Author Topic: CoolSculpting for Mustashians  (Read 3753 times)

moneymamas

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 10
CoolSculpting for Mustashians
« on: August 15, 2018, 02:34:45 PM »
I was doing some research into CoolSculpting for work.  It's a procedure where they put a machine on your skin that is about 39-41 degrees Fahrenheit. Essentially this temperature range will freeze fat but not damage skin or muscle. When the fat freezes the fat cells die off and you essentially urinate them out.  While I think it's insane for someone to pay thousands of dollars for essentially a temperature-controlled cold pack to be strapped to them at a plastic surgeon's office, it would be interesting to see if you could yield similar results from something else. So I was brainstorming how this could be accomplished at home. My first thought was an ice bath, but those tend to run a bit warmer at 46-58 degrees and a cold pack would be colder obviously because it's already frozen.  I guess you could always stand outside with minimal clothing when the temperature is within this range.  I thought it might be interesting to ask the Mustashian community to see if anyone else had any thoughts.  Obviously diet and exercise is the most effective method for weight loss, but I work with plastic surgeons every day and I just thought it would be interesting if this thing that some people pay thousands for per treatment could actually be easily achieved at home.

Not There Yet

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 70
Re: CoolSculpting for Mustashians
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2018, 04:17:53 PM »
I've seen this gadget in catalogs.  Whether or not it works appears to be debatable.  https://www.feelgoodstore.com/search.html?keyword=fat%20freezing%20belt

ZMonet

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 213
Re: CoolSculpting for Mustashians
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2018, 04:11:04 PM »
CoolSculpting and its ilk have been out there for quite some time.  If it really worked and had significant results don't you think everyone would be doing it?  I think the only thing you'll get trying to recreate this device is hurt.   And the only thing that is going to aid in spot reduction of bodyfat is liposuction and, from what I've read, that isn't worth it.  Better to work it off the old fashion way with diet and exercise, or just appreciate your body for what it is and isn't.

Thegoblinchief

  • Guest
Re: CoolSculpting for Mustashians
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2018, 07:43:47 AM »
Ketogenic diets are as close to an “easy button” for fat loss as exists anywhere, and depending on your previous grocery habits, can be zero cost or even a money saver.

lbmustache

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 926
Re: CoolSculpting for Mustashians
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2018, 08:25:20 AM »
CoolSculpting and its ilk have been out there for quite some time.  If it really worked and had significant results don't you think everyone would be doing it?  I think the only thing you'll get trying to recreate this device is hurt.   And the only thing that is going to aid in spot reduction of bodyfat is liposuction and, from what I've read, that isn't worth it.  Better to work it off the old fashion way with diet and exercise, or just appreciate your body for what it is and isn't.

I agree. Coolsculpting is targeted freezing with a relatively low success rate. Standing outside in the snow is not going to magically melt your fat away, that's not how the body works ;)

trollwithamustache

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1146
Re: CoolSculpting for Mustashians
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2018, 08:27:51 AM »
MMM might tell you to start dead lifting instead...

moneymamas

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 10
Re: CoolSculpting for Mustashians
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2018, 08:36:56 PM »
Like I said, totally aware diet and exercise are ions more effective. This isn’t something I would ever do... jut thought it would be a fun thought experiment.

catccc

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1906
  • Location: SE PA
Re: CoolSculpting for Mustashians
« Reply #7 on: August 17, 2018, 09:47:59 PM »
I’ll bite.  (fully realizing that you’ve acknowledged the diet/exercise thing.)

So I know a guy that got cool sculpting done.  He’s a vain, racist, a-hole, but that’s not really relevant. Anyway, I read a little (ha ha, totally got sucked into article after article) about the procedure since I was curious when I heard he was doing it. So I have some thoughts, but only the variety to indicate this couldn’t be done at home with ease. 

There is some vacuum action to draw the fat cells toward the cold.  Idk how you would achieve that at home.  There is some kind of protective sheet they put between your skin and the cold source, to protect your skin from damage, so a DIYer would need to get their hands on that.  Ice packs come out of the freezer at colder than the temp range you indicated, so it will be difficult to know when the ice pack is at the right temp, and how long it will be at that temp.  Given all those issues, i don’t really think you can replicate the procedure at home. 

Also, there are documented cases of coolsculpting recipients that had some weird side effect where fat comes back the the treated site in and it is all lumpy and hard.  That sounds awful.  And idk if this has been studied in relation to cool sculpting, but there is a study indicating that a majority of traditional liposuction patients gain back all the fat they had sucked out, except in different places.  So, say you get liposuction on your thighs...  a year later, your thighs look great but your abdomen and arms are carrying all that lost fat.  Basically I think you really can’t trick Mother Nature.  Your body is made to defend your fat, it’s the body’s emergency savings fund.  So not only do I think fat freezing can’t be replicated at home, but it’s also a bad idea to get it done professionally.  (Not that I’m trying to convince you not to do it, I saw that you never would.  Just making a statement about it in general.)

sanderh

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 55
Re: CoolSculpting for Mustashians
« Reply #8 on: August 17, 2018, 09:57:06 PM »
39-41 degrees Fahrenheit. Essentially this temperature range will freeze fat but not damage skin or muscle.
Sounds wrong from a physics viewpoint - animal fat is already a solid (frozen) at body temperature. Plant oils are liquid, but freeze (become solid) at a lower temperature than 37C.
Maybe there is something about fat cells (not fat itself) that causes them to die at a higher temperature than skin or muscle. Different (concentration of) dissolved chemicals in the water in the cells, for example. But sounds dodgy scientifically.

gerardc

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 767
  • Age: 40
  • Location: SF bay area
Re: CoolSculpting for Mustashians
« Reply #9 on: August 17, 2018, 10:00:48 PM »
See this:
http://fellrnr.com/wiki/CoolSculpting#DIY_CoolSculpting

I never intentionally attempted that, but I did use ice packs on my lower back very frequently a few years ago (for an injury) and I did notice a long-term fat displacement on this exact area (my lower back got really lean in the center but the fat redistributed more towards love handles so I wouldn't say the net result was positive, even though the technique does work).


There is some vacuum action to draw the fat cells toward the cold.  Idk how you would achieve that at home.  There is some kind of protective sheet they put between your skin and the cold source, to protect your skin from damage, so a DIYer would need to get their hands on that.  Ice packs come out of the freezer at colder than the temp range you indicated, so it will be difficult to know when the ice pack is at the right temp, and how long it will be at that temp.  Given all those issues, i don’t really think you can replicate the procedure at home. 

The main trick (see link above) is to use a bag of half-melted ice in water, which keeps the desired temperature around 0C for a long enough time.


CoolSculpting and its ilk have been out there for quite some time.  If it really worked and had significant results don't you think everyone would be doing it?

No. People are lazy and don't care enough to try, especially if the method sounds sketchy.
Also, it only has visible results if you're fairly lean to begin with, which most people aren't.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2018, 10:09:11 PM by gerardc »