Liposuction can do so much: we can use it from chin-to-toe to achieve body contours our patients didn’t believe were possible. Radiofrequency (RF) increases the effectiveness of this ever-useful body contouring tool: it allows us to sculpt with more refinement, tightens skin, and reduces recovery time, making RF-assisted liposuction our go-to for sculpting six packs and hourglass shapes.
It’s not uncommon for patients with persistent fat pockets to weigh RF-assisted liposuction (RFAL) against the nonsurgical fat-freezing technology, CoolSculpting®. But while CoolSculpting may be a catchier, more “newsworthy” body contouring procedure, we advise our Joplin body contouring patients to go with the one that works every time: BodyTite™ RF-assisted liposuction. Here’s why.
- Liposuction has a proven track record of safety and results—and RF makes it even better
- Your surgeon can contour any area with RF-assisted liposuction (RFAL)—and even transfer fat to other areas
- RFAL results are instant and impressive
- You’ll only need one RFAL treatment
- The “cost” of CoolSculpting can be misleading
- Your surgeon monitors the results of RFAL in real time
1. Liposuction has a proven track record of safety and results—and RF makes it even better
Liposuction has been in use since the 1980s and still reigns as the top procedure for safe, effective body contouring. What you may not realize is that it’s also minimally invasive, requiring only a small incision for your surgeon to insert a cannula and sculpt away fat. Skilled cosmetic surgeons can craft profoundly striking results using liposuction for body contouring. By comparison, CoolSculpting only received FDA approval in 2010, and while the procedure has some merits, many patients find the results are barely noticeable.
The addition of RF boosts liposuction’s benefits: choosing this version of the procedure will both tighten skin in treated areas and reduce your healing time. Here’s how it works. Through the same incision we later use for liposuction, we insert one side of the narrow RF probe under the skin and apply the other to the outside of the skin. The RF energy between the two prongs has two primary effects:
- Melts fat, easing its removal with liposuction
- Stimulates collagen, thereby tightening the skin
We see instant skin tightening with RF energy, with progressive enhancement over the course of the following 3-6 months as the body continues to produce collagen (the most important protein to the structure of your skin).
Dr. Maningas explains how the BodyTite™ device uses radiofrequency to deliver even better results to specific areas.
2. Your surgeon can contour any area with RF-assisted liposuction (RFAL)—and even transfer fat to other areas
We can use RFAL to contour areas almost anywhere on the body. And with the skin tightening afforded by RF-assisted liposuction, we have an unprecedented ability to precision contour and tighten skin in small areas. (These “mini” liposuction procedures can achieve a bigger impact than you may think!)
RFAL also allows us to use fat transfer to further enhance your appearance. In this procedure, the fat removed during liposuction is purified and then injected into other areas such as the face, breasts, or buttocks as a volumizing dermal filler. Thus liposuction actually allows us to add curves—not just subtract.
In contrast, CoolSculpting can only be used in strictly limited areas based on the available set of applicators. Additionally, results can take months to appear as fat treated with fat freezing (cryolipolysis) is only gradually expelled by the body. This also means fat treated with CoolSculpting cannot be harvested for contouring other areas.
3. RFAL results are instant and impressive
Following RF-assisted liposuction surgery, most patients feel immediately encouraged by the results they see. They become even more pleased after a few months have passed, as RFAL results continue to improve for months post-procedure via RF-induced skin tightening.
You may be underwhelmed by CoolSculpting results, which promise a mere 20% reduction in the treated fat deposit, and which progress gradually over the course of 1-3 months. The results are so subtle that most patients require 2-3 treatments in order to see notable evidence of fat reduction. Some even find this subtle, slow progress defeating: looking in the mirror each day hoping to see something happen after an expensive treatment can be stressful, especially when the results appear at a pace that is too subtle to notice.
4. You’ll only need one RFAL treatment
Not only are CoolSculpting results slow to develop, they require multiple treatments to see results that actually contour the body. To get a result that’s profound enough for you to buy new jeans, you’ll need to return for another appointment or two.
RFAL takes a little under an hour to treat one area, but the results will be lasting. While RFAL does require some downtime that you won’t require after CoolSculpting, RF actually reduces the liposuction recovery time. The average downtime is 1-2 days, and some patients even return to work the day after a mini liposuction procedure.
5. The “cost” of CoolSculpting can be misleading
When you are deciding between CoolSculpting and RFAL, don’t let the smaller price tag on CoolSculpting fool you. While CoolSculpting may initially seem less expensive than RFAL, the multiple treatments required can mean it will end up costing about the same or more than liposuction.
6. Your surgeon monitors the results of RFAL in real time
CoolSculpting does not allow the provider to control your outcome in real time, or to sculpt with the precision most patients prefer. In a typical CoolSculpting treatment, a medical aesthetician chooses from a handful of standard-sized applicators, programs the CoolSculpting device to apply a freezing temperature to the area, then leaves the room. It is a one-size-fits-all approach to fat reduction.
In contrast, RFAL can only be performed by an aesthetic surgeon, and it gives them immediate control over skin tightening and shaping. Your cosmetic surgeon can watch the results develop in the treatment area during surgery, deciding where to apply the RF energy and how much fat to remove.
Weighing liposuction vs. CoolSculpting in Joplin? Schedule your consultation with Dr. Maningas
At Maningas Cosmetic Surgery, we prioritize great results for our patients from Joplin, Bella Vista, and the surrounding Northwest Arkansas area. Every week, our Joplin cosmetic surgery practice uses RF-assisted liposuction, as well as a number of other body contouring procedures, including liposuction alone, surgical lifts, and tummy tucks.
Let us help you take the steps toward achieving your desired contours. In your consultation, we’ll discuss your goals, look at before and after photos of similar patients, and come up with an effective plan to achieve the shape you want. Contact us online or call our office at (417) 437-0303 to begin!