Category: Fat Reduction

Cryolipolysis and COVID-19

While COVID-19 has changed the way the country works—sheltering millions of Americans in their homes and disrupting daily life on virtually every level—it has not changed how cryolipolysis works. Charleston’s Germain Dermatology wants to remind anyone who has come in recently for a CoolSculpting® session that their body is not taking a break from breaking down unwanted fat cells during this down time.

That means even if you were hoping to come in for another session in the coming days, but are now practicing social distancing and postponing every outing except for the most critical, you’re still getting the benefits of your last treatment—even if that treatment was months ago.

The cold of a CoolSculpting® session is merely the first step in nonsurgical body contouring. It starts the process, but then your body takes over and works for weeks and months to clear away fat cells damaged by the treatment’s low temperatures. This is a natural reaction, and it happens no matter what else you are doing: reading, bingeing a show, jogging a minimum distance of 6 feet away from someone else, working remotely, planting a garden … whatever!

Visible changes can take one to three months to appear, with the most ideal results appearing at around six months. Best of all? Those results are due to fat cells leaving the body, not shrinking. Scheduling a follow-up visit a little later than you would have hoped is not going to “undo” the slimming effects of your most recent visit. In fact, since the effects are cumulative, you now have time to enjoy your initial fat reduction and look forward to your next appointment when life gets back to more of a normal routine.

It’s understandable to have concerns during this time. That’s why our team is available to answer any questions you may have about your prior treatments, previously scheduled upcoming appointments, and what to do next. Call us at 1-844-SC-CHILL or send us a message online to get answers.

Work Toward Your New Year’s Fitness Resolutions with CoolSculpting®

Each year, losing weight and “getting healthy” are among the most common New Year’s resolutions made by men and women in the United States. However, it can be difficult to break lifelong bad habits, and by the time February rolls around, most of us have forgotten our fitness goals. The excuses are endless: We tell ourselves we’re too busy, or we’ll start tomorrow, or we deserve a “cheat day” … that turns into a “cheat week” or “cheat month.” While CoolSculpting® is not a weight loss tool or substitute for healthy living, the treatment can put you on the right track for visible results, helping you to shift your mindset and find the motivation you need to reach your body goals. Nonsurgical fat reduction from Charleston’s Germain Dermatology can be exactly the incentive you need to finally kickstart the long-term weight loss and healthy eating plan you’ve been putting off.

Psychological factors play a major role when it comes to weight loss. It’s simple, really: Looking your best makes you feel better. Seeing physical results can also let your body know that your efforts are “paying off,” further motivating you to keep up with lifestyle changes.

Choosing CoolSculpting® to minimize love handles, a bulging belly, a double chin, or some other diet-resistant, flabby area can make you feel good about yourself, happier, and confident about attaining your exercise, diet, or other goals.

It also helps that the early, cooler months of the year are the perfect time to get a body-slimming procedure done before bikini season finally arrives. Experts recommend combining CoolSculpting® with standard workouts to maximize the effects of both.

Be aware, however, that this treatment won’t stop you from gaining more weight in the future if you go back to a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet. Regardless, people who are satisfied with the way they look after CoolSculpting® can be inspired to continue working on their body to better maintain their results. After putting time and money into the procedure, it’s natural to want to protect your investment.

Turn your fitness goals into action today with help from Germain Dermatology in Charleston. Have questions about CoolSculpting®? To initiate a consultation request, call 1-844-SC-CHILL, or send a message online.

CoolSculpting® to Reduce Belly Fat

We all have parts of our body we may not be totally happy with, be it some extra flab on the backs of our arms, obvious love handles, an annoying double chin, or perhaps a protruding belly. Of course, you can learn to love these flaws and accept them—but if you’re just within reach of achieving an overall slimmer figure, why let any resistant rolls or bulges hold you back? For patients in the Charleston area considering fat reduction, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Marguerite Germain and her team advise scheduling a consultation to determine whether CoolSculpting® is right for your needs.

When CoolSculpting® is applied to a specific area, some of the fat cells under the skin are frozen and ultimately broken down, leaving behind leaner contours. This can be thought of as a nonsurgical alternative to traditional liposuction surgery—though it may not provide as dramatic results as a surgical procedure would. CoolSculpting® isn’t a substitute for weight-loss surgery for obese patients, but can target smaller areas of subcutaneous belly fat. The applicator that is used on the stomach is designed to be especially effective on that specific region. To help the body process and flush out the dead fat cells, your provider will gently massage the abdominal area at the end of the session.

If you’ve recently noticed that you’re carrying extra weight around the middle, or perhaps you’ve always had a slight beer gut, there could be many reasons for the bulge. It’s a no-brainer that having a less-than-stellar diet and an inactive lifestyle are contributors to the problem of excess fat. Aging, stress, inadequate sleep, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption might also play a role.

Some people may be genetically predisposed to having an apple-shaped body because of the way their body fat is distributed. Gender also comes into play, as men are prone to having more of a paunch, while women usually store fat on the lower body around the hips, thighs, and butt. Hormonal changes as women approach middle age can also cause a wider waist.

While CoolSculpting® can’t repair stretched-out skin and muscles, it can be beneficial for women who hope to restore their stomach to a look of pre-pregnancy contours.

Germain Dermatology in Charleston offers a wide range of cosmetic procedures, including CoolSculpting®. Talk to someone about fat reduction today by visiting the practice, phoning 1-844-SC-CHILL, or submitting a contact form.

Combine CoolSculpting® with Exercise for Enhanced Body Sculpting

When it comes to those resistant rolls of fat you can’t seem to get rid of (like love handles, a beer gut, or a double chin), there’s a highly effective cosmetic treatment at your disposal: cryolipolysis. The Charleston-based Germain Dermatology team recommends that patients who want to not only enjoy the “fat-blasting” results of the treatment known as CoolSculpting®, but also to prolong them, should be prepared to hit the gym.

During a CoolSculpting® session, pesky fat cells in select areas are cooled to a temperature that crystallizes and kills them, while the skin, fat, and structures around them remain unaffected. On average, up to 20 percent of fat volume in the area is reduced over the months after a treatment.

Unfortunately, this result doesn’t mean patients can eat whatever and whenever they want. While regular exercise isn’t a strict requirement for CoolSculpting® patients, it is the best way to preserve a desired slim look.

If you do gain additional pounds after CoolSculpting®, the fat can be distributed to other areas of the body, and the cells that are left over in the treatment site are likely to expand as well—which is the last thing you want. CoolSculpting® can give you an boost to take your body to the next level in terms of sleek contours, but staying healthy and active is the only way to maintain that newly lean figure in the long-term. Additionally, if you want to undergo additional CoolSculpting® sessions in the future, you’ll need to maintain a stable weight.

Unlike major surgical procedures like liposuction or body lifts, there are no incisions, needles, or stitches involved in cryolipolysis. That means you won’t have to prepare for weeks of downtime, and there’s no need to hold off on exercising or physical exertion for months while you recuperate. Patients who have just received CoolSculpting® can go right back to their normal activities practically right away. Many are inspired and encouraged by the significant fat reduction results from CoolSculpting® and take even better care of themselves after their treatment.

Curious about what CoolSculpting® can do for you? The Germain Dermatology team is happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Contact the Charleston-based practice by calling 1-844-SC-CHILL or request a personal consultation online.

A Closer Look at Post-Pregnancy CoolSculpting®

It’s only natural that in the aftermath of carrying a small, growing human for nine months, a woman’s body will experience dramatic changes. Your bone structure is altered, your center of gravity shifts, your weight changes, and even your hair and skin are affected.

When it comes to body contours, there is a way for women to restore their pre-baby appearance without surgery, if that’s what they’re after. The Germain Dermatology team helps patients reduce isolated fat bulges for a leaner look with CoolSculpting® treatments. The Charleston-based practice explains that CoolSculpting®, also referred to as cryolipolysis, can boost confidence without the need for major surgery or injections.

Many women develop a “belly bump” or “postpartum pooch” as fat accumulates around the lower stomach area. The abdominal muscles, or sit up muscles, often become separated and weakened as a result of pregnancy. After expanding to accommodate the growing baby, skin may become lax and saggy, while connective tissues stretch. It’s normal to gain around 25 to 35 pounds, and this weight often goes to the lower body, around the thighs, hips, and butt. As your body continues to adjust after childbirth and breastfeeding, it can sometimes be a struggle to shed baby weight and maintain a positive body image.

Wherever your “problem areas” are—from the upper arms, to the flanks, belly, or butt—chances are good that non-invasive fat reduction can significantly reduce the volume there. The CoolSculpting® device sits directly against grabbable pockets of fat and cools the fat cells down to a temperature that crystallizes and kills them, while leaving the surrounding tissues and skin unharmed.

The fat cells are then processed out of the body, as opposed to lifestyle-based fat-reduction methods that simply shrink cells by reducing some of their fat content. And even better, you’ll be back on your feet almost right away with little to no discomfort, which makes CoolSculpting® ideal for busy moms. The results continue to gradually improve over the course of 12 to 14 weeks, by which time the full extent of the changes will be noticeable. This technique is best on moms who are already slimmer, with a BMI of less than 25 percent and who simply want to reduce a small amount of pinchable fat.

Interested in learning more about post-pregnancy CoolSculpting®? Germain Dermatology in Charleston, SC, can help you find the personalized solution you need. Fill out a contact form or call 1-844-SC-CHILL for more details.

After CoolSculpting®: How Can I Maintain My Results?

CoolSculpting® candidates at our Charleston-area practice often come in ready to lose their excess, unwanted fat. They’ve read the information, met the health criteria for the treatment, had their questions answered to their satisfaction, and are prepared to enjoy the results of nonsurgical, cold-based fat reduction.

But then what?

Fat cells are processed by the body in the weeks and months after a session, leading to results that unfold gradually, but noticeably, but that’s not what we’re talking about. This post is about the long haul. In other words, it involves making lifestyle choices to ensure the new, slimmer contours are there to stay.

Even though the broken-down fat cells are incapable of returning to their former size (given the fact that they’re basically physically kicked out of the body), there are other fat cells to be found from virtually head to toe. If given the chance, these fat cells can grow in size—as always.

This is why regular exercise and a diet based on moderation are critically important after a CoolSculpting® session. An abundance of calories can lead to new bulges in new places, changing the overall look of the body—and drawing attention away from the areas that were recently reduced.

At CoolSculpting® Charleston, we strongly encourage all of our patients to develop healthy habits before their fat-reduction session. This makes it easier to continue those habits after the fat is gone. That said, we have also found that many of our patients find inspiration in their new, slimmer look. A flatter belly can actually be motivating to continue a life marked by healthy eating and regular activity!

Find out more about what you can do before—and after—a CoolSculpting® treatment to maximize your results in Summerville and Mt. Pleasant. Call 843-881-4440 or send a message online.

Questions Answered: Is CoolSculpting® Good for Weight Loss?

Pretty much everyone with an ample stomach wants to lose belly fat. The Charleston area’s Germain Dermatology regularly works with both women and men who wish their abdomen were flatter. The motivations behind that wish, however, tend to vary.

Some people are generally trim, but have a stubborn bulge that just won’t go away. Others are overweight and want to slim down all over—not just on their midsection. As a fat-reduction treatment, CoolSculpting® is ideal for helping people to achieve their desired shape. It is not, however, intended to be a weight-loss strategy.

The CoolSculpting® device is designed to chill unwanted fat cells, crystalizing them without harming the nearby skin, muscle, nerves, or other tissues. Each session has the potential to reduce the number of fat cells in the targeted area by about 20 percent. Note that these are subcutaneous fat cells, which sit just below the skin.

Fat that sits deeper in the body, known as visceral fat, is the likely culprit behind a large midsection and is associated with being overweight—as well as the medical problems that come with obesity. These fat cells are not impacted by cold and can only be reduced by burning more calories than you eat. This fat can be tamed with diet and exercise or, in certain cases, a medical procedure, such as gastric bypass.

Patients who do lose significant weight thanks to lifestyle changes will lower their risk of a host of health problems, including heart disease and stroke. On the cosmetic front, however, they may find that while they enjoy tighter belts, smaller sizes in clothing, and a lower number on the bathroom scale, there is still a pocket of fat here or there that won’t go away. It may be a double chin or a noticeably thick part of the thighs.

That is what CoolSculpting® is for.

Find out more about which types of belly fat can be treated with CoolSculpting® at Germain Dermatology in Summerville and Mt. Pleasant. Call 843-881-4440 or send a message online.

Cold-Weather CoolSculpting®?

When it comes to CoolSculpting® in Charleston, SC, winter is not exactly the time of year people turn their thoughts to slimming down for swimsuit season. If anything, the ongoing schedule of big meals that run from Thanksgiving through the holiday season result more in expanding waistlines.

Aside from the fact that maintaining a healthy diet and enjoying regular exercise are two important commitments no matter the time of year, the colder months are an excellent time to consider a CoolSculpting® treatment.

The main reason is because fat-freezing results take time to appear.

When treatment begins, it causes fat cells to crystalize, inducing a natural process known as apoptosis, or cell death. The destroyed cells are then marked for removal and excreted as waste.

The physical removal of these destroyed fat cells from the area takes weeks to months, meaning volume will gradually decrease. Studies have shown that patients can expect a reduction of up to 25 percent per session, which means ideal results may take multiple visits.

With that timeline in mind, starting a series of CoolSculpting® sessions during the cooler months means slimmer, sleeker results will be visible as swimsuits begin to appear in stores, welcoming people to a new season of warmer weather once again.

To find out more about timing CoolSculpting® treatments and the benefits of this nonsurgical fat-reduction method, contact CoolSculpting Charleston by calling 1-844-SC-CHILL or send a message online.