How soon to start CoolSculpting depends on whether you are breastfeeding and also your original body size and how much weight was gained from the pregnancy.
In general, I suggest that postpartum patients take 6-8 weeks to get back or close to their pre-pregnancy body before starting body contouring procedures.
Sometimes stretch marks will look better once the tummy fat has decreased but if the red color is bothering you now, you could have IPL done to decrease the redness and help the skin to look more like its natural color. (Mary Beth Mudd, MD, Columbus Physician)
Coolsculpting after pregnancy
I would recommend waiting at least 3-6 months after pregnancy for your body to adjust. Coolsculpting is also not recommended if you are currently breastfeeding. Treating areas that have stretch marks can be a little unpredictable.
Beat The Post-Baby Bulge With CoolSculpting
It depends how badly your skin was stretched and what the remaining skin elasticity is like. If there is very little skin elasticity, then I think Coolsculpting may actually make the area look worse. However, if your goal is to debulk the area then this might be all you need.
The ultimate treatment for loose skin and stretch marks after a baby is really a tummy tuck. This not only gets rid of the stretched out skin, but it can also help tighten your abdominal muscles.
I would recommend a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon to really discuss your options in detail. (Josh Waltzman, MD, MBA, Long Beach Plastic Surgeon)
Post Partum Striae; Englewood cliffs nj
The key to timing treatment after pregnancy for stretch marks is whether you are breastfeeding. Most of the topical treatments are not permissible if you are breastfeeding. If the stretch marks are red, tretinoin and glycolic acid are helpful.
However, they are not approved for mothers who are breastfeeding. Should these not work, fractionated laser or microdermabrasion can be performed. Most of the time, fractionated laser is performed with a topical anesthetic. It’s the topical anesthetic that can’t be used during breastfeeding.
Micro-needling can be performed with and without topical anesthetic so it’s probably your best choice if you are breastfeeding. (Jeffrey Rapaport, MD, Englewood Dermatologic Surgeon)
Coolsculpting will not improve stretch marks
Here is what you need to know:
- Coolsculpting definitely works and it is definitely safe
- Whether or not Coolsculpting is best for you would depend on the findings of a careful exam
- Coolsculpting safely eliminates fat- and can lead to a bit of skin contraction- but not a lot
- There is no reason to believe that Coolsculpting would improve the appearance of stretch marks, and it may make them appear more visible as the skin will be further decompressed with the elimination of the fat.
The only way to know for sure what your options are, and whether or not Coolsculpting is reasonable or recommended for you, is to visit a good surgeon (education, training, outcomes, safety record) near you. (Armando Soto, MD, FACS, Orlando Plastic Surgeon)
Post Pregnancy CoolSculpting
Wait a year for CoolSculpting in an area where a surgery, such as C-Section, has been done to allow for good healing and minimize risks associated with the procedure.
Regarding areas remote from the surgery such as your thighs three months would be fine to proceed with the treatment. Your body would have returned to its normal pre-pregnancy physiology and would allow you time to get as close to your ideal weight as possible. (Paul Pietro, MD, Greenville Physician)
As a general rule, we inform our clients to wait until they are done breastfeeding before they consider any aesthetic treatment. Choosing a provider that is highly experienced is very important, especially on the thigh area where the applicator placement is extra important.
I’d recommend that you consult with a few Certified Coolsculpting providers before you make a decision. (Douglas Halliday, PhD, MD , Syracuse Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Coolsculpting or tummy tuck?
Pregnancies can cause our bodies to change in many ways. Unfortunately coolsculpting will not give you that flat pre baby stomach you are looking for. You have skin elasticity from being stretched and the diastasis which is your abdominal muscles could be brought back together with a tummy tuck.
However be sure you are done having babies before you go threw with a tummy tuck. Keep in mind even through you may not be a good candidate for coolsculpting to the abdomen. Coolsculpting is a great non invasive device that could be used to other body areas. (Brian K. Reedy, MD, Reading Plastic Surgeon)
Cool Sculpting Following Twins
Following pregnancy with twins it is often difficult on the abdomen skin and laxity. Although not physically present to examine you please make sure that you go to a board certified Plastic Surgeon for an evaluation rather than Cool Sculpting. (Robert Heck, MD, FACS, Columbus Plastic Surgeon)
The fat cells are eliminated though the blood stream. We have been performing Coolsculpting procedure for over 2 years on hundreds of patients. We have achieved excellent results and not seen any permanent side effects. Yes, you can get very impressive results with Coolsculpting.
It is also depends on the individual person and on how many applications you will receive and how many you “need.”. (Joshua L. Fox, MD, Long Island Dermatologic Surgeon)
It is impossible to say what is the best treatment for you without an exam. Coolsculpting is like liposuction in that it simply removes fat. It does not tighten or remove skin.
If loose skin is a component of your problem, a tummy tuck may be a better procedure for you. Be sure to see a board certified plastic surgeon for a consultation to discuss your particular need. (Janet Woodyard, MD, Baltimore Plastic Surgeon)
Coolsculpting works on fat cells by using cryo ( or freezing) technology to kill the cell. Therefore fat cells are necessary for the procedure to work. It does not work on the skin, nor does it work on the fat around the organs ( visceral fat).
The great thing about coolsculpting is that a in depth consult is done before any procedure is done, as well as what to expect from your treatment. (Jeffrey Goldstein, DO, New York Physician)
If the overhang is skin than a more invasive procedure such as a tummy tuck maybe necessary . If you just have fatty tissue then Coolsculpting or liposuction maybe possible.
Coolsculpting works best on bulges of fat, not skin. (Drew Varano, MD, Washington DC Physician)
An in-person consultation is best for determining if you are an ideal candidate. The coolsculpting procedure requires you to have pinchable fat and little loose skin as it does not work in tightening your skin.
Please see a board certified plastic surgeon for an in-person consultation. (Martin Jugenburg, MD, Toronto Plastic Surgeon)
Coolsculpting will only remove fat from the area, but if there is excess skin it will worsen the appearance of that laxity. (Michelle Ellern, DO, Livingston Physician)
Coolsculpting reduces fat in particular areas of the body. It does not improve hanging skin. The only treatment for hanging skin is to have it surgically removed. I would consult with a board certified plastic surgeon for more specific details on procedures and costs. (Jeffrey B. Wise, MD, FACS, Wayne Facial Plastic Surgeon)
CoolSculpting vs Tummy Tuck following pregnancy
CoolSculpting (CS) excels at non-surgical fat reduction. It is limited to the size of each applicator and skin shrinking should not be expected (but occurs in some people). CS will not tighten your tummy corset or remove any skin laxity although it will thin the fat under the skin by up to 20%.
If you are trying to regain your pre-pregnancy appearance, CS will not help you significantly. I would recommend you consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who performs both, CS and Tummy Tuck (TT). (Dean P. Kane, MD, FACS, Baltimore Plastic Surgeon)
Coolsculpting or tummy tuck
So, you have to determine what you want after any procedure. If you want the flat abdomen with the muscles tightened etc, then you need a tummy tuck.
The spreading of your muscles (diastasis) cannot be improved with CoolSculpt. They would need to be pulled together in the midline and most all of the tissue between your naval and lower into your pubic hair would be removed.
The upper abdominal tissue is “redraped” and the belly button “repopped” at its present position. Coolsculpt can help diminish the fatty tissue of the abdomen but cannot approach the results with a tummy tuck.
Something to consider. So, you have to determine what goals you want. CoolSculpt will certainly help diminish your fatty tissue (in most cases) but the tummy tuck would take it away and flatten your abdomen.
(washboard would not be the objective….but you can work on that if the muscles are brought back together). (Steven M. Lynch, MD, Albany Plastic Surgeon)
If there is a good amount of fat still there then Coolsculpting can definitely help make you look better.
A tummy tuck is the ultimate solution for a diastasis but it is an invasive surgery with a significant recovery. (Michele S. Green, MD, New York Dermatologist)
Each CoolSculpting treatment will give you about 20-25% reduction. You would need to be examined in-person to see how much loose skin you have.
If you have a diastasis recti CoolSculpting would not help that, whereas a tummy tuck would. There are pros and cons to each procedure including risks, downtime, cost, etc. I would consult with a physician that offers both treatments to see which is more appropriate for you. (Michael A. Zadeh, MD, FACS, Sherman Oaks General Surgeon)
Coolsculpting should decrease the thickness of the layer of fat under your abdominal skin, but likely will not do much to tighten skin and certainly won’t tighten your abdominal wall.
If you like the look you get when you “suck it in”, (you are actually tightening up your abdominal muscles and fascia ), you may need to consider the tummy tuck. Coolsculpting wil not improve the tightness of your abdominal wall.
Tummy tuck can give you an “internal corset” from the tightening, as well as removing extra loose skin and fat. Of course, there’s a lot more recovery with a tummy tuck. I’d recommend that you see an experienced plastic surgeon who also does Coolsculpting.
S/he can talk to you about the pros and cons of each treatment in your particular case. The results are not equivalent, so it’s important that you consider your goals and understand what each option can and can’t do for you.-. (Susan MacLennan, MD, Calgary Plastic Surgeon)
Coolsculpting after Full Term Pregnancies
Coolsculpting will only work on fat. After having two full term pregnancies you appear to have muscle laxity. If you had Coolsculpting it would only partially correct your problem. If you are finished having children, see a board certified Plastic Surgeon to see about an abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck).
This would give you the best result. (Scott R. Brundage, MD, Grand Rapids Plastic Surgeon)
Coolsculpting treats the layer of fat above the abdomen. Coolsculpting won’t be able to get rid of this projection which may not give you satisfactory results. Please consult with a board certified plastic surgeon. (Martin Jugenburg, MD, Toronto Plastic Surgeon)