Can CoolSculpting cause lumpiness/rippling like liposuction?

Hi there! Thanks for your question. CoolSculpting does provide a nice smooth result after treatment. Please search for a provider in your  area who is CoolSculpting certified, and has attended CoolSculpting University to reduce this risk!

Thank you for your question, you may have some swelling for 3-6 months after Coolsculpting. Most patients require a second treatment 2 to 3 months after the first to see better outcomes. For best results with Coolsculpting, a combination approach is needed. I recommend adding radiofrequency treatments like Vanquish, truSculpt iD, Venus Legacy, and Exilis Ultra for skin tightening and with Z wave/Cellutone for skin smoothing.If you still have specific problem areas that do not respond to non-invasive treatments, a VASER Hi-Definition Liposuction procedure with ThermiRF, Renuvion (J-Plasma), and InMode BodyTite may be needed to give more fat removal, contouring, skin tightening, and definition. I suggest getting a formal evaluation with a hi-definition physique expert. Best, Dr. Emer

This treatment is a great alternative to liposuction! One CoolSculpt treatment will generate about 30% fat reduction in the targeted areas. Most patients will opt for two treatments for their best results. The benefit of using CoolSculpt is that it is non-invasive and has zero downtime. Many patients love this treatment when they're trying to rid their "bulky" areas around their body without running the risk of "lumps and clumps" of fat produced after liposuction. Best, Dr. Anil Shah

In both cases, any risk of lumpiness or rippling can be avoided if you choose an experienced board certified plastic surgeon or CoolSculpting provider. With regards to liposuction, although most liposuction techniques are very safe, it's true that patients and doctors were finding that following a liposuction procedure patients would be left with contour irregularities. SAFE (Separation, Aspiration, and Fat Equalization) lipo is one of the newest and most innovative surgical techniques that significantly reduces the chances of ending up with contour irregularities while at the same time eliminating as much fat as possible. So if you were considering liposuction you would want to ask your surgeon if he/she has experience with SAFE lipo.As for CoolSculpting you want to make sure that you choose a certified Coolsculpting practice, which basically means that your CoolSculpting provider will have attended CoolSculpting University and will have a lot of experience with the placement and handling of the CoolSculpting applicator. In inexperienced hands, you can risk eliminating fat that you actually want to keep resulting in what is called a "shark bite", an indentation as opposed to a smooth contour.That said, keep in mind that the two procedures are very different. Liposuction is surgical, but it's results are much more dramatic as it has the capacity to remove a lot more fat. Whereas, with CoolSculpting we tend to see about a 20% fat reduction per treatment, and for some people this is enough, but some may want to see more fat eliminated. CoolSculpting is non-surgical and there is virtually no downtime, but it is really meant to treat small pockets of fat (such as love handles for example) that are resistant to diet and exercise.I highly recommend that you book an in person consultation with an experienced board certified plastic surgeon in both areas in order to assess which treatment might work best for you in order to achieve the results that you are looking for.

Hi Mary457,
Thanks for your question. It is very important to go to a reputable clinic for your Coolsculpting treatments. If done incorrectly, it can leave the tissue with a line of demarcation also known as the "shark bite" lines. 

In my opinion, CoolSculpting, when performed correctly, should not cause lumpiness or rippling to the treated area.  

With proper technique/ application, this would be a very rare occurrence (that we have not seen). The main reason is that liposuction depends on the technical aspect of running a small tube (less than ¼ inch) under the skin multiple times, trying to evenly remove the collection of fat. On the other hand, the CoolSculpting applicator brings in a collection of fat that gets frozen, leading to a relatively even reduction of the collection.

Hello and thank you for your question! When performed correctly CoolSculpting should not cause lumpiness or rippling in the belly area. The applicator is positioned over the area of tissue with a feathering effect as it reaches the edge of the treatment area for a natural looking fat reduction. The advantage to CoolSculpting is that the procedure is done in the office with no downtime. The fat reduction is more subtle over time as compared to liposuction. Liposuction is a great method for fat reduction; the result is more dramatic, however, there is recovery and downtime. I would recommend seeing a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options. Best of luck

Dear
mary457, 
Liposuction
results are based on skill and experience. Greater risk of ridges, lumps, skin
irregularity can occur if lipocontouring is performed in areas of prior
surgery, injury, radiation and other scar inducing procedures. Liposuction is
generally performed in the fat layer below the superficial fascia, leaving
the more compact superficial fat layer to cushion a smoother appearance. 
CoolSculpting
is most efficacious when there is a skin bulge of fat that lines the applicator
perfectly. The effect is on the superficial fat layer and the deeper subcutaneous
fat layer. Since the fat loss occurs within a specified area, there is
potential for a dip to occur along its edge but this is rare. CoolSculpting is in
fact useful to even out any residual fatty lumps following liposuction.
Always
choose a experienced, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with skills in the areas
and procedures you are interested in. Be skeptical of what you read in the
social media as this is one person’s perception. Select your surgeon carefully.
All the best!

Great question! CoolSculpting will not cause rippling that can be seen when liposuction is done not correctly. However, it can be possible to have a small ridging effect created if the device is not properly applied to the fat area that needs treated. For that reason it is important to choose a CoolScupting expert who is aware of that possibility and takes great care with the application of the device.  Best wishes,  Mary Beth Mudd