Dealing with stubborn fat around your knees that just won’t go away? If weight loss through diet and exercise haven’t addressed the problem areas and you’re hesitant to go under the knife for invasive surgery, there may be another option.
CoolSculpting is a nonsurgical fat reduction treatment that eliminates fat cells through a targeted cooling process known as cryolipolysis®. The CoolMini applicator allows physicians to target smaller treatment areas with CoolSculpting.
While the newly introduced CoolMini applicator is only FDA-approved to treat chin fat, the miniature device now makes it possible for physicians to treat other small areas of your body, like your knees. We expect that the FDA will clear more areas of the body for treatment with the CoolSculpting CoolMini applicator soon.
Freezing Your Knee Fat to Oblivion
Cryolipolysis®, the process behind CoolSculpting treatments, is targeted cold therapy. Researchers discovered that fat cells freeze when exposed to extreme cold well before other types of cells. When frozen, fat cells crystallize and die, and then they are metabolized as part of the body’s natural elimination process. CoolSculpting allows clinicians to target stubborn areas of fat, freezing the fat cells until they break down without causing damage to other tissues.
In the past, CoolSculpting could only be used to treat larger areas of your body, like your stomach. However, the recent introduction of the CoolMini device allows physicians to treat smaller areas, like your chin and knee. During a round of treatment, the clinician applies a gel pad and the CoolMini applicator to the treatment area. The applicator uses a vacuum system to pull fatty tissue into the device and deliver cold therapy to the area to freeze the fat cells. After the cells freeze and die, the body takes over and begins to eliminate them naturally.
Since the CoolMini applicator was just recently released in 2015, it is currently only FDA-cleared to treat chin fat. However, it is possible to treat other areas of your body where your fat can be pinched, like your knees. As CoolSculpting continues to become more and more popular, the FDA continues to clear more treatment areas. We may soon see the knees receive official clearance from the FDA for the CoolSculpting treatment.
What Do the Results Look Like?
After treatment, most patients begin to see results within a few weeks as the body flushes out the fat cells. The most notable differences are achieved within 1-2 months, but the body can continue to eliminate the fat cells for up to 4-6 months following the treatment cycle. Multiple treatments are usually needed to see marked improvement, but over the course of several months, fat in the treated area can be reduced by 25%.
Visible results vary by patient and treatment area. Because the applicator suctions the fatty tissue, the procedure may work better for the knee area in patients with significant fatty tissue around the knees. Typically, as the fat cells are eliminated, the skin in the area around your knee will take on a smoother, tighter appearance and the actual size of the treated area will become smaller.
The treatment permanently eliminates the targeted fat cells from the body; however, clinicians warn that patients will only see continued results if they maintain their weight. While there may be fewer fat cells in the body after treatment, weight gain will cause the remaining cells to become larger and can virtually erase the visible results from any CoolSculpting treatments.
Is CoolSculpting Right for You?
CoolSculpting isn’t for everyone. The age and health of the patient, along with fat distribution in the desired area of treatment, are all factors that help clinicians determine if the knee treatment is likely to be beneficial.
CoolSculpting does not help with overall weight loss, but it is a great option for those who have specific areas of unwanted body fat to remove. Unlike exercise, which is ineffective at “spot reduction” of target areas of fat,
CoolSculpting, is designed to do just that. It attacks stubborn, unwanted fat with cold treatment to permanently eliminate the fat cells from that area. With the introduction of the CoolMini applicator, it is now possible to target knee fat with the CoolSculpting treatment, and we may see it be FDA-cleared for the knees soon.
Are you avoiding wearing shorts and dresses because of the appearance of your knees? Contact Davis Cosmetic Plastic Surgery , or, call 856-424-1700, to learn more about your options for reducing knee fat, including CoolSculpting!
Why choose Davis Cosmetic Plastic Surgery?
At Davis Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, we have multiple CoolSculpting machines and all of the applicators available for CoolSculpting. We are able to offer Dual CoolSculpting which will cut your time in half!
Not all CoolSculpting centers are created equal. Our Certified CoolSculpt Specialist, Donna, has performed thousands of CoolSculpting cycles on patients. Her results have been exceptional. Davis Cosmetic Plastic Surgery is a Certified CoolSculpt Practice.
At Davis Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, we have a dedicated and talented team committed to your best outcome. Dr. Davis, our esthetician (Angela), and CoolSculpting Specialist (Donna), work synergistically to determine the treatment(s) that will be best to help you achieve your goals.
Areas for CoolSculpting
While there aren’t any exercises to specifically target fat around the knees, we do know that good nutrition and exercise will help all areas of your body. Here are a few things to help you:
- Check out the links below for exercises for your legs
- Read about the advantages of CoolSculpting
- Schedule a consultation to learn if you are a candidate for CoolSculpting, or, call 856-424-1700
- SAVE money! Take advantage of the April special
- Give gratitude for your legs and all that they have carried you through
- Focus on feeding your soul with good nutrition, meditation, and moving your body