A leading plastic surgeon has warned that CoolSculpting — the popular fat-busting technique that veteran supermodel Linda Evangelista claims left her “brutally disfigured” — …
A leading plastic surgeon has warned that CoolSculpting — the popular fat-busting technique that veteran supermodel Linda Evangelista claims left her “brutally disfigured” — is not the miracle solution promoted by gushing American stars. Dr. Alex Sobel, a specialist in correcting botched cosmetic procedures, told The Post that the method can cause “unexpected side effects” and comes with “under-reported” risks. His expert opinions contrast with the rave reviews of celebrity slimmers like music diva Mariah Carey, reality TV personalities Khloe Kardashian and Kris Jenner, and model-actress Molly Sims, who became a spokesperson for the brand in 2015. Zeltiq Aesthetic, the California company behind CoolSculpting, markets its cash cow as the fastest and most efficient way to permanently destroy fat. The results are recognizable a few weeks after the patients complete between one and three treatments at a franchised clinic. During each session, the practitioner uses a special gadget to cool parts of the body prone to flab such as the stomach, thighs and upper arms. Once the temperature reaches freezing point, the stubborn fat cells that lurk beneath the epidermis are swiftly killed off. Zeltiq maintains the non-invasive procedure requires no downtime because you don’t go under the knife. Instead, the fat cells zapped by the sudden deep freeze break down naturally and are flushed out of your system through the liver. CoolSculpting was approved by the FDA in 2010, but Sobel, of Bellevue, Washington, who has operated on dozens of patients with the same complication as Evangelista, is concerned that the non-surgical method could be too good to be true. It’s important that the procedure is not confused with the similarly-named body contouring technique Emsculpt Neo, which employs a device that combines electromagnetic energy to contract and tone muscles with radio frequency to melt fat.
