Comparison

CoolSculpting vs CoolSculpting Elite

Elite is the newer machine: C-shaped applicators, more coverage, two areas at once. Same freezing, same timeline, same risks as the original.
Written & medically reviewed by the Dermapedia team
At a Glance

Elite is the newer machine, and it is the one to pick if the price is the same. Its applicators hug the body better and it can treat two areas at once, so the same plan takes fewer, shorter appointments. The original machine is not a worse treatment. It freezes fat the same way, on the same timeline, with the same risks. This is a hardware upgrade, not a new idea, so do not pay a lot extra for the badge.

CoolSculpting
Also called CoolSculpting Legacy, original CoolSculpting, cryolipolysis
CoolSculpting Elite
Also called CoolSculpting Elite, Elite applicators, cryolipolysis

How it works

Freezes fat cells in a fold
Freezes fat cells in a fold
Both
Both are cryolipolysis. A cup suctions in a fold of fat and holds it cold until the fat cells are damaged, and your body clears them over the following weeks.

The applicator shape

U-shaped cups

The tissue drawn in does not always fill the cup, so the edges are the part that misses.

C-shaped cups

The redesigned shape sits against more of the fold, so more of the fat drawn in gets treated.

How much it covers

One area at a time
More surface area, and two at once

Two applicators can run together, which is what shortens the appointment.

Time in the chair

Longer, because areas are queued
Roughly half, for the same plan
Both
Neither machine changes how long the result takes to appear. Only the appointment gets shorter.

What it feels like

A hard pull, then deep cold
The same, usually a bit easier

The closer fit spreads the pull, and people tend to report the newer cups as more comfortable.

When you see it

Six to twelve weeks
Six to twelve weeks
Both
Both are slow. Nothing looks different when you walk out, and most people need more than one round per area.

Main risk

Fat can rarely grow instead
Fat can rarely grow instead
Both
Paradoxical adipose hyperplasia affects about 0.22% of people, roughly 1 in 455. Months later the treated area becomes firmer and larger rather than smaller, and liposuction is how it is corrected. The risk is the same on both machines.

Everyday side effects

Redness, swelling, numbness
Redness, swelling, numbness
Both
Also bruising, tingling and a firm, tender feeling. Most settles within two weeks, though numbness can last several weeks longer.

Cost

Priced per cycle, sometimes cheaper
Priced per cycle, often the same
Both
Both are quoted per cycle, and a plan uses several. Compare the total for the whole plan rather than the price of one cycle.

Who each suits

Best for
Anyone offered it at a clear discount.
The mindset
You do not mind a longer appointment for a lower total.
Best for
Larger areas, or two areas treated in one visit.
The mindset
You want fewer trips to the clinic.

What actually changed

The applicators were redesigned: The old cups are U-shaped; the new ones are C-shaped and sit closer to the curve of the body. More of the fat pulled into the cup is in contact with the cooling surface.

Each cycle covers more ground: That matters most on wide areas like the stomach and flanks, where the old machine needed the applicator moved and repeated.

Two applicators can run at the same time: A plan that took two long visits can often be done in one shorter one.

None of that changes what the cold is doing: The fat cell is damaged the same way on both machines. The newer one simply gets more of the fold into contact with the cooling plate, and gets through the plan faster.

What did not change

The cold does the same thing: Both machines damage fat cells with controlled cooling, and your body clears them over weeks.

The timeline is identical: Six weeks before you see much, twelve weeks for the full change, on either machine.

The risks are identical: The same everyday side effects, and the same rare chance of fat growing in the treated area instead.

How to use this when you are quoted

Ask which machine the clinic owns: Many still run the older system, and many run both.

Ask how many cycles your plan needs on that machine: This is the number that decides the bill, and it is where the newer applicators can save you money.

Compare total plans, not single cycles: A cheaper cycle on the older machine can still add up to more if it takes more cycles to cover the same area.

And be wary of paying a premium for the word Elite: It is a better tool for the person using it, and it can save you time. It is not a different treatment, and it does not promise you a different result.

Before you book

Ask for the total number of cycles and the total price, in writing.

Ask who operates the machine and how often they do it.

Ask for photos of your treatment area, taken at the same clinic.

Ask what they do if you see no change at twelve weeks.

Related

Questions people ask

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What is the difference between CoolSculpting and CoolSculpting Elite?Elite is the newer version of the same machine. Its applicators are C-shaped instead of U-shaped, they cover more surface area, and two can run at once, so appointments are shorter.
Does Elite give better results?It treats more of the fat drawn into the cup, which can mean fewer cycles for the same area. The way it works and how long results take are the same.
Is the older machine outdated?No. It uses the same controlled cooling and carries the same risks. It just takes longer to cover the same ground.
Is Elite more comfortable?Usually a little. The closer-fitting cups spread the suction across more of the fold.
Is Elite more expensive?Both are priced per cycle, and prices are often similar. Compare the total cost of the whole plan, since the newer applicators may need fewer cycles.
Do both carry the risk of fat growing back thicker?Yes, equally. Paradoxical adipose hyperplasia affects about 0.22% of people, roughly 1 in 455, on either machine.