A Happy Discovery

Posted on: 27 January 2023

If your body fat is distributed so you have fat pockets under your upper arms, you may be too embarrassed to wear sleeveless dresses or tops because of the way your underarms jiggle. It's common for fat to accumulate under your arms, but some people have a more noticeable effect due to genetics.

If you're close to your ideal weight and you've been lifting weights to build arm muscles, but you still have too much fat, a fat-freezing treatment such as CoolSculpting might help. Here's what you should know about freezing away your fat pockets.

A Doctor's Evaluation Is Needed

Fat-freezing treatments can be done at a med spa or cosmetic doctor's office if they have the proper equipment. First, the doctor has to determine if you have the right type of fat. Surface fat responds better to freezing than fat that's under your muscle. Plus, the doctor needs to decide if freezing is the right approach or if you have so much sagging and fat that surgery is the best solution.

The Treatment Doesn't Harm Your Skin

Fat-freezing treatments work because fat cells can be killed at a temperature that doesn't harm skin or muscle cells. The doctor uses a device on your underarms that pulls your skin and fat inside it where cool temperatures can penetrate the skin and reach the fat cells. This might be slightly uncomfortable, but it shouldn't hurt because your skin goes numb.

You Won't See Changes Immediately

It's important to understand what to expect so you don't become disappointed. You won't see results from the treatment for a few weeks. The fat cells are frozen and cleared, but they have to be removed from your body naturally, and that takes time. A benefit of slow fat loss is that it allows your skin to tighten in the area, so you shouldn't be left with saggy skin once the fat is gone.

You Might Need Additional Treatments

Your doctor will let you know how many treatments you may need so you can plan ahead. Only some of the fat is removed with each treatment, so if you have a lot of fat under your arms, you could need multiple treatments to get the results you want. The treatments are spread out over several weeks so you can recover from each session before having another one.

Massage After The Treatments Is Important

Follow your doctor's instructions for massaging your underarms after you've had a treatment. You might do this yourself or see a massage therapist. You could get much better results if you massage the treated area as your doctor recommends.

You May Need To Avoid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

Another important thing you should do after a fat-freezing treatment is avoid anti-inflammatory medications as much as possible. Your body relies on the inflammatory response to get rid of the fat cells and if you take anti-inflammatory medications, your results may not be as good as they could be.

Your doctor will give you a list of things to do and avoid after your treatment. Follow the instructions as best as you can so you're happy with your underarm fat loss. For more information on CoolSculpting fat treatments, contact a professional near you.