Will CoolSculpting effectively remove a buffalo hump? (Photo)

Question

I exercise regularly and fear the downtime from liposuction may halt or reverse the progress I’ve worked so hard for - so my first thought is to try cool sculpting since it requires no downtime. But will it work for a Buffalo hump? If there are other fat removal procedures that require little to no downtime, I’m interested in learning about those too.

Robert Heck, MD, FACS · Answer

CoolSculpting can't treat that particular area bc there is not an applicator that fits there. If you truly desire improvement there please seek a BC Plastic Surgery for help. Best of Luck.

Paul Vitenas, Jr., MD · Answer

Thank you very much for your question and
photograph. While CoolSculpting is an excellent option for treating isolated
areas of fatty tissue, it cannot provide results everywhere. Unfortunately, the
fatty tissue that accumulates behind the shoulders, sometimes referred to as a
‘buffalo hump’, is impossible for the CoolSculpting applicators to grab ahold
of. For this reason, CoolSculpting is not recommended for treatment. A better
option would be a semi-invasive liposuction technique. I suggest making an in-person
consultation appointment with an experienced, board certified plastic surgeon.
At this time, he/she can review your medical history and perform a physical
exam to determine the cause of your ‘buffalo hump’ and review all of your
options for correction.

Kimberly Butterwick, MD · Answer

CoolSculpting won’t work well on a buffalo hump, since they are composed of fibrous tissue and fat and it would be hard to penetrate deep enough to reach all the fat with CoolSculpting. Liposculpture of a buffalo hump will remove the entire bulge in one treatment session. You won’t have much or possibly any downtime, as that’s not an area that is stressed during most normal activities. With tumescent liposculpture, small microcannulas can gently remove the fat with multiple tiny tunnels, assuring a smooth result and good skin retraction. There is very little tenderness and bruising with this method, which is truly the best option in your case. Please find a board-certified dermatologist to evaluate your buffalo hump for liposuction.

Christopher J. Davidson, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question and photograph.  My recommendation would be to consider liposuction for this area.  The CoolSculpting applicators are not indicated for this area.  Best of luck.

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

Most of the CoolSculpting applicators use suction to pull in the skin and fat to be treated during a treatment.  The area on the buffalo hump is too dense to be able to be pulled into a normal applicator.  It is possible that the flat applicator, which is normally used on the outer thigh, could be used on a buffalo hump but I am not certain how well it would work there.  Another option would be SculpSure, which does not require the tissue to be pulled into an applicator.  It uses heat, delivered by a laser, to destroy a portion of the fat cells and the applicator sits on top of the skin.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

For best results removing a buffalo hump, I recommend a hi definition procedure like VASER liposuction. I use VASER HI DEF with ThermiRF and fat grafting to get the most fat removal, skin tightening, contour and definition. This combination will give you the most toned result. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a hi definition physique expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Isobel Walker, MBBS · Answer

Buffalo hump will not fit into the applicator, and without a mass of fat within the applicator the device will not work. Additionally other devices like SCULPTURE are all off label, the best procedure in this situation is to see an expert like Dr Emer for surgical options. All other options have a high failure rate, surgical over non surgical in this case. Dr Isobel Walker. Brisbane Fiori. Australia.