After your initial consultation, we can give you more details about what to expect from your unique treatment plan. This is an ideal opportunity for you to ask any questions you have about the treatment, and to voice any preferences, concerns, etc. that you may have. Our team at Tondue Medical Spa will always be receptive to your input, and will incorporate it as appropriate into your individualized treatment plan.

Most patients can achieve their desired results after a single treatment, but some may need more than one session, depending on their ultimate treatment goals. After your initial consultation, we can better determine your treatment schedule once we learn more about your treatment goals and evaluate your treatment area in person. Whether or not you want to initially plan for multiple treatments, or return at a later date for follow-ups, we are happy to accommodate your desired treatment frequency and spacing.

Requiring more than one treatment session to effectively address any given area of the body is fairly uncommon. However, in some situations, patients may request multiple treatments in one area for more comprehensive results. In these cases, there is no hard limit to the number of CoolSculpting® treatments you can have in one area. As long as the amount of fat in the area justifies a follow-up treatment, and as long as there has been ample time between sessions (ideally, 60 or more days) to allow for and gauge results, multiple treatments are a viable option. As always, discussing this with a licensed treatment provider is recommended.

Once your treatment is over, your body will naturally eliminate the dead fat cells from your treatment area. As it does, you’ll see improvements in that area, but the process can take several weeks. By the end of that process, patients can lose up to 20 to 25% of stubborn fat in their target areas. This is difficult to translate directly into inches for several reasons, including the fact that different locations of the body have different contours and larger amounts of fat. To provide an approximate range, treatments applied to smaller areas may produce up to a half-inch reduction, where treatments applied to larger fatty deposits (think stomach or chest) may produce up to a two or three inch reduction.

CoolSculpting® is intended to deliver permanent results. However, since the device will not eliminate every fat cell in your treatment area, any remaining fat cells can expand if you gain weight after your treatment. The easiest way to maintain permanent results is to avoid weight gain post-treatment. Living a healthy lifestyle, eating a healthy diet, and engaging in regular physical activity will ensure the longevity of your results.

Once your treatment is over, you’ll be free to resume your normal daily activities and can even go to the gym if you’d like. You won’t be limited in any way, but instead can go about your day and await the dramatic results that will appear in the weeks following your treatment.

While there is zero full-on downtime when it comes to CoolSculpting® treatment, there are still several practices that may affect your comfort and/or results following each session. For example, while it isn’t highly risky to engage in vigorous exercise in the days immediately following your session, it may increase soreness and sensitivity of the area. 

Similarly, wearing tight-fitting clothing or exposing yourself to high-heat environments (sauna, hot tub, etc.) in the 1-2 days following your session may also cause discomfort. Smoking and alcohol may impair the recovery process, so it’s best to avoid these as much as possible following (and ideally, before) your treatment. Getting enough sleep, adequately hydrating, and following a nutritionally balanced diet are always to safeguard results while enhancing your overall wellness.

This treatment process was designed by Harvard-based scientists who discovered that fat cells would experience cell death when frozen, which could permanently eliminate those cells from the body. The treatment process has been studied and proven to be an effective and non-invasive way for patients to target and eliminate stubborn fat without undergoing a surgical procedure like liposuction.

In addition to the robust evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of CoolSculpting Elite® treatment, FDA approval adds another layer of reliability and transparency. When you schedule your treatments, you can do so confidently, knowing that the treatment is completely safe and will naturally eliminate fat cells from your body.

The overwhelming majority of CoolSculpting® recipients note little to no side effects, as this treatment is safe and widely well-tolerated. However, side effects are still possible, including discomfort and increased sensitivity of the treatment area that persists for one to two weeks, bruising, the aforementioned issue of Paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH, carrying a 1 in 4000 incidence), diarrhea, and cramping.

Only receiving treatment from well-qualified, licensed providers like Tondue Medical Spa, along with openly disclosing all relevant medical information throughout the planning and consultation process, are two effective ways to dramatically reduce your chance of experiencing unwanted side effects with CoolSculpting® treatment.

The best candidates for CoolSculpting® are those who want to fine-tune their bodies by eliminating stubborn fat cells. The treatment is not a weight loss treatment, nor is it a way for those who are overweight to eliminate large amounts of fat. An initial consultation is the best way to confirm your treatment eligibility.

Though CoolSculpting® is a safe and well-tolerated nonsurgical treatment that can accommodate patients of many different backgrounds and circumstances, there are still some factors that may disqualify you from safely undergoing this treatment. For example, pregnant women (or those looking to become pregnant), people with cold sensitivity disorders like Raynaud’s disease, hernias and other injuries of the treatment area, and various chronic disorders (especially autoimmune and/or skin disorders) may all impede your ability to receive this treatment.

Thanks to its noninvasive nature, CoolSculpting® treatment can be paired with many other procedures for augmented results. These include laser skin resurfacing, tummy tuck procedures, weight loss injections, and a variety of other treatments. If you intend to combine treatments, mentioning this early on in the consultation and planning process can help your provider structure a practical, safe, and effective treatment plan that accommodates all of your preferences.