What would be better for an obese person who can't lose weight through diet and excise alone? CoolSculpting or liposuction?

Coolsculpting is an excellent form of non-invasive  fat reduction for the right patient. Some applicators take 1 or 2 hours but the new advantage applicators take only 35 minutes and have significantly less risk for delayed onset pain (especially in the abdomen). Results are seen at 2 months and typically 1-3 treatments will be necessary on each area to achieve ideal results. The number of treatments depends on the amount of fat there and the patient's goals.  There is not downtime and the results can be impressive in the right patient.  We also use the Zimmer Z-wave for improved patient comfort and added results. The best candidates are those who are in pretty good shape with areas of stubborn fat that won't go away no matter what. In office evaluation is necessary to evaluate what procedure would be best for you. My best,Sheila Nazarian, MD, MMMBeverly Hills, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Thank you for your question. We recommend patients to be at their ideal weight as the outcome is much better. However, if you would like to undergo a procedure then I would recommend visiting a board certified plastic surgeon for a consultation. This way, you can explain your concerns, learn more about different procedures, and determine what works best for you. Regards,

Liposuction is not a weight loss tool, it can be used once you have had weight loss and would like fine contouring. Coolsculpting is used to target small areas of fat with a reduction of 20%-25% per treatment and is not used as a weight loss treatment. I suggest you see a weight loss expert and discuss alternatives. Best, Dr. Emer

Thank you for your question and honesty.  Coolsculpting and liposuction and not good procedures to help someone lose weight.  There are great options out there for weight loss surgery.  I would recommend a consultation with a Bariatric Surgeon in your area to see if you are a good candidate for weight loss surgery.  This type of doctor specializes in surgeries that can help you lose weight.  Once you are at or near your goal weight, then there might be plastic surgery procedures that can help contour the extra skin or fat.  Best of luck!

CoolSculpting and Liposuction are not weight loss procedures.  They can contour and reduce subcutaneous fat to help with your appearance, but do not guarantee any weight loss.  It would be best to consult with a weight loss expert and discuss your weight goals with them.  Then, if you get closer to your ideal weight, you can consider CoolSculpting and Liposuction.   

Neither CoolSculpting or liposuction are weight loss procedures. They are body contouring procedures. CoolSculpting works best on patients with pockets of fat that they would like to eliminate. Most patients do not see a difference in weight after the CoolSculpting procedure. If obesity is a problem, I would first consult with a bariatric surgeon about a weight loss procedure. Once you are closer to your ideal weight, then a body contouring procedure maybe more appropriate. I hope this helps. 

You are correct- both liposuction and Coolsculpting are ideally for patients that are at or near their goal weight.  Coolsculpting more specifically, is best for an area that is well defined and recalcitrant to diet and exercise. (love handle, muffin top, bra fat) Neither procedure is about weight loss.  The fat being targeted is 'fluffy' so to speak and even in cases where people lose inches the weight change is minute or non-existent.  If you genuinely feel that despite your best efforts you can still not lose weight, consider talking to your regular or primary care doctor about bloodwork, testing and perhaps getting on a medically supervised program.  Coolsculpting and Liposuction are about fine tuning for the most part, not significant weight loss.Best of luck