How Can I Keep Fat From Returning After CoolSculpting® Treatment?

For people struggling to achieve their ideal body shape, losing those last few can be a challenge. Stubborn fat can accumulate in places like the upper back, flanks, abdomen, "love handles," and under the chin. CoolSculpting helps remove those fat cells, but a common question among patients is whether or not the fat can return after CoolSculpting treatment.

At Modern Day MedSpa in Franklin Park, IL, board-certified practitioner of family medicine and aesthetic services Dr. Myriam Yokana helps patients understand the CoolSculpting process and what happens after, including how fat cells are removed from the body.

Below, we'll look at how to help keep fat from returning after CoolSculpting treatment.

How does CoolSculpting kill fat cells?

The CoolSculpting tool is a noninvasive way of freezing fat cells and inducing a process called cryolipolysis. When fat cells undergo cryolipolysis, they die and are removed from the body through normal bodily processes.

This doesn't happen immediately, but CoolSculpting will kill the fat cells during treatment, and the body will expel them over the next 3 – 4 months, revealing a more sculpted body. It will not harm other cells, and there are protections in place to avoid damage to the skin.

Does fat return after CoolSculpting treatment?

The fat cells destroyed during CoolSculpting treatment die and cannot return or reactivate. However, remaining fat cells can still swell during subsequent weight gain.

If you gain weight after getting CoolSculpting, your body can create new fat cells. Only the fat cells targeted by the CoolSculpting process at the time of treatment will disappear.

It typically takes 2 – 3 CoolSculpting treatments to get optimal results in larger areas. Dr. Yokana will advise patients at Modern Day MedSpa about their specific treatment plan after a consultation.

Most people need about 30 days to process the results of a single CoolSculpting treatment before their next appointment. But that's a minimum amount of time to wait. Depending on your unique situation, the area treated, and your overall aesthetic goals, Dr. Yokana may suggest patients wait a bit longer before treating the same area of the body a second time.

CoolSculpting is generally not recommended for people whose weight fluctuates consistently. It's essential to develop a diet and exercise plan and maintain a goal weight to get the most out of CoolSculpting treatments.

How to keep fat from coming back after CoolSculpting

As we age, traditional diet and exercise make it challenging to maintain an ideal weight. Hormones and genetics also play a role in weight gain.

Patients need to maintain a steady weight to get the best long-term effects possible from the procedure. Weight gain of any kind – including from pregnancy – will result in the development of new fat cells. CoolSculpting cannot prevent your body from creating new fat later on.

In some cases, it may be best to wait until you're done having children to get CoolSculpting, but that decision will be up to you and your doctor.

Get CoolSculpting treatment in Franklin Park, IL

CoolSculpting is a long-lasting cutting-edge treatment that gets rid of targeted fat cells. But it does not prevent fat from returning after weight gain.

If you live near Franklin Park, IL, and are curious if this treatment can help you target trouble spots that do not respond to diet and exercise, contact Dr. Myriam Yokana for a CoolSculpting consultation.