What are the differences between fat freezing and fat melting?

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• CoolSculpting® vs truSculpt® iD (i.e. fat freezing vs. fat melting)
  • CoolSculpting® fat freezing technology
    • How does CoolSculpting® work?
    • How does CoolSculpting® feel?
    • What type of fat removal can CoolSculpting® achieve?
  • truSculpt® iD fat melting technology
    • How does truSculpt® iD work?
    • How does truSculpt® iD feel?
    • What type of fat removal can truSculpt® iD achieve?
    • What can truSculpt® iD do for sagging skin?
• What do fat freezing and fat melting have in common? Is one better than the other?
• Why use both fat freezing and fat melting?
• Fat freezing and fat melting are both excellent options for body sculpting

You may have heard of fat sculpting, body sculpting or laser lipo. No doubt, the most popular of these will be CoolSculpting®. CoolSculpting® is a cryolipolysis machine that freezes fat cells, effectively killing them. But did you know you can also melt fat cells with technology? That’s right – no treadmills needed with this type of fat burn. The fat cells die with specialized heat, just as they do with freezing temperatures. But what are the differences between fat freezing and fat melting? We’ll explain below.

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CoolSculpting® vs truSculpt® iD (i.e. fat freezing vs. fat melting)

These fat removal technologies differ in four main ways:

1. The technology used to remove fat cells from the body.
2. The application during treatment.
3. The patient’s experience while being treated.
4. Their effect on sagging skin.

Let’s look at their details individually:

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CoolSculpting® fat freezing technology

Below are details about the CoolSculpting® fat freezing technology.

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How does CoolSculpting® work?

CoolSculpting® ‘freezes’ fat away through cryolipolysis.

CoolSculpting® requires that fat be placed between two panels. Though there are modern handpieces that can ‘suck’ fat into smaller panels, there is always the need for fat to be ‘pinchable.’ Handpieces vary in size, for different applications around the body.

This ‘sucking’ requirement can be awkward for curved areas, or small and hard-to-reach areas. It can also be impossible if the fat is not squeezable.

Modern CoolSculpting® applicators aim to eliminate the above issue with curved formations, and even a newer, flatter handpiece, called the CoolSmooth PRO™. Though, most applicators still require squeezing.

CoolSculpting® can take up to 60 minutes per session, multiplied by each area where you want to lose fat quickly.

You may be left in the room alone while the machine does its work. Of course, fat removal technicians are always nearby should you need them. You are given a buzzer to contact them if necessary.

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How does CoolSculpting® feel?

Since CoolSculpting® uses a fat freezing technology to rid the body of fat, the sensation is cold, but painless. When using older applicators, there is the possibility of frost bites. However, modern applicators limit this effect.

Wet gel pads are placed on the treatment areas before the applicator goes on. When the applicator is turned on, the ‘sucking’ begins, which can be felt.

The most awkward feeling with CoolSculpting® is the post-treatment massage. This is a necessary step of the treatment. Its goal is to bring your body temperature down as quickly as possible, so as to kill more fat cells.

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What type of fat removal can CoolSculpting® achieve?

CoolSculpting® is great for debulking ‘soft’ fat in large or medium-sized ‘pockets.’ Though, the CoolMini™ applicator can also reach small pockets of fat, like the chin, bra bulges or knees.

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truSculpt® iD fat melting technology

Below are details about the truSculpt® iD fat melting technology.

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How does truSculpt® iD work?

truSculpt® iD uses radio frequency energy to heat fat under the skin’s surface, while still keeping the skin’s top layer at a cool temperature. It uses flat surfaces to target fat, and no squeezing is involved. The applicators are all the same size, but they can be positioned into different formations, to match the shape of the fat they are targeting.

Some practitioners prefer truSculpt® ID machines because they can ‘glide’ more easily on the contours of the body, creating smoother results.

truSculpt® ID is also faster, with each session requiring only 15 minutes (multiple areas can be treated at once, too).  A technician is present for the entire treatment.

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How does truSculpt® iD feel?

In general, the sensation is warm, but not burning hot. It is closer to so-called “laser lipo” in that way.

During the treatment, stickers are placed on the treatment area, which then hold the handpieces in place. Then, the body is wrapped up in a plastic cover, to help with securing the handpieces and retaining heat.

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What type of fat removal can truSculpt® iD achieve?

truSculpt® iD can treat any type of fat, but it is especially useful because it can treat ‘hard’ fat, which CoolSculpting® can not do easily.

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What can truSculpt® iD do for sagging skin?

truSculpt® iD has the added benefit of tightening the skin while also killing fat cells. This is useful because when people lose fat, they often have leftover, stretched skin, which also needs to be addressed.

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What do fat freezing and fat melting have in common? Is one better than the other?

Both CoolSculpting® and truSculpt® iD can achieve fat removal at the same rates, and both are clinically proven to work. They can remove 20-25% of fat in a single treatment area. Neither cancels the other out.

Both cost about the same, and both are good at keeping the skin undamaged during treatments.

They can treat the same areas, which are:

• Stomach (upper and lower abdomen)
• Waist and hip (i.e. ‘muffin tops’ or, ‘love handles’)
• Upper arm
• Bra bulges
• Back
• Hip and waist
• Buttocks
• Thighs
• Knees
• Chest (i.e. ‘man breasts’)
• Chin fat and jawline

Both CoolSculpting® and truSculpt® iD show results after about 12 weeks. This is the time needed for the body to remove the fat cells which have been destroyed during non-invasive lipolysis.

Neither technology can help you keep weight off – you can still gain weight after the treatment that permanently removes current fat cells in your body. However, the weight you gain after treatment will mostly be due to the enlargement of fat cells, and not necessarily the adding of new fat cells.

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Why use both fat freezing and fat melting?

While truSculpt® iD can not replace CoolSculpting® for fat removal without surgery, the same can be said the other way around too.

A good practitioner will be able to create a course of treatment for your specific body fat. They can make recommendations about which one to use in certain areas.

At our Vancouver medical aesthetic clinic, we have found that fat freezing and fat melting work best when ‘mixed and matched’ together for the most precise fat removal treatments. We’re able to do fat de-bulking on large areas with CoolSculpting®. On the other hand, truSculpt® iD gives us the flexibility of reaching fat that doesn’t ‘pinch’ well, which the CoolSculpting® machine requires.

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Fat freezing and fat melting are both excellent options for body sculpting

As we’ve seen above, fat removal with CoolSculpting® freezes fat cells with cryolipolysis. truSculpt® iD melts fat and tightens skin with radiofrequency energy. The sensations are cold and warm, respectively.

But, the major experiential difference for patients looking for non-surgical fat removal will come down to the squeezing, versus non-squeezing methods.

truSculpt® iD is able to treat ‘hard’ fat – you know, the kind of body fat that is ‘tight.’ CoolSculpting®, on the other hand, is used on ‘softer’ fat (these are not clinical terms, mind you). In this way, they complement each other, since it is likely that patients will have different types of fat on different areas of their body.

The best option is to find a clinic that uses both methods, so you get the most thorough treatment possible.

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