Liposuction: Info, Prices, Photos, Reviews, Q&A

CoolSculpting® can be a good liposuction alternative for the right candidates.

CoolSculpting® is a nonsurgical alternative to liposuction that uses a freezing process called cryolipolysis to destroy fat cells.

The process is painless, does not require downtime and is generally more affordable than surgical liposuction. However, CoolSculpting® is best for treating men and women with less extensive body contouring needs.

Most people see the best results after a series of treatments 2 to 4 months apart. Be sure to reach your target weight first, as neither CoolSculpting® nor liposuction are weight loss alternatives. (Lee B. Daniel, MD, Eugene Plastic Surgeon)

Liposuction alternatives

There are multiple non-invasive fat reduction devices available, such as CoolSculpting, Vanquish, Lipoisonix, Kybella and UltraShape, which use cryolipolisis, radiofrequency, fat dissolving chemicals and ultrasound energy respectively to target and kill fat cells.

These procedures are generally pain-free and require little if any downtime, which is a big plus for a lot of people. However, you will not get the same kind of results as you would with liposuction, and multiple treatments may be required, which can add up to costing about the same as a liposuction procedure. (Mitchel P. Goldman, MD, San Diego Dermatologic Surgeon)

Non operative Liposuction

There are a number of alternatives to liposuction. Coolsculpting, a process that freezes the fat, and injection Lipolysis are two of the most popular. I have tried both on myself and can tell you that liposuction is far more effective, reliable, and efficient at removing the fat and contouring your body.

Done correctly liposuction is very safe with a quick recovery and minimal downtime. I think you will also find that after you account for the prolonged time you need to take off work to have the Coolsculpting performed and the serial treatments involved, the cost of traditional liposuction is about the same or less, and is far more effective.

Coolsculpting Liposuction For Chin

Injection lipolysis is quite painful and is associated with a lot of swelling and the result is often disappointing. (Gilbert Lee, MD, San Diego Plastic Surgeon)

Coolsculpting as an alternative to Liposuction

CoolSculpting is a non-evasive alternative to liposuction offering no downtime, no needles and is easily performed in an hour. You can return to your normal activities even exercise immediately following the procedure.

The average cost is minimal compared to the cost of liposuction due to the fact anesthesia and a facility fee are not required. (Alan N. Larsen, MD, Atlanta Plastic Surgeon)

CoolSculpting Is an Option, But Nothing Beats Surgery

Unfortunately, there is no good alternative for liposuction for removing fat. It will give you the best results as long as removing skin is not an issue. The only non-surgical treatment for fat removal with decent results is CoolSculpting.

Coolsculpting Back Fat

But remember it is not as good as liposuction! It is for those who do not want to have a surgical procedure. All other “non-surgical” options are gimmicks, and the results are marginal at best — and they are costly! You will spend a lot of money undergoing non-surgical procedures and at best will obtain a marginal result.

Your best result will be surgical. (Louis C. Cutolo, Jr., MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon)

Coolsculpting is a good option for those uninterested in liposuction

I would first like to address the misconception that liposuction is painful or has a long recovery period. Most of my patients only take pain killers the first night, and then are fine with over the counter pain relievers.

If a patient of mine has surgery on Friday, most likely he/she will be back at work on Monday, with very little pain or discomfort. Many describe the feeling as similar to having had a hard workout at the gym.

That being said, many people would prefer a non-invasive option for body contouring. I prefer the Coolsculpting method over all others, because it is both effective and has the most minimal discomfort. Since the cold temperatures cause numbness during the procedure, most patients find Coolsculpting extremely tolerable, and often watch TV or do work during the procedure.

You can expect a 20-25% reduction in the fatty bulge after one Coolsculpting treatment, and many patients repeat the procedure in order to get a greater reduction. I recommend you visit with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options. (David P. Rapaport, MD, FACS, Manhattan Plastic Surgeon)

CoolSculpting Option for Body Contouring

Much depends on your body habitus and aesthetic needs. The most dramatic results will be achieved with a surgical approach such as liposuction or tummy tuck. A non invasive body contour procedure known as “CoolSculpting” will work but the contour improvement will be less noticeable. (Leo Keegan, MD, Manhattan Plastic Surgeon)

Liposuction alternatives like Coolsculpt by Zeltiq

Many of our patients would not consider surgery for fat removal for either philosophical issues(don’t want a surgical procedure at all) or professional reasons (i.e. time off from work/family is just not possible).

There a number of non-invasive no down time options available. In my experience, Coolsculpt works well. Zerona the results are mixed.

Candidates:These patients must be within 30 lbs of their ideal body weight. Pinch less than 3 inches.

They can expect to lose about 20% of the fat in the treated area. Ideal body weight for women as an example (about 25% of our patients are men)

The areas that respond the best are the abdomen, love handles/muffin top, and the bra roll area. (Pramit Malhotra, MD, Ann Arbor Plastic Surgeon)

Coolsculpting Laser

We now have good office based alternatives to liposuction ( no matter what the liposuction technique) such as Coolsculpt which we have been happy with in our office. However dont confuse this alternative as an equivalent procedure as Coolsculpt can reduce the fatty layer only about 20% ( for each treatment) and may require more time than a liposuction procedure which can reduce the fatty layer 60-75%.

For many of our patients though this alternative ( as an office based procedure that they can drive home after) is attractive as long as the skin quality is pretty good and they understand the limitations. (G. Wesley Price, MD, Chevy Chase Plastic Surgeon)

CoolSculpting Your Altnerative to Liposuction

There are other non-surgical options to which an individual may be a candidate for. CoolSculpting is a non-invasive alternative to liposuction for pockets of fat. An applicator is placed on the designated area/fat pocket, a vacuum draws the area up into the applicator which is then pressed between two metal plates freezing the fat cells.

Coolsculpting

The fat cells are destroyed and your body naturally disposes of them. As with all procedures a consultation with your plastic surgeon is the best way to determine if you’re a candidate for this procedure. (David L. Robbins, MD, FACS, West Des Moines Plastic Surgeon)

There are several non-invasive options that would be alternatives. These work but are not as instant or dramatic a result as liposuction. These include Coolsculpting and Liposonix and Trusculpt. The costs are typically less than liposuction and there is no down time.

The technologies work but the fat reduction is not equivalent to surgery. I would recommend Coolsculpting as this has consistent results and you can tailor the plan to your budget. Non-invasives work, they are just different from surgery.

Some surgeons may bash these technologies because they are not as aggressive as surgery. This happened with Botox and Fillers initially. Now, everyone uses them. They are not equivalent to facelifting but they still are effective for what they do.

Likewise, noninvasive technologies are a viable option for people who want to avoid surgery. The key is having realistic expectations, continue diet and exorcise, and work with someone who is very familiar with these technologies. (Burton M. Sundin, MD, Richmond Plastic Surgeon)

The availability of alternatives to liposuction is actually based on your expectations and where you have problem areas. In my practice we have had extraordinary success with CoolSculpting, but my patients understand that this procedure will not provide as complete an outcome as liposuction in most instances.

I explain that as liposuction can remove about 90% of the fat in a given area, CoolSculpting reduces the bulge in a treated area by about 25% each session. Multiple sessions can provide quite dramatic results. For my patients who are relatively fit and have isolated bulges in the abdomen, flanks, back, and medial thighs, excellent results have been seen in my practice with even one treatment using CoolSculpting.

Some patients require more than one treatment per area, particularly if they are looking for a large reduction in fat. Newer CoolSculpting protocols are using multiple treatments per area and getting results that approach that of liposuction.

CoolSculpting has the advantages of no down-time or difficult recovery that is associated with liposuction, and these multiple application techniques are quickly gaining popularity.

I would recommend looking at my website below for examples of before and after photos that you can expect with CoolSculpting.

If these areas are the ones that you find problematic and your examination of the improvements seen in my photos are the kind of thing you are looking for, find a local CoolSculpting specialist in your area.

If, however, you are looking for a complete evacuation of fat in an area of your body over a short period of time, nothing will replace liposuction as the definitive operation for localized fat reduction. (Adam David Lowenstein, MD, FACS, Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon)

We have excellent results using CoolSculpting as non invasive fat removal. There is no downtime and you see permanent results in 1-3 months. Many other techniques are undergoing evaluation . One of the best ways is to look at procedure reviews on realself to see if the technique is right for you. (Kurtis Martin, MD, Cincinnati Plastic Surgeon)