Hi! I thought I'd give an update since I posted just before my laser treatment and coolsculpting. I am nearly 3 months. Had the treatments on Oct. 8 and have to say that the 'donut' I had around my belly button is gone. My upper abs are flat. My lower abs still have a bit of a pooch, but not as bad as before. I can pinch an inch....maybe an inch and a half, whereas before I could grab a handful. IT WORKS! Yay. Honestly, I had planned on working out non-stop after my procedure to help things along, but just started taking some classes this week : / I'm figuring if I cannot work off that lower ab pooch I can go back, but I'd slap myself a few times first! Will need ice packs anyway!

As for the ulthera, I dunno. I'm just not seeing enough of a change. It was done along my jaw-line and neck and its true I see some improvement, but as most people on this board, it's total improvement we're looking for. I'd rather put my money into a neck or lower-face lift. The problem is that my ps of choice would not do a neck or LFL on me. I am considering Dr. Marten at this point.

Thanks so much for posting about these. I've been eyeing them both. I think I'm going to go for the coolsculpting on a couple of spots where it just seemed like lipo would be overkill.

I've read with ulthera sometimes it takes two treatments to get the desired result. but i take your point about wanting perfection, not just some improvement.

Hi Jadegreen. Thanks so much for sharing...I am also eyeing both of these procedures and it is great to hear real life results from people we know and trust. Can you share who performed your procedures? I was just curious because I have used Dawn at Ritacca (Chicago) for years and they are having a special on the coolsculpting this month.

Well, I'm not sure where you are located, but I have come to use Dr. Kornstein in NYC for everything as he has such a good eye. His assistant did all my coolscultpting and everyone in his office has had it with great results.

I really think they price these things for the surgery-phobic. Sculptra was like that initially too. when it was first approved and only a few docs had it, i went on several consults and multiple docs told me how it helps people avoid a facelift... and they showed me pics... and guess what - the patients still needed a facelfit. they were just a bit fuller and less wrinkly. and they had dropped 4 or 5 thousand on multiple vials per session and three sessions. When I pointed that out, the doc then said "oh she just does not want to have surgery, so this was a good alternative for her".

I'm seeing some heated pricing competition in LA on coolsculpting - I'm betting in a couple of years or less the same will happen with Ulthera.

Not to sound ignorant, but what is cool sculpting? Can it be used on the face?

It is a procedure that is technically referred to as cryptolysis. It is essentially freezing fat cells through an external device without harming the exterior skin. Over several months, the fat cells are removed from the body naturally by the body itself. So it's kind of a non-surgical lipo. It is more for small areas, as you only get about a 25% removal of fat cells per treated area. A few of us here have had it, and 10 of my friends and I had it as a promotional offer, as I have a friend who is a senior vp for the company that makes the device. You can look it up at www.coolsculpting.com for more info. I am very pleased with mine, and would say the same even if it wasn't my friend's company. I found it to be a very easy process, particularly in comparison to the lipo that I had years ago.

As of now, it can not be used on the face.