CoolSculpting is a cosmetic procedure that uses extreme cold to externally freeze fat cells without damaging the skin or the underlying tissues. Later, the body naturally flushes the broken-down fat out of its system. The procedure is one hundred percent non-invasive and requires no anesthesia and or incisions.
This truly innovative technique amusingly came about thanks to a group of doctors realizing that kids who regularly ate popsicles eventually developed dimples on their faces. These doctors figured a way to apply this observation to a fat procedure must exist, and thus the idea for CoolSculpting was born.
Early CoolSculpting prototype testing began on pigs in 2008 with great success. Not only was the result promising, but the side effects associated with this new procedure proved to be minimal. In 2010, they received permission to begin clinical testing on human beings’ dreaded love handles.
In 2010, CoolSculpting was formally approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for work on the love handles, a moment that served as its official coming-out party. Later on in 2012, they received additional approval for the abdominal region, marking a critical step in CoolSculpting’s evolution toward becoming the widely popular procedure it is today.
Zeltiq, which is the company that invented CoolSculpting, knew they could further improve the procedure and expand its reach. So they started working on developing new applicators of all shapes and sizes, adapted to different areas of the body such as the arms, neck, thighs, and back. They initially filed for an initial public offering in 2011, and by January of 2012, as many as 150,000 CoolSculpting treatments had been performed. In 2014, Zeltiq received additional approval to perform the procedure on the thighs. Only three years later, Zeltiq was purchased by the pharmaceutical company Allergan for $2.48 billion.
Some of the reasons CoolSculpting procedure has become so popular and received the stamp of approval from the FDA is that is yields great results while diminishing the risks and side effects that come with fat-loss procedures. The risks most commonly associated with the process are tenderness in the treated area, some numbness, mild bruising, and itchiness. Compared to more invasive procedures, CoolSculpting’s benefits include little to no pain, quick sessions, no recovery time, no anesthesia, and no incisions, to name a few.