Liposuction vs CoolSculpting - Which is best for me?

You may have already heard of Liposuction and CoolSculpting. Both are popular treatments designed to permanently remove fat cells from the body, leaving you with a sleeker, more contoured physique.

However, the expert surgeons here at the Cadogan Clinic believe that although there are many different types of Liposuction, traditional Liposuction treatment is a far more effective way of helping you to reach your body goals. 

But what is it that makes Liposuction a superior treatment? Here we will explore the Liposuction vs CoolSculpting pros and cons. 

What is Liposuction?

Liposuction is a surgical fat removal procedure, which breaks up unwanted, excess fat cells, and removes them from the body. As these fat cells have been removed, they are unable to reform, meaning your new shape will remain for as long as you maintain a healthy weight. It is important to note that Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure and is designed to improve the contours and proportions of your body. Popular areas to get fat removed using Liposuction are the abdomen, hips, thighs, and jawline.

Depending on the areas and extent of the surgery, Liposuction can be carried out under either general or local anaesthetic. Popular areas to be treated by Liposuction for fat removal are the Thighs, Abdomen and Arms. Liposuction is also used alongside other surgical techniques in procedures such as Fat Transfer or Breast Reduction. Small incisions are made in the treatment area, before a cannula is inserted to break the fat up and suck it out. Depending on the type of Liposuction being used, the fat can be broken up using physical movement, pressurised liquid, or laser. 

What are the benefits of Liposuction?

Liposuction is highly effective and can be used on almost any area of the body. Our founder, Mr Bryan Mayou introduced Liposuction to the UK, over 40 years ago and has been developing this technique, along with other surgeons (many of whom work at Cadogan Clinic) ever since. The main benefit of Liposuction is that the fat cells cannot grow back, as long as you maintain a healthy weight. Liposuction can also remove a larger amount of fat than CoolSculpting, meaning that overall Liposuction is more effective than CoolSculpting. 

What is CoolSculpting?

CoolSculpting is a non-surgical procedure which cools the fat cells down to freezing temperature, turning them into a crystal formation which the body is then able to naturally flush away.  

We do not offer CoolSculpting at Cadogan Clinic as the results are often unpredictable and the risks outweigh the benefits for many patients. It is common for patients to ask our surgeons ‘is CoolSculpting as effective as Liposuction?’ and the answer is universally, no. 

What are the benefits of CoolSculpting?

CoolSculpting is a non-surgical and non-invasive procedure which doesn’t involve any anaesthetic or downtime. Therefore, you are able to return to work and day to day activities much more quickly than after Liposuction. 

Longevity

Once fat cells have been removed from the body, they are gone forever. They cannot grow back. But both liposuction and CoolSculpting should not be viewed as a weight loss method and should not be considered an alternative to exercise. 

You can enjoy the results of your liposuction for many years to come, but you will need to exercise and eat healthily in order to maintain the result.

Risks of Liposuction

As with every surgical procedure, there are risks and complications associated with Liposuction. Your surgeon will discuss these with you in your consultation and ensure you understand how these risks may impact your procedure or the results. They will also assess your personal risk levels and may ask you to take certain precautions and steps in your preparation. Complications that your surgeon will discuss with you are seroma and haematoma, excessive bleeding, numbness in the surgical area, lumpy or uneven results and blood clots. 

Risks of CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting comes with a larger range of risks than Liposuction. As it is a non-surgical procedure, there is less regulation around this treatment, meaning it can be carried out by a practitioner who may not be fully trained or hold the correct qualifications. This immediately heightens the risk of having this procedure and ensuring your safety and satisfaction.

Common side effects from CoolSculpting are skin sensitivity, redness, numbness, bruising or a stinging or aching sensation at the treatment site. The manufacturers of CoolSculpting equipment do also warn that patients may experience discomfort and a pulling or tugging sensation during the procedure. 

Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia

One rare, but significant, potential side effect of CoolSculpting is Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia. This severe side effect causes fat cells in the treatment site to grow larger rather than smaller. Awareness of Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia has been increased by the model Linda Evangelista, who has openly spoken about the emotional and physical distress she has suffered for many years after CoolSculpting resulted in her gaining excess fat cells. Although Liposuction can treat Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia to some extent, loose skin may remain and if the fat has hardened extensively, this cannot be extracted.  

Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia is not a side effect that is associated with Liposuction. Liposuction treatments will never increase the size of the remaining fat cells. 

Costs

When considering Liposuction vs CoolSculpting cost, it is important to remember that Liposuction is a more major procedure, which produces superior results. Therefore, it is not surprising that it costs more than CoolSculpting. A Liposuction procedure at the Cadogan Clinic starts from £3,950 for one area of the body. In comparison, for CoolSculpting you can expect to pay from around £650 to £800 per session. However, it is worth bearing in mind that you will need more than one session of CoolSculpting so the final cost of your CoolSculpting treatment may be considerably higher than anticipated. And as CoolSculpting produces inferior results to liposuction, you would be far better investing your money in a treatment which produces fast, effective, and long-lasting results. 

Liposuction vs CoolSculpting - the takeaway

We don’t offer CoolSculpting at the Cadogan Clinic as we feel the treatment is significantly less effective when it comes to achieving meaningful results. If you are looking for significant outcomes, then Liposuction is the best treatment and the only one you should be considering. 

The Cadogan Clinic is considered to be the home of Liposuction in the UK. Our founder, Mr Bryan Mayou, is the surgeon responsible for introducing Liposuction into the UK more than 40 years ago. More than four decades later, we now have the country's leading team of Liposuction experts working here at the clinic, who have more experience than anyone else in the various techniques available.  

Book an appointment with one of our Liposuction experts at our Chelsea clinic to find out more about your treatment options.