If you’re still worried about that post-pregnancy pouch around your midsection or want to get rid of love handles in the upcoming year, you might not need to have liposuction to get rid of those extra inches. Zeltiq CoolSculpting, an innovative non-surgical procedure that freezes fat cells until they die off, is expected to be among the most popular plastic surgery procedures in 2012. This procedure slowly gained momentum in 2010 and 2011 and is now available at dozens of cosmetic surgery centers around the United States.

Unlike liposuction, Zeltiq works from the outside and doesn’t require the surgeon to make a single incision. This device is simply placed over the tissues and left there for about an hour to freeze the fat cells sitting under the skin. Once the fat cells are frozen to a certain temperature, they simply die and the body flushes them away naturally. Patients undergoing this procedure need to be in good health and commit to a healthy lifestyle. Just like liposuction, Zeltiq isn’t a quick-fix procedure because it still requires patients to work out regularly and eat a healthy diet. Results aren’t immediate – most patients need to wait at least three months to see full results – and the device is only able to reduce body fat by about 20 to 40 percent with each session.

Still, it’s gaining popularity around the country and may be your best bet for getting rid of those stubborn inches in your trouble areas. You can take a look at some of these Zeltiq before and after photos to see how effective this treatment is on patients with similar goals as you.