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CoolSculpting and Weight Loss: what you should know

Since it first emerged, CoolSculpting has been looked at as one of the best options for natural, beautiful body contouring. One of the most common questions that patients have about this treatment is if it will help them lose weight. While results can vary from one person to another, CoolSculpting is not intended for weight loss. It’s sole design is to stimulate the destruction of fat cells, though, so we understand the expectation of weight loss. Fat reduction equals lower weight, right? Not always. If you’re thinking about getting CoolSculpting, this is a detail you want to know. 

How CoolSculpting can Help You Achieve Your Goals

Even without weight loss, CoolSculpting can help you reach your body goals. After adolescence, we do not make new fat cells. Weight gain and loss involves the expansion or shrinking of the fat cells that we already have. CoolSculpting treatments freeze targeted fat cells, which are then flushed through the lymphatic system as waste. The body eliminates them and they do not come back. We might describe this process as imagining having tiny balls attached to an area like the abdomen. After CoolSculpting, these imaginary tiny balls are gone, so there is less matter taking up space. CoolSculpting makes it so there are fewer fat cells in an area that can expand in the future. 

CoolSculpting results should be long-term. However, existing fat cells can enlarge based on diet and lifestyle habits. Patients who get CoolSculpting are advised to tailor their eating and exercise to their body’s natural metabolism at the time of treatment. Over time, habits will need to change as the body shifts its speed of burning fat as fuel. In unison, CoolSculpting and healthy lifestyle habits can achieve long-lasting contouring improvements. 

Learn More about CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting is considered very safe, and has a track record of successful fat reduction through a series of treatments. The FDA-cleared technology is currently used in nine areas. These include the abdomen, inner thigh, outer thigh, banana roll under the buttocks, flank, back, bra area, upper arm, and under the chin. 

If you would like to see what CoolSculpting could do for you, contact us at 206-859-5777 or book an appointment at our Seattle or Renton location online. 


What to Do and Not Do During and After CoolSculpting

Boy, have things heated up this summer! As they have, many of us have once again chosen to stay indoors more than we had imagined we would. As we come to the last bend in the road before summer ends (and we hopefully get back to cooler days and nights soon), we have a great opportunity to address the body contouring goals we may have overlooked as summer began. Here, we discuss how you can make the most of CoolSculpting treatments from Pacific Dermatology.

During Your CoolSculpting Treatment

CoolSculpting treatments usually last no longer than an hour. This depends on the number of areas we’re targeting in one sitting. To sculpt a part of the body where there is “pinchable fat”, such as that stubborn muffin top or the backs of the arms, we apply the small applicator to the skin. Gentle suction secures the target pinchable fat into the applicator as it cools to its target temperature gradually. A couple of things to know about your CoolSculpting session:

  • You truly can relax. People often say they didn’t believe the commercials saying that they could sit back and read a book while getting CoolSculpting. Well, you can! The treatment may be slightly uncomfortable as the tissue cools down. However, this is not painful. After a few minutes, the area goes numb. This is completely normal and indicative that tissue is reaching the exact temperature we want. 
  • The exact temperature we want to freeze fat is not the same temperature at which skin is at risk of damage. This is great news! Also, to prevent unnecessary discomfort related to cold directly on the skin, we place a thin gel pad over the area before applying the applicator. 

After Your CoolSculpting Session

  • While it’s possible to go right back to normal activities after CoolSculpting treatment, your body should be your guide. Side effects from this procedure are typically very mild. They shouldn’t get in the way of going to work and running errands. You may not feel up to your normal workout right after your session , though. 
  • Drink plenty of water. Water helps the lymphatic system pull out and eliminate toxins and wastes from the blood. After CoolSculpting, that waste is your fat cells. The standard 8 to 10 glasses of water a day is sufficient for optimal lymphatic support. 

Book your appointment at our Renton or Seattle office today! We can be reached at 206-859-5777.


Double Chin? Chill Out! We’ve Got You Covered!

The words that are used to describe various objects or actions change with every generation. Lately, we hear young people inviting one another to “chill” when they want to hang out. When one is stressed, they may be encouraged to “chill out.” At Pacific Dermatology and Cosmetic Center, we chill, too. In our offices, though, we use the word to describe what we do to fat using our FDA-cleared CoolSculpting device!

You may have heard of CoolSculpting. This technology has been around for several years now and has been used all around the world. It has become known as one of the leading treatments for its convenience, safety, and effectiveness. In its rise to fame, CoolSculpting has also become known as a great way to eliminate unwanted fat in areas like the abdomen and thighs. There’s more to this device, though, and if you have a double chin, you want to know this.

Over time, the CoolSculpting device has undergone some revisions. One improvement is the development of a variety of applicators. This has allowed providers to treat a wider range of areas, including the backs of the arms and the frustrating problem known as the double chin. This is a game-changer for those who have searched for a nonsurgical strategy for slimming the frame of their face.

Demolishing the Double Chin with CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting is not the only way to get rid of a double chin. Therefore, we begin by consulting with each patient so we understand their needs, expectations, and preferences. One of the reasons so many people opt for this treatment is because it does not involve incisions or recovery. Another is that it does not require multiple injections and swelling. CoolSculpting is non-invasive and does not incur any downtime. There are side effects, though, including temporary redness and tingling or numbness.

Once we have identified CoolSculpting as the most appealing treatment option, we may be able to conduct the procedure immediately. We begin by placing a gel pad over the skin. This prevents sticking. Then, the small applicator can be applied. This small device pulls the area of fat in and holds it with suction. This can feel slightly odd but does not hurt. The cooling applicator is then adjusted to the target temperature and left in place for approximately 30 minutes. It’s that simple! As the tissue cools, patients may feel tingling and slight aching. Nerve endings numb within a few minutes, making the treatment very tolerable. Once done, patients can go right back to their normal activities.

Your double chin doesn’t have to be a defining feature. Call 206-859-5777 to schedule your CoolSculpting consultation with us.


Save the Date -- Evening of Beauty May 30th

Join us on May 30th from 4:30pm-7:30pm at our Northgate location! At our evening of beauty, you will enjoy special event pricing, raffles, live demonstrations and much more!* Call to RSVP 206-859-5777
*$50 deposit required to reserve your spot. Special pricing available on event night only. 50% deposit required on all packages. Deposits are non-refundable but may be used towards your Botox treatment.


Don’t Take Your Double Chin into the Holidays

CoolSculpting  Seattle, WAThere is no telling how and where the body will hold fat. For many people, it is the midsection and hips that cause the most trouble. Especially as we age, fatty tissue may become more visible beneath the chin. This accumulation of fat cells is referred to as a double-chin. It is a problem that plagues millions of people and creates an illusion of excess weight even when a person is otherwise in excellent physical condition. Understandably, the search for a solution to the dreaded double chin has been active for years. Now we have multiple ways to address this issue.

At Pacific Dermatology in Seattle and Renton, double chin fat may be targeted with liposculpture, Kybella, or, now, with CoolMini treatment.

Many people are somewhat familiar with CoolSculpting®. This body-sculpting procedure has been around for nearly a decade and has been widely used to reduce up to 20% of fatty tissue in the lower abdomen in a single treatment. Over time, the device gained clearance to treat additional areas, including the thighs and the arms. Continually proving that fat can be frozen, the makers of CoolSculpting developed an applicator just the right size to target submental fat cells, those that create a double chin.

What is CoolSculpting®?

CoolSculpting is a non-invasive treatment based on cryolipolysis, a theory developed by two Harvard researchers. When these scientists observed children who routinely ate popsicles, they noticed that some children developed dimples. Consequently, they speculated that dimples were caused by the reduction of fat in the cheeks due to the cold temperature of the popsicles. It was this theory that led to the latest craze in non-surgical fat reduction.

When fat cells are treated with controlled cooling, crystals form out of their liquid contents. The presence of crystallized fat cells provokes an inflammatory response which ultimately leads to the cells’ elimination through the lymph system. After each treatment, the body spends several weeks metabolizing the incapacitated fat cells.

Freezing the Double Chin

The same principals that fuel the fire of CoolSculpting are present in CoolMini treatment for the double chin. In fact, the same device is used to treat all areas of the body. The energy and technique are the same; it is the applicator that changes. During CoolMini treatments, the small area of fat beneath the chin is held between two cooling panels. Tissue needs to stay between the panels for up to an hour, after which the upper neck will appear red and somewhat hard. The initial side effects from treatment diminish quickly, and normal activities can be resumed right away. As the weeks pass, the double chin will melt away.

Learn more about CoolMini so you don’t take your double chin into the holiday season ahead. Call 206-859-5777 to schedule your treatment in our Seattle or Renton office.


Summer is Almost Here, Should You Try CoolSculpting before Liposuction?

CoolSculpting Seattle WAFor many years, men and women interested in losing more than a little circumference in any area of the body have turned to liposuction. The surgical removal of excess fat is still widespread, and it’s a procedure we routinely perform for our Seattle and Renton patients. However, as technology has advanced, we also have ways to eliminate fat without surgery. Here, we want to discuss the value of CoolSculpting as well as liposuction to help you determine which approach you may prefer for a gorgeous summer body.

What CoolSculpting and Liposuction Have in Common

Liposuction is a surgical procedure that the FDA has approved for the removal of stubborn fat. Coolsculpting has been approved for the same purpose but does not involve surgery. Many of the same areas that we treat with liposuction tend to respond well to CoolSculpting. Typical areas of treatment include the abdomen and flanks, under the chin, bra area, back, buttocks, thighs, and back of the arms. Whether you choose liposuction or CoolSculpting to improve your contours, you can expect the results from your treatment to last indefinitely (as long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle).

Why CoolSculpting may be Beneficial Right Before Summer

We are in the prime time of year when patients start asking about whether liposuction or CoolSculpting would give them the results they want by summer. Two of the primary considerations that need to be made include how much fat needs to be removed and how much time can be allotted for recovery. Because CoolSculpting does not involve surgery, there is minimal chance of bruising and swelling after treatment. After liposuction, swelling continually diminishes over about three months. After CoolSculpting, there is no need to take time off work or other activities. Liposuction patients may need up to a week off work, and more time away from the gym and other exercise.

CoolSculpting may be a treatment that you can continue right up to the edge of summer, and even through the summer months if you’d like. It is possible to repeat procedures as needed to achieve your desired outcome of better body contours.

It’s not too late to consider either CoolSculpting or liposuction. Call 206-859-5777 to schedule an appointment in our Seattle or Renton office to discover which procedure is right for you.


4 Reasons we LOVE May: Events and Specials

May specials and events are here! In this issue: 4 reasons we LOVE May! Skin cancer awareness month, summer is coming (Cellfina), May 24th Evening of Beauty, Welcoming new dermatologist - Dr. Finesmith, and more.

Learn more by reading through our specials or contact us at 206-859-5777 or via our contact page.


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Thank you for choosing Pacific Dermatology & Cosmetic Center, we look forward to providing you with the very best skin care.