Does Cool Sculpting Potentially Leave Saggy Skin, Like Liposuction Can?

Question

I'm looking for non-surgical ways to get rid of small saddle bags and slim down thighs. I have had 2 children so I already have a little loose skin on the inner thigh, but not nearly enough for me to justify the down time or scarring to do a thigh lift. I am 34, 5'2" and weighing around 100lbs. I don't want to do anything that potentially leaves me with sagging skin....

Kimberly Butterwick, MD · Answer

You sound like a perfect candidate for CoolSculpting because you are small and, at 100 lbs, your fatty deposits are probably not too big. CoolSculpting should give you a beautiful slimming result. I have not ever seen CoolSculpting cause sagging, in fact just the opposite. It often actually tightens the skin to some degree. Whether this effect is enough to benefit you depends on the quality of your skin now and how much fat is being removed. Please find a board-certified dermatologist to evaluate your skin and fat in person, to determine if CoolSculpting alone will give you the taut, healthy look you want, or if you need Ultherapy too for extra tightening. This could be performed a few months after CoolSculpting if needed.

Janet Allenby, DO · Answer

Hello, Thank you for your question. Without pictures it is difficult to give an exact answer, however based on your description it does sound like CoolSculpting may be a great option for you. While no provider can guarantee that there won’t be sagging, the treatment works slowly over time, allowing the skin to retract as the fat diminishes. However, please consult with a local physician in person, they will be able to discuss what to exopect in your specific situation. Best of luck!

Steven H. Williams, MD · Answer

The applicator that is normally used to treat the inner thighs is the CoolFit. The applicator suctions the tissue in order to bring it closer to the cooling panels to freeze the fat. Each cycle takes 1 hour. Normally patients do not have problems with sagging skin post treatment if the skin was supple and not sagging to begin with. CoolSculpting is noninvasive and no downtime fat reducing treatment and does not offer skin tightening as a benefit. It is always best to have a consultation so that you may be assessed in person to determine if you are a candidate for the procedure.

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

Irregularities after liposuction are not uncommon on the inner thighs. The fascial supporting structures may hold the tissues in this area differently than the outer thighs. Although the CoolSculpting technology by Zeltiq is not FDA cleared for thigh fat loss, physicians may use the technology as an off-label procedure. There seems to be a more even reduction of fat in the inner thigh with CoolSculpting as the tissues are evenly frozen unlike the cannula that is passed back and forth with liposuction creating a mechanical trauma, which could weaken the support.

	There is no guarantee that dimpling, uneveness, asymmetry, and skin sagging wouldn't occur, but there is less of a chance in the inner thigh using the CoolFit flat applicator. Every patient needs to be evaluated and counseled individually about the risks vs. the benefits and to determine if they are a candidate for CoolSculpting fat loss by Zeltiq.

	The information provided in Dr. Shelton's answer is for educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice.  The information provided should not be relied upon as a substitute for consultations with a qualified health professional who may be familiar with your individual medical needs.

Monika Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question! CoolSculpting is a great technique for those looking for an alternative to liposuction. It is non-invasive and non-surgical. As the fat freezes, it dies off and is deposited through the body’s natural waste removal process. What is left behind is a more sculpted you. Your skin laxity depends on your body and your previous experience with skin laxity. Best of luck!

Shamim Shakibai, MD · Answer

CoolSculpting is a comfortable, convenient way to eliminate your fat, all without incisions or downtime. A single CoolSculpting treatment usually eliminates 20 to 25 % of patient's targeted fat. CoolSculpting has shown not only to have the benefit of fat elimination, it also has been proven to promote skin tightening. The gentle, natural fat-elimination process used in CoolSculpting does not expose the skin to any trauma, and in fact encourages the skin to tighten after the treatment. Many doctors are having great success with CoolSculpting as a means of reducing and smoothing excess tissue and sagging skin in the neck and chin!

Shelena Lalji, MD · Answer

The great thing about coolsculpting is the fat cells slowly die off.  This gives the skin time to "spring back" and gain its elasticity again.  For the saddle bags or outer thigh area, you use a flat applicator called the coolsmooth.  It gives you a nice even fat reduction without  the result of loose skin afterward.  The inner thigh uses an applicator called the cool fit.  Typically you will not have a lot of sagging skin, but everyone is different.  It depends on how much loose skin you start with and how much elasticity you have in your skin.  The majority of the time you do not have excess sagging skin.  If you do experience loose skin afterwards there are some other treatments you can try such as Viora Reaction, which is an excellent treatment for skin tightening.

Michael Law, MD · Answer

CoolSculpting is an excellent non surgical method for fat cell reduction.  The cells are broken down and eliminated from the body over the three months following treatment so the body has time to tighten.  Naturally the skin should retract when the fat mass reduces, similar to fat loss through diet and exercise.  There may be indications before treatment, such as existing laxity that you mentioned, that tell the provider that you are more likely to not see the skin retract as much as desired.  If you are not ready for surgical methods, CoolSculpting with a follow up treatment of laser skin tightening is a great combination that we offer patients in my Raleigh NC practice.  Laser Skin Tightening is a series of laser treatments, using the  
Candela GentleYAG laser, designed to stimulate dermal collagen  
production and regeneration of damaged skin cells. The  
single-wavelength light energy produced by the GentleYAG targets  
fibroblasts in the dermis, which produce new collagen in response to  
laser energy. Increased turnover of skin cells is also stimulated,  
helping to regenerate and replace damaged cells.My CoolSculpting patients have access to free CoolSculpting through Instant Rebates.  This special pricing is available because of our status as top CoolSculpting provider in our region.  Coolsculpting patients who desire laser skin tightening in the area of treatment are also given discount for that laser treatment series.

Grant Stevens, MD · Answer

One of the benefits we have seen in patients after Coolsculpting is in fact skin tightening. If your primary concern is loose skin and not fat, perhaps you wouldn't get the tightening you are hoping for but Coolsculpting hasn't left any of our patients with any complaints of loose skin following treatment. The inner thighs are quite a common area to treat but the outer/lateral thigh saddlebag area is not quite as easy, especially if the area is small. For an area to be treated, we must be able to not only have the applicator attach but it needs to be able to draw in a certain amount of fat/tissue into the applicator itself so it can freeze those fat cells effectively and eliminate them. For the best answer for you, you would be best served by having an in person consultation with an office that is experienced with Coolsculpting. Good luck!

Frederick Lester, MD (retired) · Answer

One of the perks of Coolsculpting is because it takes 90 days to get full results from the treatment if gives the skin time to "snap" back. Having said that this is obviously weight and age variant. If you do not have much laxity left in your skin your problem could seem worse as it will reduce the fat but not tighten the skin. If you are wanting skin tightening there are much better options out there for you then Coolsculpting.

Does Cool Sculpting Potentially Leave Saggy Skin, Like Liposuction Can?

Answers (10)

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