Gynecomastia and CoolSculpting

It’s a perpetual quest for many looking to improve their appearance: an option that’s minimally invasive or non-surgical. Gynecomastia patients are no different. That’s why we occasionally hear questions from patients about gynecomastia and CoolSculpting – a popular liposuction alternative.

In case you’re unfamiliar with the technology, CoolSculpting employs a device that is positioned on fatty areas of the body. The device freezes fat cells and over a period of a few months your body eliminates them. According to online reviews, average treatment cost varies from about $1,000 to $2,000. Most patients need two to several sessions.

Should you try CoolSculpting for man boobs? We would suggest you save your money.

We don’t offer CoolSculpting for gynecomastia patients simply because it does not yield optimal results. Here’s why:

• Man boobs are made up of a mixture of breast tissue and fat – so our approach to male breast reduction is always a combination of liposuction/breast tissue removal. While CoolSculpting has been shown to be somewhat effective in eliminating fat cells, it has no impact at all on breast tissue.
• If you research the experiences of real patients who have tried CoolSculpting, you’ll find that some complain of uneven results and lumpiness after treatment. In fact, The RealSelf community pegs the rate of dissatisfied patients at around 30%.
• The CoolSculpting device inevitably leaves some scar tissue behind. This can make revision gynecomastia surgery more difficult.

We follow the progress of new approaches to aesthetic treatment, and the notion of freezing fat cells to destroy them holds promise. Today, CoolSculpting appears to achieve modest results for many patients when targeting specific, localized pockets such as love handles, bra rolls, outer thighs and so on. It does not work as effectively for larger areas, thick deposits of fat, tissues that hang from the body and complex problems such as gynecomastia.

Our advice to patients who want to give it a try? Keep in mind that when a plastic surgeon invests in equipment like this, it can be tempting to stretch the machine for uses beyond what it’s designed to do best. Ask to see before and after gynecomastia photos of patients who have undergone CoolSculpting treatment for man boobs. We have a hunch you won’t find many, and if you do, the results will not impress you. Be sure to compare them to photos of men who have had male breast reduction with an experienced gynecomastia surgeon.

If you’re on the fence, why not come in for a consultation to discuss all your options? Treatment choices are always yours to make.