What’s the difference: Laser Lipo vs CoolSculpting

If you’re ready to get rid of stubborn fat – the type that doesn’t respond to healthy eating or exercise – you may be exploring CoolSculpting and Laser Lipo as options. As with any treatment, you probably want to know: “which is better for you?” – and that’s what we’re here to figure out. We’re going to compare some of the similarities and differences between the two procedures – and at the end, we hope you have a better idea which one will help you achieve your personal goals. 

Basics of CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting uses an FDA-approved, noninvasive, nonsurgical technology called Cryolipolysis to kill stubborn fat cells using controlled cooling technology. At the same time, this technology spares the overlying skin and tissue. Over time, the destroyed fat cells are naturally excreted from your body – forever. Once the cells are frozen and killed, they don’t come back. 

CoolSculpting isn’t meant for those who need to lose an excessive amount of weight, rather, this technology is good for those who are at a healthy weight and have stubborn fat pockets in targeted areas that don’t seem to respond to diet or exercise.

What happens during CoolSculpting treatment?

During CoolSculpting, an applicator is used on a targeted zone, which will become numb while the fat cells are being frozen and killed. Afterwards, there is relatively little downtime. You can go back to your normal daily activities right after the procedure. While you’re going back to life as normal, your body is using its natural processes to flush out the dead fat cells. Over the next few weeks and months, all of the dead fat cells are excreted – and the best part is, they don’t come back! Once the fat cells are gone, they’re gone forever. 

Basics of Laser Lipo

Laser Lipo, or Laser Liposuction, is an invasive surgical procedure, where subcutaneous fat is manually sucked out of the body. 

There are many types of lipo. The newest versions use lasers, ultrasound technology and other power assisted equipment in order to take fat out with less trauma. Any method of lipo you seek will require anesthesia. The Laser Lipo procedure is done like this: by administering a numbing fluid into the treatment area, and then inserting a metal tube into the body through a small surgical incision. In the case of Laser Lipo, it’s a laser fiber that’s inserted into the small tube. The tube then goes into the body rupturing fat cells, and turning the fat into liquid, which then gets suctioned out of the body and disposed of. 

What happens during Laser Lipo treatment?

Laser Lipo is done at a doctor’s office with the help of local anesthesia. You’ll be awake, but your clinician numbs the area in an effort to stop you from feeling discomfort.

Now, let’s get into the differences between these two body sculpting methods:

CoolSculpting vs Laser Lipo: What’s the recovery process?

With CoolSculpting, there is no downtime associated; most people report going back to their normal activities after treatment. In the short-term, some people who’ve had CoolSculpting  report temporary numbness in the target area, as well as mild soreness, and minimal bruising. But the important thing to note here is, all of these sensations are temporary. 

Because Laser Lipo is invasive, it requires downtime – several days of it, along with significant bruising and swelling. Compression bodywear is recommended by most surgeons, for at least a month, in order to reduce swelling. It is crucial to keep swelling under control because it can lead to dimpled or lumpy tissue, which could eventually require surgical correction. 

CoolSculpting vs. Laser Lipo: What are the results?

This is the part that everyone wants to know. What are the results? Will I meet my personal goals with either procedure? So let’s talk about it: what results can you expect? 

Both are effective ways to reduce fat with less downtime and quicker recovery than traditional surgery. 

The advantage of Laser Lipo is that you can visibly see fat reduction within the first week – but it could take 6 months to see the final results. Also, Laser Lipo is a more aggressive procedure. With one, single procedure, fat in the treatment zone can be reduced by 50%.  

With CoolSculpting, results are visible after 4 weeks; and final results can be seen 3-4 months after treatment. In the end, about a quarter of the fat within the targeted zone can be permanently reduced with this treatment. 

CoolSculpting vs Laser Lipo: Which is more convenient?

Hands down, CoolSculpting is more convenient, and we’re going to explain why. Generally, a CoolSculpting procedure takes half an hour to an hour. After that, you can get back to life as normal. On the other hand, Laser Lipo takes at least an hour and requires about three days of recovery time – for some people, recovery time will be greater, for others, less. Overall, CoolSculpting is more convenient – but, either procedure is more convenient than traditional surgery. 

CoolSculpting vs. Laser Lipo: How do they do on safety?

Both treatments were deemed by the FDA to be safe and effective. It’s important to remember that CoolSculpting is noninvasive and nonsurgical,while on the other hand Laser Lipo is invasive and, while it is not traditional surgery, it does have many of the same side effects of traditional Liposuction. Those side effects include: mild pain, mild numbness, loose or lumpy skin, and skin discoloration. On rare occasions, liposuction can lead to scar tissue developed underneath the skin; it can also lead to infection, blood clotting and skin necrosis.  

Side effects from CoolSculpting might include stinging, pain, redness, bruising or swelling at the site. In the rarest cases, some people develop paradoxical adipose hyperplasia, where fat cells get bigger instead of shrinking. This side effect could require revision with traditional liposuction.

Am I a Good Candidate for CoolSculpting or Laser Lipo?

You may be a good candidate for either procedure if you:

  • Are in good general health
  • Are near your ideal weight

You might not be a good candidate for either if you:

  • Are pregnant 
  • Are breastfeeding
  • Had surgery recently
  • Taking anticoagulants
  • Have a history of blood clots
  • Have a pacemaker
  • Have a defibrillator
  • Want to lose a large amount of fat

CoolSculpting vs Laser Lipo: Overall

When deciding on CoolSculpting or Laser Lipo, it will depend on your personal goals and feelings about surgery.  For those who want to avoid surgery because of its associated risks and lengthy recovery time, Coolsculpting could be a better option. People who choose CoolSculpting over Laser Lipo should acknowledge that results will be gradual – but they will also be permanent, just like with surgery.  

The bottom line is, CoolSculpting and Laser Lipo have both been approved by the FDA, and were both deemed to be safe, effective ways to treat stubborn fat. Both of these are excellent alternatives to traditional Lipo, but if you’re looking for an effective, safe, noninvasive, nonsurgical procedure, CoolSculpting may be the best option for you. Keep in mind, CoolSculpting is the #1 body contouring treatment worldwide! And we know why. Now, we’d like to introduce ourselves to you. We are PeakBody CoolSculpting and we offer CoolSculpting treatment at our Westchester, NY facility. 

Why choose CoolSculpting? 

We feel the best choice between CoolSculpting and Laser Lipo is CoolSculpting and that’s because at PeakBody, CoolSculpting is all we do. We believe in the technology we provide because we’ve seen the results first hand – and not only the results of our clients; so many of our technicians and staff members have personally undergone CoolSculpting procedures. We think this fact puts us in a unique position to offer advice and insight on a treatment we know in and out. 

For many of our clients, the decision to CoolSculpt is the first decision they make toward a happier, healthier and more productive them. And we hope that you decide to take the CoolSculpting journey with us. At PeakBody, we go beyond being a “good” CoolSculpting center – we are great. We are the best at what we do. Our goal is to give you the body transformation you desire while at the same time pampering you and providing you with an unparalleled experience you’ll always remember. 

Call us for a consultation and we’ll walk you through the steps of creating your personalized treatment plan. Every step of the way we’ll treat you with professionalism, care and respect  – and we wouldn’t have it any other way. At PeakBody, we transform lives one fat cell at a time.