It doesn’t matter whether you are an A-cup or a DD-cup, tall or short, size XS or XL, women of every size deal with bra bulge. This pocket of fat between the armpits and the chest can result from age or an ill-fitting bra, or from eating more calories than you are burning. But for many, bra bulge is caused by lack of tone around the bra area, which is a difficult place to target with exercise. For women who want to address bra bulge before bikini season arrives, CoolSculpting® and liposuction at our St. Louis practice provide effective solutions. Each treatment has pros and cons, but both can help you look your best by summer.
Liposuction
Liposuction is a body contouring procedure that uses small incisions and a cannula device to remove unwanted fatty deposits from several different areas on the body, including bra bulge.
Pros
- Liposuction permanently removes fat cells. When you lose weight, fat cells merely get smaller. However, liposuction eliminates these cells, and once eliminated, the cells are gone for good.
- Liposuction can provide dramatic results through precise body contouring. Smoothing out bumps and bulges is a great way to boost your confidence, especially with summer rapidly approaching.
- Patients will be able to see changes in as little as 3 to 4 weeks once swelling has subsided.
Cons
- Because liposuction is surgical, it requires some downtime. Most patients can return to work within a few days to a week. Additionally, the doctors at St. Louis Cosmetic Surgery use a rapid recovery approach to get you back to your normal routine as soon as possible.
- Liposuction is not a weight-loss surgery. To get the most from this procedure, you should lead a healthy lifestyle of a good diet and exercise before and after the procedure.
To learn more about liposuction, check out our previous blog post about the process.
CoolSculpting®
An excellent alternative to liposuction, CoolSculpting is a completely non-invasive, FDA-approved procedure that can help reduce bra bulge that resists diet and exercise. This procedure uses precise cooling temperatures to eliminate fat in hard-to-reach places. Because fat freezes at a higher temperature than other cells, CoolSculpting can kill fat while leaving surrounding tissue unharmed.
Pros
- CoolSculpting is nonsurgical, and there is no need for anesthesia. All you have to do is show up, sit back, and relax while one of our CoolSculpting applicators does all the work. Patients often read, check email, or nap during treatment.
- CoolSculpting requires no downtime. You can return to your normal activities immediately following your appointment—which takes approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Eliminating problem areas is a breeze with CoolSculpting. Though the changes are subtler than those from liposuction, patients are often very happy with the way they look after just one treatment.
Cons
- With CoolSculpting, your fat does not disappear overnight. You will start to see a difference within a few weeks, but the most dramatic change will be apparent after 2 to 3 months. Patients often opt for a few follow-up sessions to achieve optimal results.
- CoolSculpting is not a weight-loss procedure. It is meant for people who are close to their goal weight but have a few areas of localized fat they want to address.
The board-certified surgeons at St. Louis Cosmetic Surgery can help you evaluate your body contouring goals to determine which procedure is best for your specific needs and desired results. To learn more, request a consultation or give our office a call at (636) 530-6161 to speak to an expert.
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