Why Does the Fat Keep Coming Back After CoolSculpting?

Dear Sarita,

 

The Zeltiq - cool sculpting - will freeze the fat cells (cryoplipolysis) without affecting other tissues; the fat in the adipocytes (fat cells) will freeze at a controlled temperature inducing cellular apopotisis (programmed cell death) hence a permanent solution.

That said, not all the adipocytes in the targeted area will commit suicide only about a third of them do. However, with repeated treatments over the same area should induce apoptosis of a third of the remaining fat cells.

So perhaps your treated area is not given enough time to achieve final results before undergoing another round of "cooling". Is that the case?

Thank you for your inquiry and the best of wishes to you.

Dr. Sajjadian

As fat dies when frozen with coolsculpting it will only "come back" if the amount of calories consumed is greater than the energy used by the body. You may need to consume less calories or exercise somewhat more to keep the fat away. Before the Zeltiq you had gained fat because you had a surplus of calories and having the CoolSculpting can reduce the fat that is present but if you don't change the intake vs. energy expended, fat will reaccumulate. We see the same with all forms of liposuction. The fat that dies with CoolSculpting or the fat removed with liposuction is never 100% of the volume of pre-operative fat, purposely. The residual fat cells are able to engorge more fat if the dietary calories exceed the calories needed for your body's minimum functions (basal metabolic rate) and the calories required for muscle movement (walking, exercise, etc.). Ideal candidates for Zeltiq CoolSculpting have a small localized bulge. Those patients with much greater amounts of fat, can reduce the volume, but unless they change their lifestyle the fat will easily reaccumulate. Neither Zeltiq nor Liposuction are replacements for diet and exercise.

CoolSculpting causes about 25-33% of treated fat cells to commit suicide.  These cells are permanently gone.  However, remaining cells can increase in size, thereby allowing you to gain weight in areas where you have had CoolSculpting.

Did you have all five coolsculping treatments in the same area?  Each time you have it in the same area, 25-33% of those cells will commit suicide.  As you can imagine, each subsequent treatment will result in the loss of less fat cells because you are starting with a smaller number of fat cells. It sounds like you having some volume reduction with each treatment, though not as much as you'd like.  

Has your weight been stable?  Your weight sounds very reasonable for your height, but if you have been gaining weight, then the results of your CoolSculpting treatment will not be as optimal.

 

Thank you for your question! The CoolSculpting machine freezes the fat cells without affecting other tissues. In one treatment, not all the fat cells will freeze, only approximately a third of them will. That’s why it is suggested to get repeated treatments. Sometimes, without the proper diet or exercise, your body will gain more weight. Best of luck! 

Please follow a routine diet with exercise.Body
reshaping can be performed with a cannula that removes fat via liposuction or
with noninvasive technology like Cool Sculpting. With Cool Sculpting there is no cannula
inserted into your body. All treatments
are performed on the surface from the outside in using technology that freezes
the fat. Don’t hesitate to give us a
call in Austin regarding a Body Reshaping Consult at the Upper Room. On our Facebook Page there is an Interview I
recently did with KVUE, a local news station in Austin, that was picked by
affiliates around the United States, including Miami. During the Interview we discussed the
technology of Cool Sculpting as well as it application process.