CoolSculpting Vs Liposuction: What is the difference?

We all know that following a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly is key to achieving a slim and toned physique. However, you may need a little extra to reduce stubborn areas of fat across your body. This is where CoolSculpting and Liposuction treatments can help. These proven cosmetic procedures help patients to physically remove large portions of fat from different body areas in a relatively fast and precise way.

Unlike diet or exercise regimes, which can take weeks or months to showcase a visible effect, these body techniques generate fat removal results by rapidly destroying and removing excess subcutaneous fat cells. This in a smoother, more defined and contoured in much less time. It also helps patients to remove stubborn fat bulges that are hard to shift using the traditional diet and exercise techniques. This makes fat removal much easier for patients who have struggled with common fat issues like bingo wings, , and muffin tops. But how do the procedures compare? In this article, we walk through the key and differences between them.

CoolSculpting and liposuction are two treatments that reduce fat stores using surgical and non-surgical methods. Subcutaneous fat is the jiggly layer of visible fat that sits just beneath the surface of the skin. It is more vulnerable to and disruption than deeper visceral fats, which surround a person’s organs.

Cosmetic procedures like CoolSculpting and Liposuction target subcutaneous fat precisely and accurately by destroying the fat tissues alone, leaving healthy surrounding tissues untouched. CoolSculpting does this using an advanced or cryolypolysis procedure which is completely non-invasive, whereas liposuction surgically removes subcutaneous fat using standard methods.

Both treatments reduce fat-storing adipose tissues. Its main function is to store body fat in the form of lipids (fat cells) and comprises about 20-27% of total body weight in people in a healthy weight range. By physically breaking down and removing this tissue from the subcutaneous layer of the skin (just below the skin’s surface), patients can achieve a more . However, CoolSculpting and liposuction break down this tissue in markedly different ways.

Liposuction is an invasive surgical procedure that uses scalpels, and a fat suction device to remove subcutaneous fat from the body. Over 1,500 treatments were performed in the UK in 2020 alone, making it one of the most popular treatments. During a typical liposuction procedure, a plastic surgeon makes a tiny in the targeted area of excess fat after a general or local (e.g., lidocaine) has been applied. Fat is then sucked out of the body via a long cannula tube. This treatment was first used in the 1980s, but since then, other liposuction techniques have also emerged.

The CoolSculpting treatment is an innovative fat reduction technique that is similar to non-surgical laser liposuction. As a completely non-invasive way to get rid of stubborn fat cells, it uses cooling energy rather than heat to remove excess fat from underneath the skin. Also known as ‘fat freezing,’ this technique breaks down and crystallises subcutaneous fat cells. It was approved as a fat method in 2010 by the FDA and has since increased in popularity by over 823% according to data from healthline.com. To date, over 17 million CoolSculpting treatments have been carried out across the world, and The Cosmetic Skin Clinic is the UK’s no 1 CoolSculpting Clinic. Our team of highly-skilled practitioners have over 20 years of collective and have performed over 50,000 CoolSculpting treatments.

Based on their surgical and non-surgical differences, the treatments work differently to break down and remove fat:

Coolsculpting’s cutting-edge cryolipolysis technology was developed by scientists at the USA’s prestigious Harvard after a clinician noticed that cool temperatures had an effect on the breakdown of fatty tissues. By exposing them to critically low temperatures, fat cells crystallise and die, before being processed and removed from the body naturally over the course of a few weeks. During the CoolSculpting process, a clinician will apply a gel pad and applicator to the skin to freeze fat cells. The gel pad protects surrounding healthy tissues while the cooling energy specifically breaks down the fat cells. The applicator stays in place for minutes in most cases, causing the cells to slowly crystallise and break apart. The gel pad is then removed before the clinician massages the treatment area to further stimulate the fat breakdown. Healthy cells are not affected, leaving patients free from scarring or tissue damage.

Liposuction physically disrupts and removes subcutaneous fat cells by directly sucking them from the body. A numbing solution ( lidocaine) is to the targeted area first. A series of small cuts are then made around this treatment zone to give the clinician direct access to fat tissues. A thin cannula tube is then inserted into the incisions before a vacuum device sucks out the targeted fat cells. A general anaesthetic may be used instead of lidocaine if a large amount of excess fat needs to be removed. The surgery typically takes between 1-2 hours. But it can take weeks for swelling and bruising to dissipate from the treatment area, and there is a risk of thanks to the scalpel incisions that are applied.

Liposuction is the more aggressive treatment, meaning that greater quantities of fat can be removed in a single operation. This makes the treatment ideal for patients who want to remove large amounts of excess fat in one go. Liposuction is often used if the patient is desiring a drastic change to their body shape, or if they are considerably overweight and want to transform their body contours quickly. can remove fat from several areas of the body, including:

CoolSculpting can treat many of the same areas that liposuction treats. As a non-surgical procedure, it has fewer side effects and doesn’t require any recovery time. However, it doesn’t immediately remove fat tissues in the same way that liposuction does. It takes at least 3 weeks for the body to naturally remove the treated fat cells. Once this process has occurred however, it produces similar fat removal results to liposuction. As a less intensive treatment, it has become popular for people who want to treat localised areas of . The majority of patients use it to remove excess fat from their and . It can also treat:

Each procedure requires a different number of treatment sessions and different rates of recovery:

Most CoolSculpting treatment sessions take less than an hour to complete. New innovations in the technology also mean that patients can treat two areas at once, thanks to the introduction of the , which cover a larger surface area than traditional fat freezing applicators. If patients want to target fat across their belly and their thighs at the same time, in one single session, they can do.

However, most patients will require a few treatment sessions spread out over several weeks to achieve the best results. Visible fat removal results are at their best at 3 months after the final procedure.

A typical treatment takes between 1 to 2 hours to complete. Most patients only require 1 liposuction procedure to achieve the results they are looking for. Patients can treat multiple areas in one session. But for safety reasons, most clinicians won’t treat more than 3 different areas at once due to the recovery time involved.

The big downside to a liposuction treatment regime is that it does require significant downtime. Patients will have to avoid strenuous activities for 2 to 4 weeks after the and will have to wear bandages to aid their healing . It can also take several months for and bruising to . Invasive procedures like Vaser lipo require slightly shorter recovery periods, but full results are often not visible for up to 6 to 12 months after.

Ideal CoolSculpting are those patients in good general physical health who exhibit localised areas of excess fat. It is perfect for sculpting and improving mild to moderate bulges of stubborn OnabotulinumtoxinAAbobotulinumtoxinAIncobotulinumtoxinAPrabotulinumtoxinALetibotulinumtoxinARimabotulinumtoxinBHyaluronic Acid FillersCalcium Hydroxylapatite FillersPoly-L-lactic Acid FillersPolymethylmethacrylate FillersAutologous Fat GraftingForehead Lines TreatmentGlabellar Frown Lines TreatmentCrow’s Feet TreatmentBunny Lines TreatmentChemical Brow LiftLip FlipGummy Smile CorrectionMasseter ReductionJaw SlimmingDimpled Chin SmoothingCobblestone Chin SmoothingNefertiti Neck LiftMicro-BotoxMesotoxHyperhidrosis TreatmentChronic Migraine ReliefBruxism TreatmentTMJ TreatmentCervical Dystonia TreatmentNeck Spasm TreatmentBlepharospasm TreatmentLip AugmentationLip ContouringCheekbone EnhancementTear Trough FillersNasolabial Fold SofteningMarionette Line FillersLiquid RhinoplastyNon-Surgical Nose JobJawline ContouringJawline DefinitionChin AugmentationTemple VolumisingHand RejuvenationAcne Scar Subcision Filling so that they look visibly trimmer and more streamlined. As one of the world’s leading fat removal treatments, it is suitable for treating candidates with higher-than-average BMIs.

Liposuction is best for candidates with larger areas of fat to lose. If you have areas of protruding fat around your body, then liposuction is a great treatment to use. However, as a surgical procedure, it does involve risk. It is also not suitable for candidates with lots of loose skin as the liposuction procedure itself around the fatty area can end up exacerbating the appearance of loose skin.

If you are a patient who has lost weight quickly and who needs to remove excess of skin that have formed as a result, then more complex surgical procedures like abdominoplasty, or tummy tucks may be more appropriate for your needs. Liposuction is also not a treatment for obesity or a substitute for a healthy lifestyle and diet regime. By speaking to a qualified cosmetic specialist, they can assess your areas of excess fat to advise on the best course of treatment.

CoolSculpting is a , so it has no surgical side effects. Patients can return to normal activities straight after. This is why the treatment has rapidly increased in popularity when compared to traditional surgical fat treatments like liposuction. The only main side effect is the slightly uncomfortable feelings that patients may experience during or post-procedure. These include:

These side effects usually subside a few hours after having the treatment.

As an invasive surgical procedure, liposuction is much riskier to undergo. Side effects include:

Typical require patients to rest for 3-5 days after the treatment, meaning that it doesn’t benefit from the rapid ‘back to normality’ approach that CoolSculpting offers. With the associated risks in mind, patients should carefully consider whether liposuction is the right fat removal solution for them. Fat freezing offers a cutting-edge non-surgical alternative without pain, downtime and the need for a lengthy recovery.

CoolSculpting and liposuction have surprisingly results. Liposuction has been around much longer than CoolSculpting. This may lead some people to assume that it is more effective. However, a 2012 study from the Obesity Society showed that patients had the same amount of body fat one year after having liposuction – the fat was just stored in other places.

It is certainly true that in one session, liposuction instantly removes much more fat from the body (up to 5 litres of fat). But CoolSculpting also drives home impressive fat results at 3 months after treatment, with one study demonstrating a 27% reduction in body fat cells once a patient has received the treatment.

In both cases, patients can permanently destroy and remove excess fat cells from their bodies, in a diverse range of areas, from the belly, thighs and arms to the double chin. But must stick to a healthy lifestyle to attain long-term results.

Having compared the two procedures, the answer to this question really depends upon your own individual needs. If you want to gain effective fat removal results without simply relying on diet and exercise, then both treatments are ideal.

As results are so similar, it is advisable for patients to embrace CoolSculpting if they want to avoid spending days and weeks in recovery. The need for downtime is liposuction’s biggest drawback. However, if you are a patient with larger pockets of excess fat, then liposuction may be better for you, as it can remove more fat in one than a CoolSculpting procedure can. Book a consultation with a medically trained fat removal clinician to get the best advice on which treatment is right for your own individual needs.

You can also view the helpful comparison chart below to quickly compare the treatments and help you decide on your best course of action.

The Cosmetic Skin Clinic is a multi-award-winning aesthetics practice with years of experience in fat removal procedures. As a specialist in non-surgical treatments like CoolSculpting, we help patients to reduce excess fat with clinically proven results. We have been named as the number 1 CoolSculpting in the UK for 6 years in a row and have a . We also give honest and trustworthy advice. So if you are not suitable for CoolSculpting, we will let you know. can then refer you to liposuction specialist if needed.

Simply fill out our to arrange your personalised fat reduction consultation. Alternatively, you can contact our London and Buckinghamshire clinics directly on the following phone numbers: .

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