Everybody knows them, but nobody wants them – annoying fat pads, which are seen as superfluous, often become noticeable as problem zone despite hard training and strict diet. Especially just before summer starts exactly this is the reason for ringing alarm bells in many women. But the problem still remains bothering in fall. How wonderful that the modern medicine nowadays provides us many possibilities for correction. In the following we will compare two treatment methods:
One of the latest treatment options, which is dedicated to the fight against fat, has its origin once more in the U.S.: Cool Sculpting – actually cryolipolysis. Coldness should cause fat cells to disappear. How does it work?
This Is How Cool Sculpting Works
Under the usage of a suction cup the skin areas concerned are firstly refrigerated for about one hour and afterwards massaged. The repeated influence of coldness plus massage results in damage to the fat cells. Several elaborate sessions are necessary. To achieve a visible result the patient has to wait for 8 to 16 weeks. Is the waiting time for a result too long?
Result Immediately Visible in Liposuction with Microcannulas
It can go faster when choosing liposuction with microcannulas, which has an immediate effect in contrast to Cool Sculpting. Owing to the physician’s experienced hand the body site concerned can moreover be shaped very precisely, whereas at a cold treatment it can only be predicted inaccurately how strong fat cells will respond to the treatment. Admittedly a cryolipolysis is suitable for areas, which are easily reachable for the suction device, but at other locations like the back it is commonly only possible to achieve suboptimal results. The tissue-conserving liposuction with microcannulas is performed under local anesthesia. Thus the patient is able to take different positions during the procedure, which allows the surgeon to work on problem zones precisely.
The aftercare is also very simple in case of liposuction with microcannulas. It is only recommended to wear compression garments for a week. In the following days slight swelling and redness can be expected. The procedure of Cool Sculpting is indeed – as well as a liposuction – per se painless, but due to the tissue damage massive swelling, bruises, and accompanying pain, which even make the wearing of light-fitting clothes uncomfortable, occur after the treatment in many cases. Tissue damage due to the coldness also affects nerves. This is why some patients complain about continuous tingling over several months and numbness in the regions previously treated.
Treatment Only by Medically Qualified Persons
It appears alarming when such cold therapies are carried out by inadequately trained personnel in beauty salons. Therapeutic practice of this kind should exclusively be in the hands of medically adequately trained persons. That means they should only be performed by physicians with the aid of their teams consisting of versed qualified nursing staff.
Cool Sculpting has its field of application and both its pros and cons. Whether the patient decides rather for this method or for liposuction or a fat-away injection is often driven by emotions as well. What is important is a comprehensive medical consultation, during which benefits and risks of the desired method are weighed and the patientʼs individual requirements are clarified; because the real aim of every treatment is the satisfaction of the patients.
DDr. Heinrich, MD