Fat is a fickle friend. In the right area, such as the derrière, it can make you look younger. But in the wrong area, like the stomach, it can just make you feel dumpy. CoolSculpting is an FDA approved non-surgical procedure to reduce stubborn pockets of fat. It works by chilling the fat in the targeted area. Quick, painless and requiring no down time, CoolSculpting has been a total game changer for the men and women of Indianapolis.

As an avid early adopter, board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Bruce Van Natta is proud to have been the first plastic surgery practice in Indiana to offer his patients CoolSculpting. Extremely effective in the right patient for reducing exercise-resistant pockets of fat, CoolSculpting is an ideal option for professionals, moms and men who don’t have the time or inclination for liposuction. The key to a successful outcome with CoolSculpting, however, is determining whether or not you are, in fact, a good candidate. This requires an in person consultation.

CoolSculpting Consultation

CoolSculpting has become a bit like the Botox of body contouring — it is being offered everywhere from the gym to your local med spa. But just because the machines are ubiquitous does not mean that everyone is a good candidate. It is vital with any kind of body contouring procedure, whether surgical or non-surgical, that you be assessed in person. Everyone’s anatomy is different so what worked for your friend may not work for you.

During your CoolSculpting consultation, Dr. Van Natta’s staff will listen to what bothers you about your body contour. They will then perform a thorough physical exam to examine your muscle tone, where your body holds excess fat, the amount of said fat as well as your skin tone and elasticity. The latter is crucial because once you remove the excess fat, the skin needs to have enough collagen to “bounce back” and re-form around your new contour without sagging. Then, together, you will discuss the best treatment options for achieving your desired outcome.

Dr. Van Natta and his staff will always be honest with you about what will or will not work. They care about you and your results. So, it’s just not in anyone’s best interest for you to have a procedure that isn’t going to work. This is not always the case at a lot of the places offering CoolSculpting.

Who is an Ideal Candidate for CoolSculpting?

If you are someone who looks in the mirror and sees a bulging area (or two) of fat that simply won’t budge no matter how many kale smoothies you drink or how hard you hit it at the gym then you might be a candidate for CoolSculpting. It’s ideal for both men and women who are relatively fit, within about 10 pounds of their goal weight, but who just have some pinch worthy fat bulges.

CoolSculpting is a great way to treat fat in areas such as the hips, thighs, flank and abdomen. Clinical studies show that, for these properly selected patients, CoolSculpting is an effective way to reduce the fat layer without the pain, risk, and recovery time of a more invasive procedure like liposuction. The result is a noticeably trimmer looking you. And best of all, once the fat cells are eliminated, they are gone for good.

The CoolSculpting Procedure

The CoolSculpting procedure is very simple. Performed in the office, a set of panels are attached to your treatment area. They work kind of like a vacuum, sucking your fat in between them. At first, you will feel the cold, but this passes in a couple of minutes. The device works by “cryolipolisis” which is literally the chilling of the fat cells in the targeted area. Cryolipolisis is the brainchild of a couple of scientists at Harvard who noticed that when kids sucked on popsicles, it would create dimples inside their cheeks where the fat cells dissolved.

Once the fat cells are chilled, they die, and are naturally eliminated through your lymphatic system. The treatment takes about 35 minutes per area. In general, you can expect about a 20% reduction in the fat cells in the treated area, but it will take up to 3 months to fully realize these results. So, be patient. While some patients can get away with only one treatment, most are going to need a series of treatments spaced about 2 months apart. However, one of the great things about CoolSculpting is that there is no downside to spacing your treatments further apart. You may have one and then decide a year later to have another. It’s really your call.

Benefits of CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting is unique because it uses an advanced tissue cooling technology to gently target and eliminate the fat cells without damaging the skin. In just a few months, you’ll notice a gradual reduction in the thickness of your fat layer.

The many benefits of CoolSculpting include:

• fast
• effective
• easy
• done in the office
• no bulky compression garment
• no needles
• no incisions
• no anesthesia
• no pain medications
• zero downtime for recovery
• permanent results

So, if you are wanting to reduce those exercise-resistant pockets of fat for good, it may be time to consider CoolSculpting. It’s the “cool” way to kiss your fat good-bye forever.

To find out more about CoolSculpting with Dr. Bruce Van Natta at Meridian Plastic Surgeons in Indianapolis, contact us today or call (317) 575-0330 to schedule a consultation.