The Benefits Of Doing "CoolSculpting" To Burn Fat, Expert Says

New to CoolSculpting? Well, it won't be very long until you know all there is to know about this non-invasive procedure. We reached out to Dr. Leyda Bowes, board-certified dermatologist and founding medical director of Bowes Dermatology by Riverchase and CoolSculpting Center of Excellence in Miami, Florida to give us the scoop on how CoolSculpting helps individuals burn fat.

According to Bowes, this treatment targets and gets rid of unwanted fat in your body. It's rooted in the scientific principle of Cryolipolysis, which was founded by Dieter Manstein, MD, PhD and Rox Anderson, MD. "[Cryolipolysis] explains how under very specific and controlled low temperatures, the natural death of fat cells will ensue, without affecting any other surrounding tissues such as skin, nerves, and muscle," Bowes says.

Needless to say, cryo (cold) + lipo (fatty tissue) + lysis = destruction of fat cells. Bowes continues to explain that this is why the procedure is non-invasive and incredibly successful at decreasing the amount of fat throughout your body "with little to no downtime."

If you're intrigued about how CoolSculpting can help you burn fat, read on to learn more. And next, check out The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

It eliminates fat cells in a "natural manner"

First things first: CoolSculpting has gained so much popularity due to the fact that "the elimination of the fat cells happens in a controlled manner and leads to natural cell death, without the trauma or invasiveness of other procedures," according to Bowes. The targeted fat cells are slowly eliminated in a "natural manner" by your body.

CoolSculpting also doesn't call for any specific preparation or general anesthesia. Bowes notes it's an "outpatient" procedure and avoids some of the negative side effects that can potentially arise with anesthesia and sedation.

You can go for a treatment, then go about your daily business

woman chats with dermatologist — Shutterstock

Bowes says you can go for a CoolSculpting treatment, then head back to work right after or dinner with friends that same night! In order to see a noticeable reduction, you'll typically need to go for two to three sessions for each part of the body that contains extra fat. However, depending on how much excess fat is in a particular area, you may see a great reduction after just one treatment.

Results are usually noticeable after 3 weeks or a month pass, with maximum fat reduction occurring two months post-treatment. So if you're headed to a tropical getaway in July, Bowes recommends doing CoolSculpting in April or May to get the results you're happy with.

You can get CoolSculpting done in essentially every area of the body where there's excess fat, including the arms, upper and lower back, upper and lower abs, love handles, thighs, and the submental area (under the chin).

It's a more effective, long-term way to get rid of excess fat when compared to dieting

According to Bowes, "CoolSculpting is far more beneficial for reducing fat in any localized areas throughout the body than any exercise regimen or diet plan." She continues, "This is simply because when we diet, we are reducing the size of each individual fat cell in our body, but the total number of fat cells remains the same. Therefore, if we break our diet or change our nutrition regimen, the same number of fat cells will increase in size, leading to the so-called rebound fatty tissue gain. As opposed to this, with CoolSculpting, we are effectively destroying fat cells, and after each single treatment, you will have 20 to 25% fewer fat cells."

It tightens your skin

Bowes says a notable aspect of CoolSculpting her team has noticed is the skin tightening effect. "In areas such as the abdomen, if there is a pendulous or 'hanging' fold of fat, CoolSculpting will not only reduce the fat, but also help to tighten and lift that area of the abdomen. This can be a self-confidence boost, as we can now wear bathing suits and tight-fitting clothes that we were not comfortable wearing before," Bowes tells us.

It evens out the surface of your skin

happy woman after coolsculpting session to burn fat — Shutterstock

In addition to being a safe and selective treatment to reduce fat, CoolSculpting can help even out any fat asymmetries like fat pockets. "For example, in some cases after liposuction, there may be areas that are uneven or where fat pockets remain. CoolSculpting can help us even out the contour and overall appearance of our body by addressing those specific areas and helping the final result look smooth and even," Bowes explains.