When a healthy diet and consistent exercise fail to provide the body contouring goals you desire, it’s not uncommon for people to start researching alternative methods to achieve the results they’ve sacrificed and worked hard to produce. Two of the plastic surgery industry’s most popular body contouring procedures are liposuction and CoolSculpting. At first glance, it might appear that they do the same thing, but their methods are vastly different, making the decision of which one is best for achieving your aesthetic goals a bit tricky.
There are several things to consider when determining if liposuction or CoolSculpting is the best approach to trimming away your stubborn pockets of fat, including where on your body you tend to harbor fat, how much time you can sacrifice for recovery, and how quickly you want to see and enjoy your results. To help make the decision process easier for you, in this blog, we’ll be breaking down both liposuction and CoolSculpting treatments to help you feel confident and excited about starting your journey toward your best figure.
Liposuction is a plastic surgery procedure designed to contour the figure by removing pockets of fat. The process begins with a localized anesthetic in the treatment area. Then, several small incisions are made before a tumescent solution is infused into the body to minimize patient discomfort, prevent bleeding, reduce trauma to surrounding tissues, and prepare the fat for removal. Finally, a narrow tube called a cannula is inserted through the incisions, and fat is strategically removed via suction.
CoolSculpting is a revolutionary fat reduction procedure that freezes fat cells in a given area, effectively destroying them so that the body can metabolize them and dispose of them naturally via the body’s lymphatic system. This ingenious and highly effective technology allows it to be non-surgical, painless, and require no anesthesia. It’s the ideal treatment for patients who wish to avoid surgery or don’t have the schedule to accommodate a recovery period.
The primary purpose of liposuction is to help patients reach their ideal body image goals; however, the health benefits of liposuction should be discussed more. Some of the benefits include:
CoolSculpting is among the most popular body contouring treatments available, and for good reason. The incredible benefits of this treatment include the following:
As mentioned earlier, the effectiveness of these procedures is relatively the same; their processes and approach to fat removal are what separate them. Downtime, recovery limitations, and the amount of fat you want removed in each session may be deciding factors. Suppose you’re more interested in immediate results and have a large amount of fat you’d like to remove from an area. In that case, liposuction may be more effective but with the cost of a more extended recovery period. If you are focused on a smaller area of fat and are okay with waiting a few weeks and having multiple treatments to see the full results, CoolSculpting is an excellent alternative.
Because liposuction is a surgical procedure that involves localized anesthesia, incisions, sutures, and aftercare treatments, it can cost more than CoolSculpting treatments. However, it is important to remember that you may require multiple CoolSculpting sessions to achieve your desired results. In contrast, you can achieve immediate results with liposuction making them relatively equal. During your consultation with Dr. Josh Waltzman, he will break down the total cost of each procedure based on the areas of your body you want to treat and will help you find a financial option that works best for you.
We’ve already established that CoolSculpting, being a non-invasive treatment, doesn’t require any recovery time. However, because liposuction involves surgical measures to perform, it will require a period of rest. That said, liposuction can require anywhere from two to six weeks of recovery, depending on the targeted locations. Smaller sites, such as the chin, the knees, or the ankles, may only require two weeks of recovery before you’re cleared for non-strenuous activities. Whereas larger locations, such as the thighs, arms, or abdomen, will require a longer recovery time of about six to eight weeks.
It can feel incredibly frustrating when you’re doing everything right to create a healthy lifestyle and you’re still not seeing the results you want, whether it be thinner arms, toned legs, or a flatter stomach. At The Waltzman Institute in Long Beach, CA, we understand this frustration on a personal level. We want to help you find lasting solutions that will help you reach your aesthetic goals and improve your quality of life going forward. Learn more about CoolSculpting and liposuction by scheduling your personalized consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Josh Waltzman by calling (562) 448-6100 or contacting us through our website portal
