It seems like there’s always a new diet, strategy, or even surgery popping up in the news, media, or even your local weight loss centers. Some of them are great, efficient, and innovative. Others, not so much. One of the recent trends in the scene is a procedure called Coolsculpting.
It sounds a little like some kind of futuristic art technique, but in reality it’s actually a quite scientific way to shed some pounds, and in today’s day and age that’s a very sought after thing. Currently, over one in three adults are considered to be obese, two out of three are either overweight or obese, and one out of every 20 is extremely obese. There are different standards of body fat percentage and body mass index (BMI) that determine where an individual falls on this scale.
If you are struggling to control your weight or are just looking for information for a friend or family member, here are three basic elements of what is Coolsculpting to consider.
- Cryolipolysis: Technically, Coolsculpting is actually a brand name device for a process known as cryolipolysis. It involves the literal cooling fat cells in the body in order to then remove them. The area or areas that a person wants fat removed from is cooled to near four degree Celsius, which effectively kills subcutaneous fat tissue and allows the body to be “reshaped” in a way.
- Evidence and Side Effects: There have been studies as well as anecdotal evidence to support the fact that this process will eliminate fat in three to four months, though most believe the effectiveness only goes as far as specific “bulging” areas of a persons body. Not a lot (if any) of long-term studies have been done to chart the effectiveness.
As far as side effects, that’s another area that is still relatively unknown due to the low number of experiences. There have been some reports of red/swollen skin, bruising, and numbness after coolsculpting procedures. - Cost, Time and Approval: The cryolipolysis process was approved for use in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration in 2009. Today, it will cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $750 to $1,500, depending on how big/small of an area you want treated. The entire process is very quick as it can be finished in about 45 minutes and usually doesn’t last much longer than an hour.
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