Maintaining a healthy body composition is an important part of overall wellness, but lifestyle factors, genetics, and age can sometimes make it difficult to achieve desired results through diet and exercise alone. In recent years, non-surgical body contouring treatments have emerged as a supportive option for individuals looking to complement their healthy routines. Many reputable walk-in clinics and medical practices across Canada now offer safe, evidence-based procedures that work alongside traditional wellness habits.

Among these treatments are options such as laser lipolysis, which uses laser energy to gently target fat cells, and radiofrequency lipolysis, which relies on controlled heat to achieve similar results. One of the most widely known methods, cryolipolysis—commonly known as CoolSculpting—uses carefully regulated cooling to help the body naturally eliminate stubborn fat cells, supporting both confidence and overall health goals.

CoolSculpting is considered the safest non-surgical body contouring treatment available. But we understand, with any aesthetic treatment you will have questions: How does it work? What areas of the body does it work well on? What should I expect during the treatment? How soon can I see results? To help answer these questions and more, we spoke with Dr. Folake Pepple a member of the Canadian Association of Aesthetic Medicine and head physician at Silverado Medical and Aesthetic Clinic in Calgary.

How Does CoolSculpting Work?

“We target those stubborn fat cells that are located just below the skin with controlled cooling. These fat cells, which are normally the same ones that are unaffected by dieting and exercise, freeze and are permanently destroyed. Over time your body processes and eliminates these dead cells.”

 What areas of the body does it work well on?

“CoolSculpting works on most areas of the body where there is stubborn, hard to lose fat. The most common areas we treat include the abdomen, sides, thighs, double chin, and bra fat.”

Can CoolSculpting be used as a weight loss treatment?

“No, CoolSculpting is not a weight loss treatment, it is used to enhance your body shape and help eliminate that hard to get rid of fat in targeted areas.”

What should I expect during the treatment?

“It is a fairly non-invasive treatment, an applicator with a gel pad are applied to the targeted area, you may feel a cool sensation in the area to start, but this normally goes away after a short time. During the procedure you can read a book, use your phone, or simply lay back and relax, whatever makes you comfortable.”

Is there any pain or downtime afterwards?

“CoolSculpting is an easy treatment, there won’t be any pain but you may feel some tugging from the applicator as it draws in the fatty tissue as well as a cooling sensation as the targeted fat freezes. There is usually no downtime after treatment and most patients return to their regular routines. However, you may feel some numbness in the area for a few days as your body recovers from the treatment.” 

How long does it take to see results?

“We have patients that begin to see results four weeks after their first visit. Most patients, they begin to see visible results between eight to twelve weeks. Everyone is different and may have different goals, so we build a treatment plan to help you achieve your individual goals.”

Can the fat cells grow back?

“Once the treated fat cells are frozen, they crystallize and are destroyed. The results from the treatment are permanent.”

Where do the fat cells go?

“Your body naturally processes the destroyed fat cells and removes them from your body.”

Do I need to exercise after completing my CoolSculpting treatments?

“Exercise is not a requirement for the CoolSculpting treatment, it helps destroy stubborn fat that you may not have been able to eliminate with exercise. However, a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and a proper diet is important for everyone.”

Is the treatment safe?

“The cooling is controlled and monitored with sensors, if they detect that any part of your body is getting too cold, the system automatically shuts down. There have been millions of CoolSculpting treatments performed worldwide, it is considered the safest body contouring treatment available.”

 

Dr. Folake Pepple has been practicing medicine since 1998, and is currently the head physician at the Silverado Medical and Aesthetic Clinic in Calgary. She enjoys family medicine with a focus on women’s wellness and has a special interest in dermatology with aesthetic medicine. Book a CoolSculpting consultation with Dr. Pepple now!