In the past few years, minimally invasive fat reduction technologies have flooded the cosmetic enhancement market, promising great results for less recovery time than their surgical counterparts. However, after vetting the latest non-surgical fat reduction treatments, Alex Sobel, M.D., of Anderson Sobel Cosmetic Surgery (Bellevue, WA) has made the specific decision to not offer these options at his practice.
Sobel emphasizes that liposuction is the best and most effective option for removing excess fat and providing patients with a more pleasing, shapely body contour. "Non-surgical options like CoolSculpting and Sculpsure are simply missing the mark," says Sobel. "Yes, they can work but the results are subtle, with the highest level of fat reduction reported being around 24 percent in a given area. Thus, patients will not see dramatic changes with these treatments, nor can current non-surgical fat reduction options truly reshape the body. Our goal is to provide maximum results for our patients, and as such, we are choosing not to jump on this new trend."
When assessing the new non-surgical options, Sobel took many things into consideration. CoolSculpting can take up to six months to notice any changes. Additionally, one CoolSculpting treatment is typically not enough for the average patient. After adding up multiple treatments, the non-surgical options can cost just as much or more than liposuction. Lastly, these non-surgical treatments are better at reducing fatty tissue in fairly slim patients. Those who undergo the treatment with a greater amount of body fat may only see minimal changes in their contour. "While many are quick to offer treatments that come to market, we still recommend liposuction as the best option for reducing fat and improving body contours,” says Sobel. “Liposuction allows cosmetic surgeons superb control over fat removal, so we can truly sculpt the body. This is why the procedure is often described as liposculpture.”
Many medical spas have opted for noninvasive slimming options, so check out the benefits of these innovative fat reducing technologies, too.