Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Lowenstein and his team are proud to offer CoolSculpting Elite at his private plastic surgery facility in Santa Barbara. CoolSculpting Elite is the next generation in non-invasive fat removal technology for body contouring that delivers natural results with no downtime or recovery.
A complete guide to your pre-operative planning, your CoolSculpting procedure, and your postoperative comfort.
CoolSculpting is the only FDA-approved treatment that uses cryolipolysis, or the freezing of fat cells, to permanently remove unwanted fat from the body in a completely safe and non-invasive manner. CoolSculpting remains the gold standard in body contouring and fat removal treatments to which all others are compared.
CoolSculpting Elite is the newest and most advanced iteration of the CoolSculpting technology. It freezes stubborn fat twice as fast as prior CoolSculpting systems using dual applicators to treat two sites at once. CoolSculpting Elite features seven specialized applicators in different shapes and sizes to perfectly fit the body’s contours and target hard-to-reach areas for ultimate precision.
The CoolSculpting experience with Dr. Lowenstein and his staff remains unmatched in the region. Here at Montecito Plastic Surgery, we’ve been a member of the Cool Club 1000 for many years, meaning that we have performed well over 1,000 CoolSculpting treatments in Santa Barbara.
CoolSculpting Elite uses cryolipolysis, a form of cryotherapy that freezes fat cells in a targeted area by using an applicator attached to the skin. Since fat cells freeze at a higher temperature than the surrounding skin and muscle, the CoolSculpting technology can freeze the fat without damaging the surrounding tissue.
The treated fat cells are removed through a natural metabolic process within the body’s lymphatic system, similar to the way fat from food is removed. Over the coming weeks and months, the fat will be flushed from the body permanently, resulting in a gradual reduction of fat from the targeted areas to create a slimmer, more defined appearance.
One treatment of CoolSculpting Elite takes as little as 30 minutes and eliminates up to 20-25% of targeted fat cells over a one- to three-month period. Unlike other invasive fat removal procedures such as liposuction, CoolSculpting Elite is a virtually painless procedure and is done in a comfortable setting. Even better, because the freezing process triggers a cellular response and no surgery or incision is required, there are no restrictions or downtime following a CoolSculpting treatment.
CoolSculpting Elite, dubbed “the new generation of cool,” is the newest technology to contour the body with CoolSculpting. CoolSculpting Elite uses dual applicators to allow for double the fat removal in treatment areas than any other nonsurgical fat reduction device on the market. CoolSculpting Elite is faster, more comfortable and can treat a larger surface area in a single session.
CoolSculpting Elite can treat most problem areas and provide an overall smoother body contour that’s noticeable yet natural-looking. CoolSculpting is the only FDA-approved fat removal treatment that can eliminate stubborn fat in nine different areas of the body:
It’s important to note that while CoolSculpting Elite treats areas with stubborn fat, it is not a weight-loss treatment, and patients seeking CoolSculpting should be at or near their ideal weight before planning a body contouring treatment.
It’s recommended to be within 20 to 30 pounds of your goal weight or have about one inch worth of excess fat on the areas you wish to target.
Results from CoolSculpting Elite start to show as early as three weeks for some patients, with the most dramatic results showing up after two months. However, the body will continue to flush out fat cells for up to four to six months after treatment.
Yes! Once the treated fat cells are frozen, they are flushed from the body, and they’re gone for good.
During your CoolSculpting Elite treatment at Montecito Plastic Surgery, you will sit or lie down in a comfortable position while the treatment is performed. Your body will be marked for treatment, and then a gel pad and the applicator will be applied to the area.
The CoolSculpting Elite treatment is not painful. You may feel a slight tingling and pulling sensation like that of a vacuum as the fat is targeted, but most patients tolerate these sensations well. The CoolSculpting Elite applicators are more comfortable than other fat removal treatments, and after five to ten minutes, the treatment area will go numb while fat is effortlessly removed.
After your CoolSculpting Elite treatment, the area will feel very cold and appear red. There may be a leftover tingling sensation that subsides within a few hours to a few days.
You may return to your normal activities immediately. In fact, many patients come in for a CoolSculpting treatment during their lunch break!
CoolSculpting works to reduce fat with only a single treatment. Depending on the amount of fat reduction desired, however, some patients may need one to three sessions of CoolSculpting Elite to reach their body contouring goals.
Each treatment of CoolSculpting Elite reduces fat by 20 to 25%, though in some cases, we have seen significantly more improvement than that.
Should you gain weight after CoolSculpting, you will gain weight evenly all over your body as you normally would. The fat cells removed with CoolSculpting will not grow back, but the remaining fat cells in the area can expand.
Many people have such positive results with CoolSculpting Elite treatments that it inspires them to take even better care of themselves and motivates them to stay in shape!
CoolSculpting Elite has fewer risks and side effects than other fat removal procedures. It’s considered safe for most patients; however, you should not have a CoolSculpting procedure if you suffer from cryoglobulinemia or paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria.
The most common side effects patients report after their CoolSculpting treatment are tingling, numbness and slight discomfort that subsides within a few days.
For over three years, Montecito Plastic Surgery has been one of the top practices in the Santa Barbara area for CoolSculpting and CoolSculpting Elite. As a board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Lowenstein has expert knowledge in body contouring. He understands that each person has a unique body with unique goals and can customize a treatment plan for you.
Dr. Lowenstein provides a CoolSculpting Guarantee. If you are unsatisfied with your CoolSculpting results, Dr. Lowenstein will apply 50% of your CoolSculpting fees to the cost of a liposuction treatment in that area. However, Dr. Lowenstein has never been taken up on this offer, which speaks to the satisfaction of his patients after their CoolSculpting procedure!
More information about the costs of CoolSculpting Elite in Santa Barbara, Bakersfield, Santa Maria and regional patients can be found here.