Coolsculpting has minimal pain, bruising, downtime, and risks. I had the procedure 1 month ago. The actual cool sculpting treatment was very pleasant with no pain and only slight pressure.
Once removed the massaging took place and my love handles were somewhat tender.
Over the next 3 weeks the love handles did not hurt but were tender to touch/any kind of pressure.
Motrin helped and so did heat. I never had any other problems. Some patients complain of nausea with the abdominal area.
Coolsculpting has been around about 5 years. (Kurtis Martin, MD, Cincinnati Plastic Surgeon)
CoolSculpting pain and risks
CoolSculpting can cause some discomfort, but most people find the procedure tolerable. The first 5-10 minutes can be the most uncomfortable as the skin gets extremely cold. After several minutes, it usually becomes numb and you will feel suction and pressure on the area being treated.
Usually people don’t describe this as pain. Many people find that the massage immediately after the treatment is to most uncomfortable portion of the treatment. This part lasts only a couple of minutes as the treated area begins to warm up again.
Coolsculpting can cause bruising, but it is normally minimal and temporary. The most reported symptoms post treatment are soreness, numbness, tingling, and itching. People have reported nerve pain occasionally, and this has been found to be more prevalent when the larger applicator is used.
There is a medication called Neurontin that can be used to treat that pain. The procedure is noninvasive and there is no downtime, so the risks and complications are reduced. You can return to your normal routine with minimal discomfort. (Steven H. Williams, MD, San Francisco Plastic Surgeon)
Coolsculpting treatment and risks
Cool sculpting isn’t painful to most. About 15% find it painful. Bruising is sporadic. If you bruise easily, you’ll probably bruise. Complications are rare. Much safer than surgery. It’s been studied for surgery and efficacy. (Daryl K. Hoffman, MD, San Jose Plastic Surgeon)
CoolSculpting Risks…and Benefits!!!
CoolSculpting by Zeltiq has been FDA approved since 2010. Each treatment can lead to a 20 – 25% reduction in fat in the area treated. Multiple treatments can be performed in the same area but I suggest that you wait at least 2 months before undergoing a second treatment.
The beauty of the treatment is that the risks are minimal and there is essentially no downtime!! Some patients can get some bruising because of the suction but this is temporary and usually goes away in a week.
Other temporary complaints include numbness in the skin treated and ache in the area of treatment. These are temporary as well and the ache can be easily treated with Advil. The suction and temperature are not controlled by the doctor..this is controlled by the device.
Because the larger handpiece has more suction, it may be slightly more painful at the beginning of the treatment than the small one, but subsides in 5-10 minutes. While it will not provide the fat reduction that is seen in liposuction, there is nothing else that can reduce fat, is FDA approved and has no downtime.
It is perfect for the person who does not want an invasive procedure. (Louis C. Cutolo, Jr., MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon)
Is CoolSculpting Painful?
CoolSculpting has a very high acceptance rate amongst patients and doctors. It advantages are that it does not require any sugery, incisions, anesthesia, needles or downtime. The risks are minimal and include some transient minor bruising.
Most commonly patients may experience some mild discomfort after the procedure which generally subsides in 1-2 weeks. Its unusual for patients to have significant pain after the procedure but in all cases to date in which it has happened the pain seems to subside within one months time.
Regarding the larger applicator, it would seem intuitive that it would entail a larger risk of post procedural pain but a recent study I saw stated that the use of the larger applicator was not associated with greater incidence of post procedural pain. (Ted Brezel, MD, Long Island Dermatologic Surgeon)
Some side effects include but are not limitied to: bruising, which can occur from the suction, like a hickey it goes away by itself in one to three weeks usually.
Some skin sensitivity or numbness can occur. Most patients feel some pulling and discomfort only for the first 10 minutes while the applicator is placed. Once removed, where the massaging took place, the area can be somewhat tender.
The beauty of the treatment is that the risks are minimal and there is essentially no downtime! (Arthur M. Cambeiro, MD, Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon)
Risks with CoolSculpting
During the initial few minutes of your CoolSculpting treatment, some pain can be expected. Our patients have rated the initial suction of the hand piece followed by a cold burning sensation as mild to moderate pain.
The Coolsculpting Procedure May Be Slightly Uncomfortable
This pain will diminish once the area is numb, normally within 6-10 minutes after the treatment has begun. After treatment, numbness, tenderness to the touch, swelling, bruising, itching and burning can be expected. These side effects are easily managed with OTC pain medications, compression garments, or ice.
Occasionally, late onset pain may occur 3-5 days post treatment and subside within 5-7 days. This has been described as prickly, stabbing pain, normally in the abdomen. Ask your doctor how you can manage late onset pain. (David L. Robbins, MD, FACS, West Des Moines Plastic Surgeon)
Pain, Bruising, Risks
Zeltiq does not cause permanent nerve damage usually. While some temporary nerve pain from inflammation can occur, normal sensation occurs within 2 weeks. Bruising is rare, but can occur with improper placement. Suction pressure can be controlled by the doctor but there is a standard protocol.
There is no pre-treatment care, and post treatment protocols vary by area. (Maiysha Clairborne, MD , Atlanta Family Physician)
CoolSculpting – How it feels before and after
When the Coolsculpting applicator is initially applied it may feel uncomfortable. There is a tugging and pulling sensation which will lessen after the first five to ten minutes. At that point, the area of treatment is numb and comfortable.
Zeltiq CoolSculpting – Pain, Bruising, Risks?
Cool sculpting is a non-invasive method to reduce unwanted fat . There is some initial discomfort with the application of the suction device but that disappears within about one minute after application. We have been doing cool sculpting in our practice for the past two years and have seen no significant complications from the procedure.
It is approved by the FDA and has many clinical studies which demonstrate its safety and effectiveness. See a board certifed plastic surgeon for a consultation and treatment plan. (Richard Chaffoo, MD, FACS, San Diego Plastic Surgeon)
Following the treatment, there may be redness, bruising and swelling in the area. This can last for up to two weeks. Clients may also experience late onset pain 3-5 days following the procedure. This is nerve pain and may last 2-3 days.
It goes away as quickly as it comes. (Shehla Ebrahim, MD, Vancouver Physician)