CoolSculpting®
Chill Fat Away at Chicago’s Iteld Plastic Surgery
Give fat the cold shoulder—or cold abdomen, or cold thighs, or cold whichever part of the body needs to slim down—with CoolSculpting® at Chicago’s Iteld Plastic Surgery. The nonsurgical treatment carefully lowers the temperature of unwanted fat cells to a specific degree, which is all it takes to send them packing. There are fewer risks than there would be for traditional surgery, as there are no incisions involved, no sutures, and no medications—just a relaxing 35 minutes or so, followed by a sleeker, more toned you.
Iteld Plastic Surgery proudly offers the full range of hand pieces, which means you can treat everything from a small area to a wide region. Each hand piece is specialized to focus on a specific part of the body for ideal results. That means you can increase your confidence and make clothes fit more comfortably, all without surgery.
Procedure Spotlight
Before & After Gallery
Meet the real patients and see their results after working with Dr. Iteld and his team at Iteld Plastic Surgery.
CoolSculpting® vs. Weight Loss
Ever wonder why it’s so difficult to get “trouble zones” to look as good as you want them to look? Yes, we mean that belly roll fat. That muffin top. Or those bingo wings. How about a banana roll? The thighs and stomach, in particular, are two of the trickiest areas to slim down. Everyone stores and distributes fat in their own way, with help from Mom and Dad. Want to blame genetics for your inability to flatten that abdomen? We won’t argue, because weight loss has a lot to do with factors that are out of your control, such as your natural body type, gender, and hormones.
The problem starts in adolescence, when the number of fat cells in our body becomes generally fixed. It doesn’t change much during adulthood. Each time we lose a few pounds, our existing fat cells simply shrink a bit—but we can’t control exactly where this happens in the body.
CoolSculpting®, on the other hand, offers incredible control. It’s like telling us the area you want to address, and settling back as we activate the CoolSculpting® device.
How CoolSculpting® Works
Some time back, researchers noticed that when kids frequently ate popsicles, they sometimes had less cheek fat than their non-popsicle-eating friends. This led to the realization that there was a relationship between freezing temperatures and fat loss—and eventually the development of CoolSculpting®. This may be the one time in history enjoying a sweet treat led to slimming down!
A CoolSculpting® session at Iteld Plastic Surgery invoices cooling panels lowering the temperature of the targeted region, either by pulling the fatty tissue between two plates or sitting flat against the surface, depending on the area to be treated. The device gently vacuums the skin. In either case, the fat cells are damaged by the cold, while the skin, nerves, muscles, and other tissues remain unharmed.
Once damaged, the fat cells enter a state known as cryolipolysis (“cold-fat-cell-breakdown”). They are broken down and removed from the body by natural processes. A session is believed to reduce fat by 20 to 25 percent in the treated area.
Much like liposuction, CoolSculpting® is commonly used on the lower belly area, but it can treat most areas of the body where excess fat may “cling,” including the upper and lower abdomen, inner and outer thighs, flanks, arms, chin area, back, and underneath the buttocks—all without surgery!
Procedure Spotlight
CoolSculpting® FAQs
CoolSculpting® is non-invasive. Patients can go about their day-to-day activities as normal before having the treatment without needing to worry about much preparation. You may want to stop taking blood thinners beforehand to reduce bruising, but there’s not much else you have to do to get ready.
Originally cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012, CoolSculpting® gives you slimmer, more streamlined contours. You will be able to go back to work or your normal activities right away, if you want. While CoolSculpting® is safe and does not require any downtime for post-treatment recuperation, keep in mind that it can leave the treated area feeling tingly, swollen, and tender after a session. It can also appear red or possibly bruised. These side effects will quickly fade, leaving normal-looking skin.
Most patients will treat the target area twice (or more) to achieve the desired final results. The cryolipolysis process itself takes months, so the new, slimmer contours will appear gradually as dead cells are flushed away. Multiple CoolSculpting® sessions may be necessary to get your desired contours.
Also, note that CoolSculpting® destroys some fat cells for good, but can’t prevent you from gaining weight in surrounding areas in the future. It’s important to keep up with an active lifestyle and monitor your diet to preserve results for the long term.
Anyone who wants to slim down but is not currently keen on the surgical route may be a good candidate for CoolSculpting®. Candidates considering this treatment should be in good health and at or near their ideal weight. If you’re looking for a weight-loss strategy, CoolSculpting® is not the answer. But if you want to do something about those love handles, you’re looking in the right place.
CoolSculpting® is best for people who are relatively in shape, but who have one or two stubborn pockets of fat they’d like to make go away. People who are highly sensitive to cold temperatures may want to explore a different option.
This treatment doesn’t tighten or remove “leftover,” saggy skin. CoolSculpting® is strictly for combatting unwanted fat.
Though CoolSculpting® can handle small pockets of fat, it’s not the only option for people who want to address a double chin or breast creases. The injectable Kybella® also disrupts fat cells by using a chemical known as deoxycholic acid instead of the power of cold. The idea, however, is the same: Damaged fat cells are gradually cleared from the area for a visible reduction in volume.
For CoolSculpting® to work, there needs to be at least a pinchable amount of fat for the device to grab onto. Kybella® does not work that way, so it is better for very small—but pesky—fat deposits.
For loose skin that forms a turkey neck, consider radiofrequency-powered skin tightening with BodyTite/AccuTite or Morpheus8. These treatments also work for tissue that has simply grown lax with age.
Patients who want more immediate results than CoolSculpting® provides may consider liposuction, which is the surgical removal of fat cells through an incision. There is more healing and recuperation involved after this procedure, but the new contours are visible right away.
Which option is best for you? Dr. Iteld can help you determine the best path forward to slimmer contours with a personalized consultation.
Schedule your consultation today to find out more about CoolSculpting® at Chicago’s Iteld Plastic Surgery. Call 312.757.4505.
MeetLawrence Iteld, MD
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
RealSelf VERIFIED doctor
Lawrence Iteld, MD, is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and a highly regarded Chicago based plastic surgeon, receiving awards from Chicago Magazine’s Top Docs, and Castle Connolly Top Doctors®.
Meet Lawrence Iteld, MD
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
RealSelf VERIFIED doctor
Lawrence Iteld, MD, is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and a highly regarded Chicago based plastic surgeon, receiving awards from Chicago Magazine’s Top Docs, and Castle Connolly Top Doctors®.