What is the Best Non-Surgical Fat Loss Treatment: Emsculpt, CoolSculpting, or SculpSure?
On our show The SASS, Susan Yara and Sharzad Kiadeh have tried almost every non-surgical fat loss (or body contouring) treatment available on the market: CoolSculpting, SculpSure, and Emsculpt. But which one is the best? Well, let’s break down what each treatment is, plus the pros and cons that come with them.
CoolSculpting
Of the three options discussed here, CoolSculpting has been around the longest and is probably the most widely available treatment. CoolSculpting, or cryolipolysis, is a procedure that freezes (and kills) fat cells so your body eliminates them from the area. It uses an applicator with cooling plates to suction up and treat unwanted bulges on your abdomen, thighs, butt, back, arms, and even under your chin.
The main pros for CoolSculpting are:
It effectively reduces areas of fat that are resistant to exercise. Studies have shown a 25 percent fat loss in the treated area.
It’s non-invasive, so there’s no surgery, scarring, or anesthesia involved.
It’s convenient. Treatments take about an hour or less each, so you could even pop in on your lunch break.
However, it does come with some cons:
It can take several treatments (usually two to three) to see significant results. And these results take time – initial results appear after two to three weeks and the final result doesn’t appear until four to five months later.
There’s some visible side effects like bruising, swelling, and numbness in the treated area.
It’s uncomfortable, even painful at times.
It can sometimes cause the body to look misshaped. Some doctors describe it as a noticeable shelf or “shark bite” look to where the body was treated.
SculpSure
SculpSure is a laser-based treatment that heats up fat cells to melt them away through the body’s lymphatic system. The advantage it has over CoolSculpting is that it can be used to treat both “pinchable” and “non-pinchable” fat. CoolSculpting needs enough “pinchable” fat to suction up and treat, where as SculpSure can treat areas with less fat.
Here are the pros:
It’s non-invasive – no surgery, scars, or anesthesia.
Treatments are fast - usually about 25 minutes each.
It is effective. Studies done by SculpSure’s parent company Cynosure have shown 24 percent fat reduction in the treated area after one session.
And here are the cons:
It can be painful. There is heat involved, so discomfort should be expected.
There can be some visible side effects like swelling, bruising, and redness, but generally, these are pretty minimal.
It’s not for everyone. The ideal candidates have a BMI lower than 30 and lead an active, healthy lifestyle. Like CoolSculpting, this is not a weight-loss treatment. Instead, it’s mean to target stubborn pockets of fat that are resistant to diet and exercise.
It takes time to see results. Initial results are usually visible around six weeks and full results are visible about 12 weeks post-treatment.
Emsculpt
Emsculpt is probably the newest of these body contouring treatments to hit the market and it uses completely different technology to achieve results. It uses high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy to trigger “supramaximal contractions” – the kind you can’t achieve on your own. Your muscles will contract about 20,000 times in just one 30 minute session! These rapid contractions basically trigger your muscles to release chemicals that tell fat cells in the area to break down.
Here are the pros:
This is the least painful option of the three. It’s not comfortable, but it’s not painful.
It’s effective. A study released by the company reported an average 19 percent fat reduction in the abdomen after one month and 23 percent reduction after three months.
It defines the muscles. Since the technology causes your muscles to contract in a way that can’t be achieved on your own, you get the added benefit of muscle toning along with fat loss.
It’s a promising treatment for diastasis recti – a condition in which the large abdominal muscles separate that most commonly occurs after pregnancy.
And here are the cons:
People with too much fat may not see results. The ideal candidate is someone with about an inch of pinchable fat in the treatment area.
You need to do a series of four treatments close together – spaced two to five days apart – so it can be a little inconvenient.
