TruSculpt vs CoolSculpt: What’s the Difference?

What’s the difference between TruSculpt vs CoolSculpt? Check out this guide to learn about the difference.

Imagine yourself for a moment on a beach vacation. You’re with your family or friends, lounging on the beach in a bathing suit with a cold drink in hand.

Does that sound like the picture of relaxation or are you feeling self-conscious just thinking about that bathing suit?

Chances are that it’s a bit of both. If you want the freedom to enjoy days like this without feeling self-conscious, nonsurgical body sculpting could be the perfect fit.

How do you know which one to try, though? If you’re deciding between TruSculpt iD vs CoolSculpt (or its technical name, CoolSculpting), here’s how to make your choice.

TruSculpt vs CoolSculpt

On the surface, TruSculpt iD and CoolSculpting may seem the same. After all, they’re both types of nonsurgical fat reduction.

However, there are many key differences. Here’s how they compare.

Fat Reduction Method

Both of these treatments reduce your fat in specific areas without any surgeries, needles, or incisions. The way they do this is different, though.

TruSculpt iD uses a certain type of energy called radiofrequency to deliver targeted heat to your fat cells. It’s enough warmth to damage fat cells but not enough to harm your skin, blood vessels, or other cells.

After this happens, your body discovers that those fat cells are damaged and won’t hold fat anymore. The body responds by clearing the fat cells out of your system. As this occurs, you watch yourself slim down.

CoolSculpting battles your fat cells with cold rather than heat. It delivers enough of a chill to damage your fat cells so your body can remove them little by little.

How the Procedure Works

During a TruSculpt iD treatment, a knowledgeable provider will apply hands-free applicators to warm the areas of fat that you want to target. The provider will adjust the heat settings that are tailored to your needs.

The TruSculpt iD procedure takes ONLY 15 minutes, whether it is a large or small area.

For CoolSculpting, the applicator is different. It looks like a rectangular box with one long side open.

Your provider will position the applicator on your treatment area. The applicator suctions your fat into its rectangular area. This lets it apply the cooling across the fat.

Treatment times for CoolSculpting will vary based on the type of technology the provider has because newer CoolSculpting models have shortened treatment times.

Treatment Areas

TruSculpt iD is a versatile procedure that can treat any amount of fat in nearly any area of the body. Because the applicator is small, your provider can access as small or as large of an area as you want to treat.

CoolSculpting is more specific. You need to have enough fat in the area for the applicator to latch on and suction your skin against the cooling plats. Slimmer areas won’t be eligible for precise contouring.

The Post-Treatment Period

One of the top reasons people choose nonsurgical body sculpting is to skip the recovery time of liposuction. After all, how many of us have time to take time off of work to heal?

Neither TruSculpt iD nor CoolSculpting require recovery time. You can return to work and your other daily activities right away.

However, after a CoolSculpting treatment, the applicator leaves the treatment area feeling and looking like a firm, cold rectangle. It may not be visible under clothing, but you wouldn’t want to hit the beach in the days after your procedure. Immediately after a treatment, this area is vigorously massaged.

Total Time

In a perfect world, you’d be able to snap your fingers and have the exact body contours you want. Nonsurgical fat reduction gives you some contouring power but it doesn’t happen in an instant.

Both TruSculpt iD and CoolSculpting use your body’s natural waste removal system to get rid of the treated fat cells. This process is far easier on your body than liposuction, but it takes time.

For both procedures, results start to appear after approximately six weeks (this varies from patient to patient). You’ll see most of your results within three months, but they can keep improving for six months.

These treatments are also similar in terms of the number of treatments they require. Most patients will get their ideal results in either one or two sessions.

Customizability

The reason you’re considering body contouring instead of spending more time at the gym is for control. During weight loss, you don’t get to choose where you lose fat. Body contouring focuses on specific areas to contour.

Between TruSculpt iD and CoolSculpting, TruSculpt iD is more customizable.

Maybe one “love handle” is bigger than the other or you have a larger lump of fat in one part of your abdomen. A TruSculpt provider will be able to accommodate those adjustments.

CoolSculpting is more rigid. There are two sizes of CoolSculpting applicators, and that’s it. The provider isn’t able to put more focus on one part of your treatment area over another.

Still, both procedures have various settings the provider can use. They can adjust the intensity up or down so you get the best results while staying comfortable.

Final Results

At the end of the day, every body contouring patient is in it for the results. You want the procedure to be comfortable and quick, but your top priority is the result.

In that department, TruSculpt iD and CoolSculpting are the same statistically. They each remove on average 25% of the fat cells in the treatment area with every session.

Keep in mind that everyone’s body is unique and could respond in different ways. If you tried CoolSculpting and weren’t satisfied, your body may respond better to TruSculpt iD.

It’s also important to remember the intention of these procedures. Neither TruSculpt iD nor CoolSculpting is meant as a substitute for weight loss.

They’re meant for people who are healthy but want to adjust the proportions of their bodies or get rid of stubborn bulges.

Safety

Body contouring is a cosmetic medical procedure, but it’s still a medical procedure. As with any treatment, it’s important to be proactive about your safety.

Both TruSculpt iD and CoolSculpting have exceptional track records for safety. They’re both FDA-approved as safe and effective.

However, your provider will play a role in the treatment’s safety too. Make sure you choose a body contouring provider who has the expertise to find the right settings and control the procedure well.

Remember that because TruSculpt iD uses hands-free applicators, it means your provider will be with you at all times. With CoolSculpting, some providers will get the applicator in place and exit the room for periods of time. Because of this, patients often feel safer with TruSculpt iD as their provider is with them at all times.

Cost

As much as we all want to look our best, how do you know if it’s in the budget?

For TruSculpt iD and CoolSculpting, prices vary. Your cost will depend on your location, your provider’s experience, the areas you’re treating, and more.

This is why every body contouring experience should start with a consultation. It’s a chance for you to learn about the procedure, ask any questions you have, find out the price for your goals, and make sure the treatment is a good fit for you.

With that in mind, the cosmetic treatment review site RealSelf lists a similar average price for TruSculpt iD and CoolSculpting. The TruSculpt iD price is on the site is over $100 lower than CoolSculpting, though each patient’s cost will vary.

Patient Reviews

As we mentioned above, every person is unique and each body responds to procedures in its own way. That’s why so many medical conditions have a variety of treatment options: because the same thing doesn’t work for every patient.

As a result, no one can 100% predict what your body contouring results will be. Still, we can get a close estimate by looking at how successful the procedure has been for others.

While we can attest that our TruSculpt iD patients have a fantastic track record of strong results, we want to look at a larger group. For that, we turn to the RealSelf site again.

On this site, 79% of CoolSculpting reviews say they’re satisfied with their results, compared to 100% of TruSculpt iD reviewers.

Making Your Choice

Not to add to your stress, but choosing the right body contouring procedure is important. You want to get the best results you can for your cost, and more importantly, you want to start feeling confident in your appearance as soon as you can.

The comparison above can help you decide between TruSculpt iD vs CoolSculpt, so you can hit the beach looking great in no time.