Bellava MedAesthetics & Plastic Surgery Center, 182 Rte 117 Bypass Rd, Bedford Hills, NY10507, is both a med spa and a plastic surgery center, so all three are under one roof:CoolSculpting and laser lipoin the med spa, and surgical liposuction with Dr. Chang Soo Kim, MD, a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.CoolSculpting and laser lipo treat a pocket of fat without incisions or anesthesia. Liposuction removes fat surgically, and at Bellava it is part of a larger operation such as atummy tuck. Which one suits you is decided at a consultation.
Side by side
| CoolSculpting | Laser lipo | Liposuction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Non-surgical: controlled cooling freezes fat cells under the skin | Non-surgical: laser light is absorbed by fat cells under the skin | Surgery: fat removed through small incisions |
| Anesthesia | None | None | General anesthesia, by a certified anesthesiologist |
| Downtime | None for most people; numbness, redness or tenderness can last a few days | None for most people; mild soreness can last a short time | Outpatient, home the same day; recovery planned with the whole operation |
| When a change shows | Gradually, over about 2–4 months | Gradually, over about 6–8 weeks | Discussed with Dr. Kim for your own surgery |
| Typical candidate | Near a stable weight, with a pocket of fat that has not changed with diet and exercise and good skin tone | Someone having a tummy tuck, mommy makeover, Brazilian butt lift or fat-transfer breast augmentation | |
| Loose skin | None of the three removes loose skin — that is a tummy tuck or mini tummy tuck with Dr. Kim | ||
| At Bellava | Our licensed medical esthetician, Semira Crecco-Donnelly | Med spa treatment | Dr. Chang Soo Kim, MD, in Bellava’s Joint Commission accredited surgical suite |
| Cost | Quoted at a free consultation, by area and number of sessions | Quoted at a free consultation — surgeon, anesthesia and facility together | |
This is general information, not medical advice. Downtime and timing differ from person to person. Results vary, and no treatment is guaranteed to give a particular result.
CoolSculpting: cooling, no downtime
CoolSculpting (cryolipolysis) uses cooling panels set to a precise temperature to freeze fat cells under the skin, and the body clears them over the following months. A session takes about 35–60 minutes, depending on the number of applicators, and there is no anesthesia and no recovery period; you feel cold and a firm pull while it works. Common areas are the abdomen, flanks, back, thighs, upper arms and under the chin. Any change appears gradually over about 2–4 months. At Bellava it is performed by our licensed medical esthetician, Semira Crecco-Donnelly. More detail for local patients is on CoolSculpting in Bedford Hills.
Laser lipo: laser light, no incisions
Laser lipo (laser lipolysis) sends pulses of laser light through the skin to fat cells, which break down and are cleared by the body. It is a med spa treatment, not surgery: no incisions, no anesthesia and no operating room, and most people go back to work the same day. It is aimed at areas like the abdomen, love handles and thighs, and any change shows over about 6–8 weeks.
Liposuction: surgery with Dr. Kim
Liposuction removes fat surgically through small incisions. It does not tighten loose skin or repair stretched muscles. At Bellava it is performed by Dr. Kim as part of a tummy tuck, amommy makeover, aBrazilian butt lift or a fat-transfer breast augmentation — for example, liposuction of the flanks, hips or thighs added to a tummy tuck in the same operation, with one recovery. These operations are outpatient, under general anesthesia given by a certified anesthesiologist, in Bellava’s Joint Commission accredited surgical suite. If the stomach is the main concern, thetummy tuck vs. mini tummy tuck vs. liposuctioncomparison goes further.
Which one is right for me?
- Is it a pocket of fat with good skin? CoolSculpting or laser lipo may be worth discussing.
- Is loose skin part of it? Neither non-surgical treatment removes skin; a tummy tuck or mini tummy tuck with Dr. Kim usually is the conversation.
- Are you having body surgery anyway? Liposuction can often be added in the same operation.
- Do you want to avoid anesthesia and time off? Only the two non-surgical options do that.
- Are you hoping to lose weight? None of the three is a weight-loss treatment; reaching a stable weight comes first.
The answer comes from a consultation at our Bedford Hills office, not a chart. Because Bellava offers both the med spa and the surgical options, we can tell you which fits — and say so when a non-surgical treatment would suit you better than surgery, or the other way round.Read what happens at a consultation with Dr. Kim.
Your consultation in Bedford Hills
Your first consultation is free, private and without obligation. We go over your health history, look at the areas that bother you, explain what each option can and cannot do, and give you a quote. Financing is available through Cherry or CareCredit, subject to approval (see financing options). Call or text(914) 809-9693, or send the request form. Bellava is on Route 117 in Bedford Hills, about four miles from Mount Kisco and a short drive from Katonah, and patients come from across Westchester. You can see Dr. Kim’s patients’ results in the before & after gallery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between CoolSculpting, laser lipo and liposuction?
CoolSculpting cools fat cells under the skin and laser lipo uses laser light on them; both are non-surgical med spa treatments with no incisions and no anesthesia, and the body clears the treated fat over the following weeks. Liposuction is surgery: fat is removed through small incisions. At Bellava MedAesthetics & Plastic Surgery Center in Bedford Hills, liposuction is performed by Dr. Chang Soo Kim, MD, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, as part of a tummy tuck, mommy makeover, Brazilian butt lift or fat-transfer breast augmentation.
Is there downtime?
After CoolSculpting or laser lipo most people go straight back to their day; numbness, redness, tenderness or mild soreness in the area can last a short time. Liposuction is part of an outpatient operation with Dr. Kim, so you go home the same day, and recovery is planned around the whole operation — for example, about 2–3 weeks before desk work after a full tummy tuck. Everyone heals differently.
Do any of them need anesthesia?
CoolSculpting and laser lipo do not. The operations that include liposuction at Bellava are done under general anesthesia, given by a certified anesthesiologist, in Bellava’s Joint Commission accredited surgical suite.
Who is a typical candidate?
For CoolSculpting or laser lipo: an adult in good general health, at or near a stable weight, with a pocket of fat that has not changed with diet and exercise and good skin tone in that area. Neither is a weight-loss treatment, and neither removes loose skin. When loose skin or stretched stomach muscles are part of the picture, surgery with Dr. Kim — a tummy tuck or mini tummy tuck, with liposuction added where it helps — is usually the conversation.
When would I see a change?
With CoolSculpting the body clears the treated fat over about 2–4 months; with laser lipo over about 6–8 weeks. How much change you see differs from person to person, and keeping your weight stable matters afterwards. No treatment is guaranteed to give a particular result.
Which one is right for me?
That is decided at a consultation at Bellava in Bedford Hills, not online. We look at where the fat sits, the tone of your skin and your goals, and tell you honestly whether CoolSculpting, laser lipo or a surgical option with Dr. Kim is the better fit — including when a non-surgical treatment would suit you better than surgery, or the other way round.
How do I book a consultation?
Call or text (914) 809-9693, or send the consultation request form on this page, and Bellava’s team gets back to you to set a time. Consultations are free. Surgical consultations with Dr. Kim are not booked online.