CoolSculpting

At McLean Dermatology, we work very hard to help our patients’ outward appearance match how they feel inside. Some patients visit our McLean practice because they’ve become frustrated with their inability to get rid of small pockets of excess fat in the abdominal area or under their chin. They lead a healthy lifestyle, exercise regularly and follow a healthy diet, but cannot seem to remove the last few inches of fat from certain areas.

In such situations, your McLean Dermatology provider may suggest CoolSculpting treatments. This procedure is an FDA-cleared, completely noninvasive way to remove fat from the abdomen and the flanks of the body. For some patients, we may even utilize a special device attachment designed to target fat under the chin.

If you’d like to schedule a consultation to see if CoolSculpting is the right choice for you, please contact our office at (703) 356-5111!

How CoolSculpting Works

CoolSculpting is a noninvasive treatment for stubborn pockets of fat on the body. The idea behind this treatment is to damage the fat cells by reducing temperature in the area. This doesn’t destroy the cells outright, but rather starts a natural fat destruction process by making the cells no longer viable.

Over several weeks, the body will remove the damaged cells from the area through the natural lymphatic process and the treated area will shrink.

A Typical CoolSculpting Appointment

On the day of the CoolSculpting appointment, the patient is advised to wear loose-fitting clothing, to make it easier to conduct the procedure.

The patient will then rest comfortably in the procedure chair, while the CoolSculpting attachment is applied to the treatment area. The attachment has a gentle suction cup which pulls some of the skin and fat into the applicator. This helps cool the fat more efficiently and completely.

For the typical patient, the procedure will last about an hour at our McLean office, though in some cases more time may be needed. During this time, the patient is fully awake and can read a book or magazine, or watch television.

There may be mild to moderate discomfort upon application, or a slight tugging and tingling sensation.

CoolSculpting Results

It’s important to keep in mind that CoolSculpting is a very individualized treatment that focuses on the unique needs of the patient. As such, the results will vary based on the patient’s unique circumstances and goals.

After the first treatment, the patient will wait several weeks before coming in for another consultation. This will give the body enough time to remove the damaged fat cells, so that the treatment site can be accurately re-assessed.

Additional treatments may be scheduled to further target the area, depending on initial results of treatment.

Is CoolSculpting Safe?

One of the most common questions we get about CoolSculpting is if the procedure is safe. Many patients make the very logical connection that if the cold can destroy fat cells, then perhaps it is also dangerous for the skin.

However, CoolSculpting is a completely safe treatment and doesn’t damage surrounding tissues because fat cells are much more responsive to the cooling effect. Other tissues would have to be brought to significantly lower temperatures to elicit the same effect. Therefore, this FDA-cleared procedure can safely destroy fat cells without causing any damage to the surrounding tissues.

CoolSculpting Side Effects

Most patients who get CoolSculpting may feel slight soreness or numbness in the area after treatment. Slight redness may also be present. However, these are typically the result of the cooling and the tugging during treatment, and usually resolves within a few hours. In fact, most patients can even exercise the same day of their Coolsculpting treatment!

Taking the First Step

The first step toward removing stubborn pockets of fat is to schedule a personalized CoolSculpting consultation at McLean Dermatology. Consultations for CoolSculpting are free! To schedule your consultation, just give us a call at (703) 356-5111

Financing CoolSculpting

We offer packages for CoolSculpting treatments to make your series of treatments more affordable.