What Does CoolSculpting Mean for the Weight Loss Industry’s Future?

There is a thriving market built around the desire to lose weight fast and easy. One of the champions in this industry is CoolSculpting, a procedure that’s become exceedingly popular in medical spas and clinics throughout the country. In 2016, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery found that CoolSculpting consisted of nearly 50 percent of all “body-sculpting” procedures in the country.

CoolSculpting was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2010 after a 2007 study determined that on average, patients experienced a 19 percent fat reduction. The procedure is an alternative to liposuction, and involves ascryolipolysis, or “controlled cooling” that destroys fat cells without the hassle and risk of surgery. Patients lay back, and the clinician places a vacuum cleaner-like device to the targeted area that sucks the tissue into a cup and freezes it.

The process lasts between 35 and 60 minutes, and patients can expect to see results in two to four months. According to CoolSculpting manufacturers, Zeltiq (which we reported is going to be acquired by Allergan later this year) each treatment runs around $625, and a series of procedures can cost between $2,000 and $4,000. Some experts estimate that if a clinic performs four CoolSculpting treatments a week, they could see a “gross profit” of $200,000 a year.

A CoolSculpting machine and its accessories costs $150,000, and there a reportedly 5,600 machines installed across the world. According to The New York Times, the treatments are considered a “gateway” for clinicians to grow their client base. Many patients who select a CoolSculpting procedure might not otherwise schedule an appointment for other cosmetic treatments. While clients recline and get their cells frozen, clinicians can chat them up about Botox and similar cosmetic services.