Coolsculpting vs Liposuction: Pros and Cons
Coats and jackets may hide localized fat but when season changes all body imperfections are revealed. And this makes liposuction imperative.
Well, coolsculpting does the same. But which is the best technique?
Both techniques are good when performed on ideal candidates, yet one technique is better than the other.
Liposuction
The terms liposuction’, ‘liposculpture’, ‘lipoplasty, ‘lipo’ mean the
same thing: liposuction.
Although liposuction was introduced in France in the 1920s, it wasn’t until
the 1980s that the procedure was used. It took off in 1982 and a plastic
surgeon could remove fat without a scalpel by using a cannula and suction.
How liposuction is performed
Liposuction is based on the principle of negative pressure. It is done with small incisions measuring 1 mm to facilitate access to the localized fat deposits. Prior to that, the surgeon infuses local anesthesia to minimize the pain, and adrenaline to reduce blood loss.
15-20 minutes later, we place a 3mm cannula and start sucking the fat from various parts of the body, which were marked and discussed prior to the surgery. The progress of the surgery depends on the appearance, feeling, and quantity of removed fat.
How successful is liposuction in reducing unwanted fat tissue? According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), liposuction is the most popular cosmetic procedure in the States.
Coolsculpting (cryolipolysis)
Cryolipolysis is a non-surgical technology developed by ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. After receiving FDA approval, cryolypolysis has been widely used worldwide and is based on the external freezing of fat. This ‘freezing’ property was the brainchild of two Harvard Dermatologists. The doctors saw that they can reduce fat by 20-25%. Patients require 1 to 3 treatment sessions on the same area to get visible results.
How cryolipolysis is performed
The surgeon marks the area to be treated. Then, he applies a gel on the body to protect the skin and the applicator head. Next, he turns on the vacuum and two panels grab the part of the skin we want to freeze. They freeze the fat cells without damaging the skin, muscles or nerves. One hour later, we remove the device and start massaging the area to break up even more fat cells.
Liposuction vs Coolsculpting: Advantages
Liposuction wouldn’t be the most popular procedure had it not have advantages over coolsculpting
For example:
- More effective and complete fat removal
- Better body contouring
- More immediate results
- The possibility of combining new technologies for skin firming
- The possibility of combining other surgical techniques
But coolsculpting would not be also popular, had it not been for its advantages, such as:
- Non-invasive technique
- Fewer risks
- Low cost
A treatment option for those who are afraid of lipousction
Liposuction vs Cryolipolysis: Disadvantages
Liposuction
- Fewer risks
- Recovery takes some days
- Asymmetries may occur Cryolipolysis
- Fewer satisfying results
- Surface anomalies
- Rare pain and paradoxical fat increase
- Limited treatable areas due to device construction
- Fat deposits must be grabbed to fit into the device
The possibilities of plastic surgery have shown their results over the
years.