Many people have put on some extra weight during COVID, but VIDA Aesthetic Medicine has the tools you need to help you get fitter and healthier in 2021. Whether you are choosing to forego the gym in order to keep yourself safe or your typical fitness activities are closed, one thing is certain: many people have realized just how difficult it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle when in lockdown. There are certainly options, such as taking up jogging or cycling. Perhaps you were one of the millions of people who splurged on at-home modalities like free weights or even a fixed-weight machine. Still, those pounds tend to creep on. Here’s what you can do about it.
You’ve likely heard of CoolSculpting before, as it’s been around and very popular for many years. CoolSculpting freezes away small areas of unwanted fat in a non-invasive series of treatments. This technique was discovered by accident in the 1970s when researchers wondered why children who ate a lot of popsicles had less fat in their cheeks than their peers. It turns out that fat cells can be frozen at specific temperatures without harming the other cells around them.
How CoolSculpting Works
The key to CoolSculpting is targeting the fat and applying those specific temperatures for a designated amount of time. CoolSculpting is not a fat-loss procedure, though many clients do find that they’ve lost a pound or two after their last treatment. Instead, this is a means of sculpting and contouring the body. Those who benefit most from CoolSculpting are at or near their goal weight, but struggle with some stubborn fat pockets or areas that just won’t budge.
Many of us have these problem areas. We’re all born with a unique fat distribution and a certain number of fat cells. Trainers will tell you that you can’t spot reduce and that’s certainly true when you are only considering diet and exercise. CoolSculpting is one of the few non-surgical methods to actually spot reduce, but the key word here is “spot.” CoolSculpting is not designed for fat loss, but may be a useful treatment for those who have undergone a large weight loss (either through diet and exercise or a surgical procedure).
CoolSculpting also has many benefits over liposuction, which can be part of a fat loss regimen. Liposuction is a surgery, albeit a relatively minor one compared to other forms of plastic surgery. Liposuction requires anesthesia, which many people prefer to avoid. There will also be a scar following liposuction, though a small one. There is also sometimes significant downtime after liposuction, with pain, swelling, and bruising being prevalent and expected. You don’t have to worry about any of these downsides with CoolSculpting. CoolSculpting is a quick and painless treatment, typically taking no longer than one hour (though it depends on how many areas you’re treating) and most clients scroll through their phone, read a book, or work on their laptop during their treatment. Afterward, you can immediately get back to your day with no downtime.
CoolSculpting Doesn’t “Work” By Itself
CoolSculpting is meant to be complemented with a healthy lifestyle. It’s a complement to a healthy diet and routine exercise, not a replacement for it. Since CoolSculpting freezes away fat cells, those particular fat cells are metabolized by the body and technically gone for good. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t gain weight in the future, including in the CoolSculpted area. Fat cells that aren’t destroyed, either by CoolSculpting or a procedure like liposuction, can grow and shrink in size. Gaining a good amount of weight after CoolSculpting may cause nearby fat cells to grow to such a size that they become prevalent in the area that you treated with CoolSculpting.
As per usual, many people are making their New Year’s resolution to get healthier. However, perhaps you’ve never had so much motivation as this year when you want to put 2020 behind you as quickly as possible. CoolSculpting can be the helper you need to kick-start your healthier lifestyle, vanquish those stubborn fat areas for good, and get a jump start on a new diet or exercise regimen.
Make CoolSculpting part of your comprehensive, holistic commitment to a healthy body that you love. Most clients require 3 – 6 sessions, but it’s not uncommon for clients to return for maintenance sessions or to treat other areas in the future. Learn more about CoolSculpting by calling VIDA at (503) 399-0021 or by completing our online form and enjoying a complimentary consultation.
