“For the people who are curious to know the difference between CoolSculpting and SculpSure.”

— Dr. Dale

Getting rid of unwanted fat has never been easier, and today, it can be done through non-invasive techniques. There have been many comparisons between the different options, especially between SculpSure vs CoolSculpting. Both SculpSure and CoolSculpting are FDA-approved non-invasive fat reduction techniques and have seen success as an alternative to lipo. So which non-invasive procedure is better?

Time in the Market

CoolSculpting has been available in the commercial market since 2010 and has established itself as a proven alternative to invasive lipo. On the contrast, SculpSure has only been on the market for less than 6 months. With CoolSculpting, doctors understand all of the possible outcomes and long-term effects. SculpSure just hasn’t been out long enough to know the long-term effects of lasers to your fat! When looking at these facts, it’s easy to say that CoolSculpting wins on this front.

Winner: CoolSculpting

Procedure

CoolSculpting uses the process of freezing and killing your fat cells. After the procedure is done, those fat cells die and are flushed out of the system, never to return. SculpSure uses a direct laser that heats the fat cells in a concentrated area and causes them to release into the body, dissipating fat in that treated area. Both CoolSculpting and SculpSure have had success, however, CoolSculpting has been scientifically supported through dozens of FDA research articles, while SculpSure still has many concerns about its procedure, specifically related to efficacy being lost when the heat is turned down due to pain during the procedure. Many organizations consider SculpSure as “Experimental” (including a Cynosure Training facility!) and strongly believe that freezing fat is more effective and safer long term. If a Cynosure training facility isn’t comfortable offering SculpSure, that says something!

Winner: CoolSculpting

Training

In most states, anyone holding a medical Ph.D is cleared to operate non-surgical procedures, including CoolSculpting and SculpSure, but is this enough? So many doctors are “qualified” to operate CoolSculpting and SculpSure equipment with little to no training! However, CoolSculpting requires a certification program that trains and educates any CoolSculpting operators to ensure maximum results and minimize the chance of injury. To this date, there is no documentation nor any proof that SculpSure has any such training programs. Because of the lack of evidence of training from SculpSure, CoolSculpting wins the training section.

Winner: CoolSculpting

Time

Both CoolSculpting and SculpSure are considerably less time than invasive lipo procedure, which makes non-invasive procedures extremely desirable for those that want to lose stubborn fat! That being said, SculpSure does have a slight advantage over CoolSculpting in the length of the procedure. SculpSure has an average of 30 minute procedure compared to 45–60 minute for CoolSculpting. Both procedures have no downtime, which is a million times better than the average 1 week downtime after traditional liposuction. Time wise, SculpSure wins this round.

Winner: SculpSure

FDA Approval

CoolSculpting received their first FDA approval in 2010 and is currently FDA approved for the abdomen, flanks, thighs, and chin. SculpSure received their first FDA approval in late 2015 and is only approved for abdomen and flanks. Don’t be fooled when doctors offer treatment for arms, back, calves, etc — these areas are NOT FDA approved! Both CoolSculpting and SculpSure CAN treat most areas, but only the above areas are FDA approved. CoolSculpting is currently the only non-invasive fat reduction procedure that is FDA approved for the chin area. Having been cleared to for more treatment areas and for longer, CoolSculpting is the winner of this round.

Winner: CoolSculpting

Track Record & Reviews

Currently on top review sites such as RealSelf, SculpSure has only 23 reviews on RealSelf compared to CoolSculpting’s almost 800 reviews. The main issue with sites like RealSelf is that anyone can post a review, but I don’t want to get on a soapbox… I’ll save that issue for another blog. RealPatientRatings is a great website for reviews since the request for a review comes straight from the doctor, ensuring all reviews are real. Coolsculpting has almost 400 reviews on realpatientratings.com, while SculpSure has no reviews. While the verdict is still out on SculpSure, CoolSculpting has a proven track record and has consistently shown results.

Winner: CoolSculpting

And the Winner Is…

CoolSculpting has been showing consistent results with no long term side effects for years, while even Cynosure’s training facilities won’t offer their own product, SculpSure, since it’s experimental. In SculpSure vs CoolSculpting, CoolSculpting comes out on top 5 to 1.