Many people in Virginia have already heard of Coolsculpting for fat loss, which freezes fat cells in a noninvasive procedure that requires no anesthesia or needles. Laser lipolysis (lipo), a heat/light method of fat removal, is less well known. Both techniques can be used on the belly, thighs, hips and chin. While both procedures are considered to be minimally invasive, only Coolsculpting is needle-free.
Some people prefer laser lipo because even though it carries some of the same risks as traditional liposuction, the fat removal is immediate and visible right away. In contrast, a Coolsculpting treatment may take several weeks or even months to show the full results. It also takes several treatments of Coolsculpting to see satisfactory progress while laser lipo is only a single treatment per area.
As far as anesthesia, Coolsculpting Virginia Beach does not use needles, and some patients may find the coldness uncomfortable. Laser lipo uses local anesthesia to numb the specific area getting treated so the patient remains awake and aware the whole time. Bright red lasers are placed on the skin to heat and liquefy the fat cells and the area is numbed with anesthesia via a needle. Once the area is adequately numbed, the physician inserts a cannula into the fat layer and reduces it with suction.
Recovery and Rest
Coolsculpting is known as a lunchtime procedure, which means there is no downtime and the patient can resume normal activities right away. With laser lipo, there may be a few days of pain and downtime to recover from the cannula suction. Bruising is common with both procedures.
Both methods of fat reduction cost about the same, and both are said to be permanent and effective. Whichever method one uses, the results should show a definite and visible reduction in inches due to fat loss.
