Will I Get the Same Results No Matter Where I Go for Zeltiq Coolsculpting?

yes, multiple applicators are often done and this adds to the expense of the procedure but can provide an exceptional result in fat reduction from CoolSculpting

Great question!

I am a real believer that a physician should be actively involved in this process with you! A physician should evaluate you, give you recommendations, and certainly mark you with respect to where the machine should be placed. Either myself or my nurse actually do the procedure. 

Coolsculpting yields amazing results if preformed correctly on patients who are good candidates . I personally think a board certified plastic surgeon will give you the best advise because they are not only limited to Coolsculpting to remove fat. Some patients are better candidates for traditional liposuction than Coolsculpting.  It is so important that you are appropriately evaluated to achieve your best outcome.

Good Luck,

Jennifer L. Harrington MD

Coolsculpting is a great way to remove excess fat from the hips, thighs, arms, back, and belly without surgery.  However, it is operator dependent and results can vary.  In our office, Coolsculpting is administered by the physician, not the nurse.  Also, the level of suction for the device can be altered to give maximal effects.  Recommendations for what type of treatment and how many treatments are required is another thing that separates us from other offices.  Having done hundreds of Coolsculpting procedures, I believe we get excellent results using the methods and techniques that we've learned from experience and intense Coolsculpting training. 

The treatment is technique dependent and you need the supervision of a qualified and interested physician.  Although the physician doesn't need to actually do the treatment, they should be involved to help with the assessment, suggest alternatives if appropriate and manage any potential complications.  I would recommend you steer clear of the the kind of places with the doctor "on staff" who's never there.  As you point out, the treatments can get expensive and you want the best chance of good results with the least chance of adverse events.  Having your physician actively involved will definitely be in your favor.  Good luck.

This is a good question.  CoolSculpting uses cryolipolysis to gently and permanently remove fat from bulges on the body.  Each office that offers CoolSculpting may vary in many ways from the specialty of the overseeing doctor (plastic surgeon, dermatologist, ob/gyn, etc.) to who sees the patients.  At Aesthetic Plastic Surgery of Naples, my certified CoolSculpting Patient Specialist and I see the patient together.  Being a board certified plastic surgeon, I can talk with the patient about their goals and desires to best see if CoolSculpting will help them achieve them or would a different procedure like tummy tuck or liposuction serve them better.  Additionally, it is important to find out how long the practice has been doing CoolSculpting and how are their results.  Ask to see their own before and after photos, not the ones provided by the company.  Being an early adopter to CoolSculpting and now being named a CoolSculpting Center of Excellence, we show patients several before and after photos of our own patients for each body area that we treat so they can accurately assess our effectiveness with the technology.

This is an excellent question. First, be sure that you are in a medical practice that uses CoolSculpting, as I recently have heard of "knock off" systems.  CoolSculpting is technique dependent. It is important that a technician is well trained. For instance, selecting the appropriate attachment and making ideal contact with complete skin and fat contact and a good "pull" is critical for an ideal result.

Although a physician does not need to perform a treatment a physician should own and operate the practice where CoolSculpting is being performed. Adverse effects are very rare, when performed on the appropriate candidate. But a physician needs to be available. In my practice, there are also two nurse practitioners and a physicians assistant available.  It is important to have medical professionals available that can write prescriptions if needed. Very few people require pain medication, but on occasion people do experience pain that can be controlled very effectively with a prescription non-narcotic medication. 

You may also wish to find an office offering CoolSculpting Complete. This means two systems operating simultaneously, so you can achieve twice the results in just one hour. CoolSculpting Complete also includes vibrational therapy to enhance lymphatic drainage and a compression garment for patient comfort