Would Coolsculpting help a couple of stubborn areas?

Dr. Irwin
February 28, 2020
Hi Dr. Irwin, I’m interested in cool sculpting around my abdomen. I’m a 53 year old male in good shape and I have a couple of questions . But first the back story. Through exercise and diet I’m able to get the abs I want (it takes about 4 months of hard work). The problem with this method is I lose “wanted“ fat in my face and butt along with the unwanted fat in my abdomen. I often joke that being at the higher weight is the equivalent of free Botox. So my concern/question is will my body work to redistribute the fat? If I remove it from my abdomen will my body attempt over months or years try to get the proportions back to stasis if you will? Secondly, would it be best to have cold sculpting done while being at a higher weight? it seems it may be slightly less effective when in better shape I.e. less surface area to freeze away. Thanks for your time! Casper (From Seattle)

Hi Casper –  Goods questions!  It’s spring and we are all starting to think about wellness, body shape and our goals for the year.

I know exactly what you mean.  I work hard to stay in shape, but as our bodies age, our hormones and metabolism change too.  Some areas just aren’t as responsive to a clean diet and more exercise.  And….we want more shape usually, not just all over loss of body fat.   That’s funny on the Botox!  A lot of our patients feel like if they gain weight, they don’t need filler as much.

Will my body work to redistribute the fat that I lose through Coolsculpting (CS)?

The answer is no it won’t.  Fat will redistribute slowly over years just with aging and hormone changes though.  For example, a study was done where a male patient CSd just one side of his love handles. That side shrunk over 3 months. He then (as an experiment) gained 10 pounds.  Both sides increased but the CS side was still visibly much less.  He then lost the 10 pounds, and both shrunk but again asymmetrically.  Bottom line: The fat on the CS side was gone.

Is it better to have Coolsculpting done at a higher weight?

Yes to a certain point, it’s better to have the CS done at the higher weight to make sure you have enough fat to fit in the adapters.  Once you are too thin, the adapters can’t be attached.  Also, on the upper end, a BMI of 30/31 or less is better for Coolsculpting.  For the adapters, visualize fairly large suction cups with a heavy handle of different shapes.

There’s no cream or topical that can reduce fat. but keep your body skin healthy and skin cells active by using lotions that will exfoliate.

Hope this helps!
Dr. Brandith Irwin
Founder, SkinTour
Director, Madison Skin & Laser Center
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Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

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Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

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