Is CoolSculpting^® a Weight Loss Treatment?

It can be frustrating when—even after losing weight through lifestyle changes—you still can’t quite achieve the body shape you’ve always wanted. With that in mind, many patients wonder: Does CoolSculpting^® work for weight loss? Many Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village-area women and men ask this question, and the Pierre Skin Care Institute team routinely sees patients searching for techniques to reduce stubborn fat on the body.

If this is a question you have asked, here’s what you should know about the popular fat freezing and body contouring treatment. 

CoolSculpting^® is designed to treat small deposits of fat on specific areas of the body that are challenging to reduce with exercise and dietary changes alone. It uses a fat reduction method called cryolipolysis that breaks down fat cells by subjecting them to cold temperatures. The surrounding cells and tissues are not damaged.

While effective, the treatment should not be thought of as a quick fix for weight loss. CoolSculpting^® is not designed for obese patients. Lifestyle changes and strategies such as behavioral, lifestyle, medication, and sometimes surgical strategies must be used to address weight loss from a health standpoint. 

It also isn’t designed to break down visceral fat, which is different from the treatable (and “pinchable”) fat that causes love handles and a double chin. Visceral fat sits deeper in the body and surrounds organs. Excess amounts of this fat are often linked to health risks.

Basically, if you’re hoping to shed a substantial amount of fat, then CoolSculpting^® won’t be beneficial for you. In other words, it is a purely cosmetic procedure. 

That said, CoolSculpting^® is ideal for someone who is at a stable body weight, but simply has some persistent areas of body fat that won’t respond to any other weight loss methods. It works well to minimize certain areas of the body that make clothes feel tight and can be highly effective for women or men who have successfully lost weight via other methods, but who are still battling a stubborn isolated bulge. 

Contact Pierre Skin Care Institute for more answers to questions about non-surgical fat reduction. Call us at 805-496-9190 or fill out a contact form if you would like to meet with our team to discuss CoolSculpting^® and more.