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Achieving the patient’s ideal body shape doesn’t require surgery nowadays. With treatments like CoolSculpting and heat sculpting, patients are just a few treatment sessions away from their desired figure.
But which between heat sculpting and CoolSculpting works better in contouring the body? There are several factors to consider when choosing the best body sculpting technique, such as the technology used, treatment areas, costs, results, risks, and side effects. While both treatments are extremely effective in reducing body fat, CoolSculpting has a slight advantage over heat sculpting.
A healthy diet and regular exercise are usually prescribed for people who want to maintain or lose weight. However, these techniques are not enough to reduce the fat deposits in hard-to-reach areas of the body. For those who want to achieve their ideal body shape, fat reduction treatments are the better option.
While liposuction and other similar surgical procedures are the go-to treatment for many, people are also starting to consider the possibility of getting non-invasive treatments like heat sculpting and CoolSculpting. In the 2019 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), 386,557 non-invasive fat reduction procedures were performed in the US.
To find out which of these two procedures is the better fat removal treatment, we’ve highlighted some of the important details about CoolSculpting and heat sculpting:
The most obvious difference between these two treatments is the range of temperature it uses to destroy the fat cells in the treatment areas. CoolSculpting freezes the fat cells to destroy them, while heat sculpting utilizes high temperatures to melt the fat.
CoolSculpting relies on the technique called “cryolipolysis.” By exposing the treatment area to extreme cold, the fat cells underneath the skin crystallize and die. The body eventually gets rid of the destroyed cells after a few weeks. This treatment removes around 25% of the fat pockets in the treated area after just one treatment.
SculpSure is an example of heat sculpting that’s been gaining popularity among many patients recently. While it’s newer than CoolSculpting, both treatments have been approved by the FDA. Heat treatments like SculpSure utilize hyperthermic lasers to heat the fat in the treatment area. The damaged fat cells are flushed out of the body, but it takes months for the results to show.
CoolSculpting works as long as there is enough fat in the treatment area to hold the device. Most patients try CoolSculpting to remove the bulge in their abdomen, love handles, thighs, upper arms, inner thighs, and even double chin.
SculpSure is also effective for the same areas. But unlike CoolSculpting that only utilizes one applicator at a time, SculpSure uses multiple applicators that are placed in different areas of the body. This allows the doctors to treat more areas in one session.
CoolSculpting is more expensive than Heat Sculpting treatments. The former has a national average of $2,500 to $4,000 while the latter is only priced at $1,500. While both treatments show noticeable results after just one treatment, multiple sessions are required for optimal fat reduction.
The exact amount depends on the size of the treatment area and the clinic’s location. Fat reduction procedures are not covered by most insurance plans, so patients have to prepare money out of their pockets to undergo CoolSculpting or heat sculpting.
Patients experience little to no downtime after their CoolSculpting procedures. Most of them return to their normal daily activities. Since it takes time for the body to process the destroyed fat cells after the procedure, it takes a few weeks for the patients to notice a slimmer treated area.
Heat sculpting has almost the same amount of downtime as CoolSculpting. Patients might notice a 24% reduction in their body fat after one treatment of SculpSure. The initial results are noticeable a few weeks after the treatment, but it takes at least 12 weeks for the final results to show.
CoolSculpting has been approved by the FDA as a safe and effective cooling treatment to remove stubborn fat in the different areas of the body. The minor side effects experienced by most patients usually subside a few days after the treatment. Some of these symptoms include:
In rare cases, patients develop paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH). This condition causes the treated area to develop hardened localized fat. Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia (PAH) only has an incidence of 0.025%, but it’s still crucial to find an experienced doctor or surgeon to perform CoolSculpting. This ensures that the patient won’t develop PAH after the procedure.
Heat sculpting is also a safe non-invasive fat reduction and body contouring treatment that only has minor side effects. Patients may experience a tingling sensation during the treatment, but anesthesia isn’t required to numb the area. Patients may also experience soreness, stiffness, and bruising in the treated areas, but they usually subside after a few weeks. They’re advised to avoid sun exposure to prevent sunburns.
| Pros | Cons | |
| Heat Sculpting (SculpSure) | Heat sculpting utilizes multiple applicators and sizes to choose from, which are used for both pinchable and non-pinchable fat. | Direct sun exposure before and after the treatment might cause sunburns, so patients are advised to avoid going outside for a few weeks. |
| CoolSculpting | CoolSculpting has been around for a few years. Many patients used this treatment for hard-to-reach areas in their bodies, like the neck, chin, arms, love handles, thighs, and bra lines. | Patients might feel numbness in the treated area for a few weeks after the treatment, but this symptom eventually subsides. |
CoolSculpting and Heat sculpting are quite similar when the results, recovery time, and treatment areas are considered. The main difference between them is the temperature at which each treatment is performed. This difference affects the patient’s comfort and experience during and after the treatment.
While they’re both safe and effective, CoolSculpting is still widely preferred to heat sculpting. Choosing the best treatment for each patient depends on different factors like their health condition, budget, and more. Consulting with a physician first is still important to find out which body contouring treatment works best for any case.
Want to get rid of the stubborn fat in the body? NJ Center for CoolSculpting is the best place to get your CoolSculpting treatments done. Our board-certified doctors and aestheticians are experienced in performing this fat reduction treatment on the abdomen and other areas of the body to help patients achieve their desired body shape.
Learn more about this treatment by visiting our website now. Call us at (908) 628-1070 to book an appointment.
Learn more: Does CoolSculpting Work on Double Chin?
