SculpSure
← All comparisons
Dermapedia / CompareProcedures
Sure Sculpt vs CoolSculpting
Sure Sculpt is how most people write SculpSure, and SculpSure is a laser that heats fat. It suits flat areas where there is nothing to pinch, and each session takes about 25 minutes. CoolSculpting is cold, and it needs something to grab. A cup suctions a fold of fat against a chilled plate for 35 to 45 minutes. If you can hold the area between two fingers, freezing has more research behind it. If the area is flat and firm, heat is the one that will fit.
At a glance
| The difference | SculpSure | CoolSculpting |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Heats the fat layer with laser light | Freezes a pinched fold of fat |
| What it feels like | Waves of heat, then a cool break | A hard pull, then deep cold |
| Cost | Priced per session, sold as a course | Priced per cycle, and plans use several |
CoolSculpting
Side by side
The differences that matter
What it does
SculpSure
Heats the fat layer with laser light
Flat paddles rest on the skin and warm the fat underneath enough to damage the cells. A cooling plate protects the skin surface.
CoolSculpting
Freezes a pinched fold of fat
A cup draws tissue in and holds it cold. Fat cells are damaged by cold more easily than skin, nerve or muscle.
What shape of area it fits
SculpSure
Flat areas
The paddles sit flat and are strapped in place, so they work on a stomach or a back with little to grip.
CoolSculpting
Areas you can pinch
The vacuum needs tissue to draw into the cup. A flat, firm area gives it nothing to hold.
What it feels like
SculpSure
Waves of heat, then a cool break
The area warms up, then cools, over and over. Some people find the hot phase uncomfortable near the end.
CoolSculpting
A hard pull, then deep cold
The cold fades to numbness within about ten minutes. The massage at the end is the part people remember.
A session
SculpSure
About 25 minutes
Several paddles can be placed at once, so a wide area is covered in one go.
CoolSculpting
About 35 to 45 minutes per applicator
How many visits
SculpSure
Two or three per area
Usually about six weeks apart.
CoolSculpting
Usually two rounds per area
Spaced four to eight weeks apart.
The main downside
SculpSure
Firm lumps under the skin
Small tender nodules in the treated area are the common complaint. They settle on their own over weeks.
CoolSculpting
Fat can rarely grow instead
Paradoxical adipose hyperplasia: months later the treated area becomes firmer and larger rather than smaller. It affects about 0.22% of people, roughly 1 in 455, and liposuction corrects it.
Cost
SculpSure
Priced per session, sold as a course
CoolSculpting
Priced per cycle, and plans use several
The at-home or drugstore version
SculpSure
Heat pads do not reach the fat
A heat pad warms the skin surface. The clinic laser puts energy past the skin into the fat layer, at a temperature and for a time the skin could not tolerate on its own.
CoolSculpting
Freezer wraps are a different thing
A gel pack starts cold and warms up while you wear it. The clinic device holds one steady temperature for the whole session, and that is what damages the fat cell.
Who each suits
SculpSure
- Best for — A flat stomach, back or flank with a thin layer you cannot grab.
- The mindset — Short sessions, a course of two or three, no downtime.
CoolSculpting
- Best for — A roll you can hold between two fingers, including under the chin and on the arms.
- The mindset — One area, one problem, and the option with the longer track record.
Common questions
Questions Patients Ask
Is Sure Sculpt the same as SculpSure?
Yes. Sure Sculpt is a common way of writing SculpSure, a laser device that heats fat. There is no separate treatment by that name.
Which is better, SculpSure or CoolSculpting?
It depends on what you can pinch. CoolSculpting needs a fold to draw into its cup and has more research behind it. SculpSure uses flat paddles, so it fits areas with little to grab.
Does SculpSure hurt?
It alternates waves of heat with cooling. Most people describe it as warm and tolerable, though the hot phase can get uncomfortable near the end of the 25 minutes.
How many sessions will I need?
SculpSure is usually two or three per area, about six weeks apart. CoolSculpting is usually two rounds per area, four to eight weeks apart.
How long until I see results from either one?
Six to twelve weeks. Both damage fat cells and rely on your body clearing them, so nothing useful shows in the first few weeks.
Do either of them tighten skin?
No. Both remove fat and leave the skin as it was. If your skin is already loose, thinning the fat under it can make it look slightly looser.