CoolSculpting

Hello readers!  Welcome back to the blog!  It's been a while as we are getting things up and running with the new web-site, but the blog is back and you'll be able to see it from the web-site soon so be sure to check back to find out when the site is "live".

Since it's been a while I thought I would start back with a little something about CoolSculpting. Have you heard of it? Coolsculpting is a "revolutionary non-surgical body contouring treatment" that targets stubborn areas of fat that are resistant to diet and exercise.  

I tend to think I am a pretty healthy person.  I watch what I eat and have been a runner for the last 10 years or so.  I also weight train 3-5 times a week and do a lot of outdoor activities like stand up paddle-boarding  and snow skiing.  My weight has been consistent over the past 15-20 years.  All that time I have had a slight "muffin-top" that has bothered me.  You know, those little areas of fat that pooch over the waistband of your skinny jeans?  That stubborn fat just would not go away no matter how much I exercised.  Even when I was training for and ran my first marathon - muffin top.  When I was working with a plastic surgeon I talked to him about liposuction but decided against it because of the need for anesthesia.

When I heard about Coolsculpting I thought that maybe it could be my answer.  So, I did a little research and scheduled a consultation and this is what I learned:  Coolsculpting is a non-surgical body contouring treatment that uses patented cooling technology to eliminate stubborn fat with little to no downtime in as little as one treatment.  Coolsculpting is FDA cleared, uses no needles, no anesthesia, no pain medication and is clinically proven. "How cool is that?"

The technology for the procedure came from the observation that children who ate a lot of popsicles had dimpling in their cheeks due to a lass of fat from the excessive exposure to cold. This idea led to the cooling process developed by scientists at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School.

Coolsculpting uses controlled cooling to target and crystallize fat cells.  Crystallized fat cells gradually die off, then are naturally eliminated from your body.  In the weeks and months following the treatment, the remaining fat cells condense, reducing the fat layer.

Sounds good, right?  Well, yesterday I had my treatment done!  I think it's important to say here, that I did NOT get this done for free or at a discounted rate in exchange for any type of review.  I paid full price just the same as any other patient.  I'm sure the cost varies from location to location, but where I went it cost $625 per area.  Having two areas done (left and right hip) I paid $1250.

The first thing that was done was a series a "before" photos which I will be sharing with you in 8 weeks along side the "after" photos.  After getting comfortable on the table a gel sheeting was applied to the area that was being treated to protect the skin from the cold.  Being in a comfortable position is important because you can not move once the applicator is in place.  The applicator is applied to the targeted area where tissue is drawn into a vacuum cup and controlled cooling is delivered to the fat. There is some discomfort when the applicator is initially applied and the suction is switched on, but the cooling quickly numbs the area.  During the treatment you can read or relax (I watched the Oscars on my iPad). An hour later the applicator was removed - also with some discomfort as the suction released.  Time to switch sides!  

 

Another hour later and I was on my way home. Patients can return to their normal activities immediately after the treatment.  Changes may be seen in as early as 3 weeks after treatment with the most dramatic results after 1 - 3 months. They reminded me that the area will feel firm and tender and that I may experience some tingling and/or a burning sensation over the next two weeks.  Bruising is also common in the treated areas as you can see by the photos below taken just a few hours after the procedure. I also took a measurement around my areas of concern and it measure out at 35 inches.  I'm hoping for a lower number in 8 weeks!

It's now 24 hours post-procedure and I'm feeling fine.  I have not experienced any tingling or burning sensations, but the bruises are tender to the touch and the areas have a slight numb feeling.  

I'll be doing another complete blog posting after my 8 week appointment to share the results with you.  Be sure to follow The Aesthetic Apothecary on FaceBook and Twitter (AApothecary) as I post small weekly updates on my progress.

Thanks for reading and Welcome Back to the blog!!