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Abdominal fat is one of the most common body problems in both men and women. There may be some people who are comfortable with not having a perfect stomach, but most people would rather do something about it if they can. This is why fat reduction procedures such as CoolSculpting continue to draw patients both young and old, especially those who don't want to undergo surgical procedures such as the tummy tuck or liposuction. You may have taken this treatment already and got the flat stomach that you want, but now you’re wondering if you need to continue taking sessions as maintenance.
So is it necessary to get CoolSculpting on already flat stomach? It’s something that only your doctor can answer precisely, but generally, CoolSculpting is designed to treat those pockets of fat that cling stubbornly to certain areas of your body, including your abdomen. You need to have a certain level of body fat since the CoolSculpting applicator works as suction and it needs enough flesh to hold onto. Now what can be considered a flat stomach will depend on your doctor’s assessment, but most people still have that little pouch of fat or fat bulges in the lower abdomen no matter how much diet or exercise they do.
Up to 25% Fat Reduction With CoolSculpting: Treat Yourself Today!
It’s important to get an idea of how CoolSculpting works as a non invasive fat reduction treatment in order to understand how it eliminates excess fat. Also known as Cryolipolysis, CoolSculpting freezes the fat off, literally, using a machine that targets the areas of your body with stubborn fat. The fat freezing destroys the fat cells and these damaged cells are then naturally flushed out of your body through your lymphatic system. Since the fat cell is more temperature-sensitive than the rest of the cells in your body, the undamaged cells are left intact. This is why CoolSculpting can be done without inflicting permanent injury on your skin, nerves, muscles, and other cells in your body.
During the CoolSculpting procedure, your doctor or technician will apply a gel-like substance to protect your skin from the pressure. He will then use a CoolSmooth applicator that is installed with a vacuum. This is designed to suck the flesh in the treatment area to target the fat cells that are bunched together. The CoolAdvantage applicator will deliver a precise and controlled cooling to the problem area, which will freeze the fat cells in order to destroy it.
The procedure is completely safe and there's no need to worry about any skin or nerve damage. Fat cells are more temperature-sensitive compared to the other cells in your body and the temperature from the treatment is set specifically for cell death. As the cooling progresses, your cells will start to crystallize or freeze, resulting in their death. The next few weeks following your procedure, your body will naturally break down the dead fat cells and flush them out through the body’s natural waste process.
Learn more: Freezing Your Stomach Fat With CoolSculpting
Most of us have “pinchable” fat in the abdomen, which is what CoolSculpting can help eliminate. The ideal CoolSculpting candidate is someone who is about 30 pounds or less from their ideal weight. Anyone who weighs more than this will be advised to lose the extra weight first before they can qualify for the procedure. Although technically, anyone can go through the treatment, but if you have more body fat than necessary, you won’t benefit much from the procedure. CoolSculpting is a fat reduction procedure and not a weight loss treatment.
In the case of patients who already have a flatter stomach, they can still benefit from CoolSculpting, since there are lots of thin people who still have problem spots. As long as you have pinchable fat in your stomach that can fit into one of the CoolSculpting applicators, then the treatment is still useful for you. Your doctor will assess if you have enough fat deposits or if your problem area is too small for CoolSculpting and if it is, he can suggest another type of non-invasive treatment for you.
Your doctor is the best person to assess whether your belly will need a CoolSculpting procedure, but you can have a good idea if you’re packing a bit much on the stomach by measuring your waist properly. While you’re standing, place a tape measure around your bare stomach, just above your hip bone. Pull the tape until it fits snugly around your waist but without pushing into your skin. Check to make sure that the tape measure is on the right level all around your waist. You’re probably holding your breath all this time so now exhale and then measure your waist while resisting the urge to suck in your gut.
If you’re female and your waist measures more than 35 inches or 89 centimeters, then your belly fat is too much and you’re probably at a higher health risk. Controlling weight gain at this point is not just for aesthetics, but also for your health. The trouble with stomach fat is that it's not limited to the extra layer of padding located just below your skin, which is the subcutaneous fat. It also includes visceral fat, which is found deep inside your abdomen and surrounds your internal organs. While subcutaneous fat poses problems aesthetically, visceral fat can lead to more dangerous health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, abnormal cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
Studies also associate stomach fat with an increased risk of premature death, no matter what your overall weight is. In fact, some studies have found that even in women with normal weight (as based on standard body mass index (BMI) measurements), a large waistline can increase the chances of death due to cardiovascular disease.
As long as you don’t have a medical condition that will disqualify you for treatment and if you’re already in the ideal weight range, it’s easier to find the ideal timing for your CoolSculpting procedure. If you have a special day or a big event coming up (weddings or reunions), you might be considering getting a CoolSculpting session so you can look slender or thinner for the occasion. But keep in mind that the results of your CoolSculpting treatment will take some time to become really visible. You may have to wait for weeks or months. Don't expect a visible CoolSculpting result right after your first treatment. Some patients may require more than one session to get dramatic results. So remember this and plan your sessions accordingly.
You also need to allow enough time for your body to heal after the procedure. You will be having some swelling and bruising after your session, as well as possible numbing of the nerves. Because of this, you may want to hold off on physically demanding activities. Also, if you're self-conscious, you may want to postpone activities that will require you to wear minimal clothing. So if you plan to go on a beach vacation, you will have to do some strategic scheduling for your CoolSculpting sessions.
If your stomach is already on the flatter side and there’s not much fat to eliminate, you can still enjoy another of the treatment’s benefits, which is skin tightening. It makes the skin in the treated area look less saggy and more toned. It was theorized that the cold temperature of the paddles used during the procedure can trigger increased collagen production. Collagen is what makes skin stay youthful, which explains why the body contouring procedure can tighten up loose skin in the areas that have become saggy over time.
The gradual fat loss involved after CoolSculpting can be a factor too. The elimination of stubborn fat deposit after the treatment can sometimes take up to four months. This gives your skin enough time to contract naturally over the newly sculpted body shape.
Are you looking for the best CoolSculpting treatments in New Jersey? At NJ Center for CoolSculpting, you’re in good hands. The facility’s staff consists of board-certified doctors, plastic surgeon, certified aestheticians, and licensed physician assistants who have spent years in the field of body sculpting. If you want to fix certain areas of your body - your stubborn belly, excess skin, double chin, upper arm, outer thigh, inner thigh - without surgery, we're the best people for the job.
NJ Center for CoolSculpting is committed to providing the safest and most effective treatments to reduce stubborn, unwanted fat from your body, even without surgical procedure. Their mission is to help you look and feel your best, both inside and outside. Call now and schedule an appointment with one of the center's top specialists.
Learn more: Is Stomach Fat Permanently Lost After CoolSculpting?
Up to 25% Fat Reduction With CoolSculpting: Treat Yourself Today!
