It can happen to even the most healthy and fit among us. A problem spot creeps up on the body, and it just won’t go away no matter how hard you diet and work out. It’s maddening, but now there’s something you can do about it. Coolsculpting, a temperature-based body contouring treatment offered by Advanced Life Clinic, in Huntsville, AL, can easily smooth away those stubborn areas. It can even freeze away a muffin top.
Age, genetics, and stress can all play a role in the development of unwanted fat. Having a stubborn spot or two is nothing to be ashamed of, but now there’s something you can do about it. That’s where this innovative body contouring system comes in.
How Does Coolsculpting Work?
This body contouring system relies on a process known as cryolipolysis, which uses extreme cold to destroy unwanted fat. During these non-invasive treatments, an applicator directing cold temperature is held against the area of concern, causing the fat cells in that part of the body to disintegrate.
During the weeks after treatment, the body’s lymphatic system naturally and discreetly flushes those fat cells away. This approach to body contouring is a great way to slim down parts of the body that have resisted all other efforts. It gives patients a tighter, firmer physique.
Patients love this treatment system because it’s highly effective, but they also love its convenience. Treatments generally last about 35 minutes, meaning they can easily be worked into a lunch hour. There are no pre- or post-treatment requirements of the patient, and no recovery period is necessary. Coolsculpting Huntsville makes it easy to get the body you want.
Will It Really Work on a Muffin Top?
This treatment works effectively on muffin tops, the fullness that can sometimes develop just above the waistline, but it doesn’t stop there. This versatile treatment can be put to work all over the body, including on the upper arms, thighs, the back, and even the fullness that sometimes develops under the chin.
This treatment is known for its flexibility. It can be used to get rid of a modest amount of unwanted fat from a small area or achieve a more significant fat reduction from a larger area. The curved design of the applicator makes it easy to use in many different spots all over the body.
What Happens During a Treatment?
Many of our patients have struggled for some time with a problem spot or two and are amazed at how effortless this body contouring treatment is. Before your treatment begins, we’ll talk with you about your goals, and we may make a few marks on your body so that we can be sure we’re precisely targeting your area of concern.
We’ll then place the applicator against your skin and use it to generate a controlled cooling just under the skin. It’s normal for patients to feel coolness as well as some pressure from the handheld applicator, but the overall treatment involves no discomfort. Most patients use the time to relax.
At the end of treatment, we may massage the target area to ensure that tissues that may have become adhered together because of the cold are broken up. This massage also helps the lymphatic system get to work ridding the body of the destroyed fat cells. This treatment requires no anesthesia and involves no recovery period. It won’t keep you from returning to your regular schedule immediately.
How Many Treatments Will I Require?
We work with each patient to develop a custom treatment plan, and the number of treatments recommended varies with each patient and his or her goals. For someone who needs just a little help resolving a small problem area, one treatment area may be sufficient. For patients who want to more aggressively reduce fat, or who have a larger area of concern, we frequently recommend a series of treatments, each of which is scheduled at least four months apart.
What About Results?
It’s not uncommon for patients to see some initial improvement soon after their appointment. But because this treatment system relies on the body’s lymphatic system to gradually dispose of fat cells, the best results develop over the course of the next two or three months. This means you’ll have to wait for a little while for your results; but the improvement you’ll see will be worth the wait.
Another big advantage associated with this treatment system is that the results it offers are indeed permanent. Of course, these treatments won’t prevent you from gaining weight in the future, so you’ll need to maintain your new look with diet and exercise. But once this treatment disposes of unwanted fat cells, those cells are gone for good.
FAQ About Coolsculpting
Will This Treatment Leave Sagging Skin Behind?
There’s nothing more frustrating than working hard to lose weight and get your body in shape, only to find that you’re left with sagging skin that obscures your great results. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about that happening with this treatment system.
Coolsculpting is ideal for tackling small pockets of unwanted fat that, when removed, don’t leave a lot of excess skin behind. And because the onset of your results with this treatment system will be gradual, your skin will have plenty of time to shrink and adapt to your body’s new shape, minimizing any chance of sagging.
Is This Treatment Good for Both Men and Women?
The fact that this treatment can be used all over the body to treat different types of fat makes it an ideal solution for both men and women. Women are more likely to store fat in the hips and thighs, while men tend to accumulate fat in the belly area.
The type of fat each gender develops also differs. Men often develop fat that is firmer, while fat on women tends to be more fibrous. This treatment system, however, works effectively all over the body and on both firm and fibrous fat, making it an ideal solution for both genders.
Is It Safe?
This body contouring system was approved by the FDA in 2010 and is considered a safe treatment option for a wide range of patients.
Will This Help With My Cellulite?
Many of us are familiar with cellulite, which is most often characterized by rumpled, dimpled skin. Cellulite develops when fat levels build beneath the skin, adding to the pressure on the fibrous bands that run between the skin and underlying muscle.
Because this treatment system works to eradicate certain fat cells from the body, in some patients it can smooth over cellulite. But Coolsculpting is not a treatment that will definitely resolve cellulite. If cellulite is your primary concern, let us know and we can work with you to determine the best solution.
Am I a Candidate?
If you’re interested in learning more about whether this treatment system is for you, the first step is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Hayley DeGraaff, our medical director. Dr. DeGraaf is an Arkansas native and a graduate of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She completed her residency in family medicine at UAB Huntsville and later worked in geriatrics as an associate professor of medicine at the university. Along the way, she developed an interest in anti-aging medicine and the growing effort to improve overall patient wellness.
During your consultation, Dr. DeGraaff will review your medical history and your area of concern. She’ll also talk with you about your cosmetic goals and will work with you to determine if this body contouring system is the best approach for you.
Here are several signs you may be an especially good candidate for this treatment:
You Need Help Attacking Those Last Few Pounds
You live a healthy lifestyle. The manager at your gym recognizes you, and you’ve consumed more kale smoothies than you can count. But those last few pounds just won’t budge. It’s frustrating because you’re doing everything right. This could be a sign that genetics or other factors are standing in your way.
For candidates like you, this body contouring system is a way of pushing through those barriers to achieve the best version of yourself. This treatment should not be viewed as a weight-loss option, and it won’t help you drop a large amount of weight, but it can help you whittle away those last few pounds.
There’s a Particular Spot You Need Help With
For some patients, it’s less about shedding those last few pounds on the scale and more about toning down a particular spot. In some cases, it’s a muffin top. In other situations, it’s a little extra heaviness in the thighs or a bit too much fullness beneath the chin. Wherever your area of concern is, this treatment system can help you slim it down and achieve your ideal look.
You Can Maintain Your New Look
It’s important to remember that while this treatment will permanently dispose of unwanted fat cells, it will be up to the patient to maintain his or her new look through diet and exercise. The fat cells that remain in the body are capable of growing or shrinking depending on the patient’s lifestyle choices.
You Want a Custom Treatment
A lot of our patients come to us seeking help in addressing a muffin top. But the fact is that this treatment works effectively all over the body and can be completely customized for each patient’s concerns. Whether you want to really focus on slimming down the thighs or you simply want a modest reduction of fat along the jaw and under the chin, we can develop a custom treatment just for you.
You Understand the Outcome
For decades, patients who were grappling with a stubborn problem spot or two turned to liposuction. But over the past decade, a new class of non-invasive body contouring treatments has given patients fresh ways of attacking unwanted fat.
These non-surgical alternatives work in various ways to destroy fat cells with heat, cold temperatures, or radiofrequency energy. These treatments, including Coolsculpting, offer the advantage of no downtime, but they also offer less dramatic results than surgery or liposuction. The best patients understand the treatment and are realistic about the expected results.
Say Goodbye to That Muffin Top
Are you tired of struggling with a muffin top or some other stubborn problem spot on your body? Coolsculpting can quickly and non-surgically bring that troublesome area or two under control with no hassle and no downtime. Does it sound too good to be true? It really isn’t. Call Advanced Life Clinic, in Huntsville, AL and schedule your Coolsculpting consultation today.
