Summer's Bare Facts: New Survey Finds That 88 Percent of

PLEASANTON, CA--(Marketwired - Jun 25, 2014) - Summer months bring sunshine, outdoor activities and the pressure for many women to break out their bikinis. A recent Wakefield Research survey ¹ , commissioned by ZELTIQ ^® Aesthetics, Inc. ( NASDAQ : ZLTQ ) (the makers of the CoolSculpting ^® system) found that 88 percent of women would like to improve one area of their body before they consider themselves "bikini ready." Even for women who are in shape and leading healthy lifestyles, the survey found that many still have "problem areas" that they would like to improve. Seventy-four percent of women felt their abdomen was a trouble spot and 54 percent cited their thighs.

"As the weather gets warmer, we see an increase in motivation to get in shape or slim down in order to look better in lighter clothing, including bathing suits," said Grant Stevens, MD, FACS, founder and medical director of Marina Plastic Surgery. "Many of the women we see in our practice are leading healthy lifestyles, but still have 'trouble spots' that they feel need improvement. For these individuals, we often recommend a procedure like CoolSculpting, which is a non-invasive treatment that targets underlying fat pockets without surgery or downtime."

Getting ready for summer -- and preparing to slip into a bikini for the first time -- can be an intimidating process for women. The Wakefield "Summer's Bare Facts" survey found that approximately 78 percent of women would be unwilling to post a photo of themselves in a bikini as their social media profile. In addition, the results of the survey showed that American women think about fixing or bettering their bodies approximately seven times per day.

The CoolSculpting procedure was developed by Harvard scientists and is based on the science of Cryolipolysis ^® , a process demonstrating that when fat cells are exposed to extreme cold, they die and are eliminated naturally from the body. Fat cells treated and eliminated by the procedure are gone for good, and patients can expect long-lasting results. The CoolSculpting procedure is noninvasive, requiring no surgery or downtime. Many patients read, check email, or even nap during their session. 

The CoolSculpting procedure received its latest FDA clearance to treat the outer and inner thighs, in addition to its other clearances for the flank (love handles) and abdomen. This means that three of the most common problem areas can now be treated by the CoolSculpting procedure, the only cold-based fat reduction procedure cleared by the FDA. More than one million CoolSculpting treatments have been performed worldwide.

The "Summer's Bare Facts" survey polled 500 U.S. women aged 18 years and older between May 1 and May 8, 2014. Additional survey results are as follows:

• Body Blues: Eighty-eight percent of women believe there is one or more area of their body that needs improving before they are "bikini ready:"
  • Abdomen (74%)
  • Thighs (54%)
  • Flank/love handles (44%)
  • Butts (38%)
  • Arms (37%)
• Goodbye Thighs: Sixty-three percent of women have used various "thigh-hiding" tactics before -- including keeping shorts over their bathing suits (30%), refusing to wear a bathing suit (29%), buying a specific bathing suit that hides their thighs (25%) or refusing to wear shorts at all (22%).
  • Among those who employ "thigh-hiding" techniques, 89 percent agree that even while hiding their thighs, they do not feel the best about their appearance.
• "I'm Stuck:" Fifty-eight percent of women feel stuck with their body type and 48 percent of women do not believe that their body reflects their diet and exercise regime.

The CoolSculpting procedure results in a noticeable and measurable reduction of fat in the treated areas, and the treated fat is gone for good. Most patients can start to see results as soon as three weeks following treatment, with the most dramatic results occurring over a period of one to three months. Every patient is unique, so patients are encouraged to talk to their physicians about a customized treatment plan as part of the initial consultation. Additional treatments in the same or multiple areas may enhance the desired aesthetic effect. 

The CoolSculpting procedure is available through an elite network of CoolSculpting Centers worldwide. Dermatologists, plastic surgeons and leading aesthetic specialists that offer the procedure can be found at www.coolsculpting.com .

About the CoolSculpting ^® Procedure The CoolSculpting procedure is a non-surgical, clinically proven procedure that selectively reduces fat bulges in problem areas using a patented cooling technology. Cleared by the FDA for noninvasive fat reduction in the abdomen, flank and thighs, it gently cools unwanted fat cells in the body to induce a natural, controlled elimination of fat cells without harming surrounding tissue, and the treated fat cells are gone for good. More than 1,000,000 CoolSculpting treatments have been performed in over 60 countries around the world. The CoolSculpting procedure is available through an elite network of CoolSculpting Centers worldwide. Dermatologists, plastic surgeons and leading aesthetic specialists that offer the CoolSculpting procedure can be found at www.coolsculpting.com . Be sure to follow CoolSculpting on  Facebook , Twitter , Pinterest and YouTube .

About ZELTIQ ^® Aesthetics, Inc. ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. ( NASDAQ : ZLTQ ) is a medical technology company focused on developing and commercializing products utilizing its proprietary controlled-cooling technology platform. ZELTIQ's first commercial product, the CoolSculpting system, is designed to selectively reduce stubborn fat that may not respond to diet or exercise. The CoolSculpting procedure is based on the scientific principle that fat cells are more sensitive to cold than the overlying skin and surrounding tissues. It utilizes patented technology of precisely controlled cooling to reduce the temperature of fat cells in the treated area, which is intended to cause fat cell elimination through a natural biological process known as apoptosis. ZELTIQ developed the CoolSculpting procedure to safely, noticeably, and measurably reduce the fat layer.

¹ The CoolSculpting Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research ( www.wakefieldresearch.com ) among 500 U.S. women ages 18+, between May 1st and May 8th, 2014, using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas have been set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of U.S. women ages 18+.

Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 4.4 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.