“Freeze the fat away!” CoolSculpting – the non-invasive device that literally freezes away fat cells – has never been shy about what the technology can accomplish. It’s one thing to claim to be able to achieve something, it’s something else to claim and then show case after case of success. Coming off their 2,000,000th treatment (yes, two millionth), CoolSculpting is showing no signs of stopping its fat freezing mission by releasing new applicators aimed at different parts of the body.
Dr. Brad Calobrace, a board certified plastic surgeon in Louisville, Kentucky, offers his patients CoolSculpting to remove unwanted fat without surgery. With the new applicators released for the device, Dr. Calobrace sees a wide range of possibilities for patients looking to have fat removed without surgery or downtime.
By Brad Calobrace, MD
and Adam McMillon
The Plastic Surgery Channel
Non-surgical devices are here to stay
Many people who may not have had any interest in cosmetic surgery before are now considering it, thanks to devices like CoolSculpting that achieve results without scalpels or general anesthesia. The fact that the technologies work and work well only adds to the realization that they’re here to stay, giving plastic surgeons more options to achieve patient goals.
CoolSculpting works by sucking a section of fat into an applicator that then cools the fat down between two metal plates. This has worked really well for the abdomen and love handles where the skin is more loose, but didn’t work so well on areas such as the thighs where skin is more taught.
“One of the problems with Coolsculpting has been that you have to be able to suck the fat into the device in order for it to work,” describes Calobrace. “It has to be somewhat loose, so for areas like the outer thighs, it wouldn’t suck into the machine. Now, they have new applicators that will work for these areas.”
Another addition to the toolbox for better results
CoolSculpting works in a magical way (thanks to hard-working scientists), but it’s not the solution for everyone. Even with the new applicators, the treatment is only worthwhile for certain patients. “No one device is ever going to be perfect when it comes to dealing with fat,” admits Calobrace. “Destroying fat non-surgically is difficult. It’s hard to affect something that metabolizes so slowly like fat; it’s so resistant.”
CoolSculpting and other non-surgical devices are simply additional tools for the toolbox of board certified plastic surgeons. Pairing the devices with other procedures widens the scope of what can be accomplished in a plastic surgeon’s office.
“I like patients to go to somebody who can offer them lots of things,” says Calobrace. “CoolSculpt, liposuction, tummy tucks… I’m looking for the right client and the right indications. That gives the patient a more fair, balanced assessment of what’s the best, most value-packed approach to treating their unwanted fat.”