Alison Bruhn, a Style Consultant in Birmingham, Alabama, recently interviewed our very own CoolSculpting Specialist, Jane Vickers! Check out the full text from the interview, where Jane answers some frequently asked questions about CoolSculpting.
Interview with Jane Vickers
by Alison Bruhn
In my line of work, it is common for people to ask me advice about cosmetic procedures and surgery options. This is definitely NOT my area of expertise, but I have built my business around the mission to have answers for women concerning their style goals, and the image they wish to put forth into the world around them. Body issues, concerns and solving problems associated with these issues for women IS my business, so I decided to find out what I could find out about one particular treatment that comes up a lot. Cool Sculpting is the world’s #1 non-invasive fat reduction procedure. I have heard the hype, but wanted to talk to someone who would give me honest answers to my questions.
Jane Vickers works at Village Dermatology in Mountain Brook, Alabama. I had previously interviewed my dermatologist, Megan Cherry, for the blog. She is an outstanding doctor in the practice in whom I have complete trust and respect. I figure if Dr. Cherry trusts Jane, that’s good enough for me!
I met with Jane and told her I was looking for real answers: the purpose of the interview was not to sell the product and bring in customers, if she gave honest, informative answers to my questions, that would occur naturally. She said she understood and respected that. She believes in the product and enjoys her work. Our interview follows!
CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW COOL SCULPTING WORKS?
“I’d be happy to! Cool Sculpting works by delivering controlled cooling to target fat cells underneath the skin. The treated cells are “frozen” and die. Over time, the body naturally processes the fat and eliminates the dead cells.”
WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE AND WHO IS NOT?
“As our Cool Sculpting rep, Ashley, loves to say, “If you can squeeze it, we can freeze it!”. There isn’t really anyone who is not a good candidate. There are different sized applicators, so if there is more area to cover, we can do that.This procedure is perfect for that stubborn fat that won’t come off despite proper diet and exercise. One important thing to note though-it is NOT a shortcut to weight loss.”
HOW HAS COOL SCULPTING EVOLVED AND IMPROVED OVER TIME? Last year, Cool Sculpting launched a brand new line of applicators. They are a vast improvement. They are much more effective, much more comfortable and can work on larger areas. The cycle time is down by 50%! YOU GET BETTER RESULTS IN HALF THE TIME.”
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT? WALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS. “First, you come in for a free consult, where we will discuss your areas of concern. I will explain the procedure, what results to expect, cost, etc. We take the “before” photos. Then on the day of the appointment, you come in, we mark the specified area with a marker and template. Then we attach the hand applicator. You will feel the machine gently suctioning the area (much less so than with the older applicators-the new ones are much more gentle while being more effective). It takes 35 minutes for each area once the treatment begins. It is similar to a spa treatment. The bed is heated, we have blankets, etc. You can read, watch T.V. or take a short nap! Afterwards, you can go back to whatever plans you have that day.”
WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT AFTER THE TREATMENT?
“It usually takes around 3 months to see the full results, but you will start seeing a difference in as little as a 3-4 weeks. After the procedure, your body will continue to process the injured fat cells from your body for about four months. You might experience a little tenderness in the area, a very slight amount of swelling or a feeling of being bloated for a day or so. This lets you know the procedure worked! Very rarely clients experience bruising and a little numbness, but this goes away quickly. It is extremely safe. There have been over 4 million treatments performed worldwide. People come in a bit trepidatious sometimes, but quickly realize that is a non-invasive treatment, with no downtime. You can truly come in at lunch and head right back to work!”
DO YOU HAVE TO TREAT AN AREA MORE THAN ONCE?
“Sometimes, you do. Each treatment gives you a 22% reduction in fat in the targeted area. If you want more, you can elect to have another treatment on the area. I will give you my recommendations up front, so you won’t have any surprise outcomes or disappointments. We aren’t here to sell you a bunch of unnecessary procedures; our goal is to show you results.”
WHAT AREAS CAN YOU COOL SCULPT?
“Abdomen, flanks (“muffin top”), inner and outer thighs (that’s relatively new thanks to the advanced hand applicators we got last year), under the chin, bra fat, on the top back of the leg (“banana roll”), fat above the knee, and our biggest news is that by early summer we will be able to treat the back of the upper arm (“bat wing”)!”
WHAT DOES COOL SCULPTING NOT DO?
“It doesn’t treat loose skin or cellulite.”
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
“Treatments range from $750 to around $1000 depending on the size, but many times we have discount packages and promotions. The cost is pretty much the same everywhere, but I highly reccommend having it done at a medical practice, simply because you have the backing of a physician.”
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS AND LIPOSUCTION?
“It is non-invasive, there is no downtime, there are no needles and no anesthesia. In other words, there is a big difference!”
IS IT PERMANENT?
“Yes, once those fat cells are gone, they’re gone for good!”
HOW OFTEN DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE MAINTENANCE APPOINTMENTS?
“You don’t need them. You will have one followup appointment after 90 days, where we will take the “after” photos and discuss your results.”
WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR? “Most people (who aren’t coming from work and going right back) wear comfortable clothes like yoga pants. After the treatment, is helpful to wear something similar to Spanx to give a little support to the area that was treated for a day or so.”
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB?
“The people-I love the relationship side of it. I love encouraging people and want to help rebuild their self esteem; to listen to people and help them find solutions.”
Thank you very, very much Jane! You have given us some really helpful information that I believe can guide people in their decision about whether or not to try Cool Sculpting.
Special thanks to Alison Bruhn for taking the time to interview Jane.