Freezing or surgery?

When a bulge on the stomach, flanks or thighs has outlasted every diet, two names usually come up: CoolSculpting and liposuction. They are very different, and it is worth hearing the comparison plainly before choosing.

CoolSculpting involves no incision and no recovery time. Precision-controlled cooling brings the fat cells in one area to a temperature that sets off their natural death, leaving the skin and surrounding tissue unharmed. It also tends to cost less.
Liposuction is surgery, with several days of downtime and a higher cost, but it can treat larger areas in fewer sessions.

Your esthetician will tell you which suits your goals. CoolSculpting treats fat rather than loose skin, so if slack skin is a large part of the problem, Bellava’s board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Chang Soo Kim, can assess it in the same building; a tummy tuck is one operation where he can include liposuction.

Where it is used

The lower belly and the muffin top
Love handles on the flanks
Back fat and the roll around a bra strap
Inner and outer thighs
Fullness under the chin

Why the change takes months

The treated cells are not removed on the day. Over the following two to four months your body clears them on its own, and that gradual pace gives the skin time to adjust, so the result looks smooth rather than sudden. Subtle differences can appear at about three weeks. Once cleared, those cells do not return, although weight gained later can still collect in areas that were not treated, so steady habits protect the result.

The session

Each session lasts 35 to 60 minutes, depending on how many applicators are used. The panels feel cold at first and the suction gives a pulling sensation that most people compare to a firm massage; many read, work or doze through it. Afterwards you carry on with your day. Redness, bruising or numbness at the treated site can last from a few days to a few weeks. Paradoxical fat hyperplasia, a rare thickening of treated fat, is guarded against by following the CoolSculpting protocols closely.

Your clinicians

Semira Crecco-Donnelly, a licensed medical esthetician with more than 20 years in the field, and Natalina McEwan, a CoolSculpt University graduate with over 12 years in plastic surgery and medical aesthetics, both hold CoolSculpting certification. Bellava itself has more than ten years of experience with the treatment.

Yorktown Heights patients ask

How far is it? About eight miles, or around 18 minutes without traffic, by Routes 202 and 35 and the Saw Mill River Parkway.

How many sessions will I need? That depends on the area and your goal, and some areas need more than one. Your plan sets out the number before you start.

What happens at the consultation? It is complimentary. A specialist assesses your areas, reviews your health and any earlier treatments, explains the process and writes your plan.

Can I book online? Yes, with Book Now.

CoolSculpting for Yorktown Heights, NY