You’re SO excited thinking about freezing off that stubborn belly fat you’ve had for years. You can’t wait for it to be gone.
But, you’re not excited about everything that comes with Coolsculpting. Part of you is worried about the procedure. Freezing your fat HAS to hurt, right?
This guide walks you through everything that happens during the Coolsculpting procedure and lets you know if there is any pain associated with the procedure.
Coolsculpting Pain: Does The Procedure Hurt?
The short answer? It depends.
We’ve seen a lot of Coolsculpting patients and we’d argue that 99% of people that get a Coolsculpting procedure say it an be “a little uncomfortable” due to the fact that the applicator is cold, but they would not say that the procedure is “painful.”
Here’s why we do not say that Coolsculpting will never be painful:
People have different pain tolerances. To most people, Coolsculpting may not be painful at all. But there may be a small percentage of people who have very low pain tolerances and may associate the cold sensation of Coolsculpting with pain.
Below are real-life examples (thespotlyte.com) of how people describe what Coolsculpting feels like:
Here’s what the first person had to say: “From a scale of one to ten, the pain I felt was at a two.”
Here’s what the second person had to say: “I literally barely felt anything except for an icy-cold feeling on all three areas — [love handles, inner thighs, and lower abdomen] — during the CoolSculpting treatment. There was [very little] pain for me,”
Is Coolsculpting Dangerous?
Coolsculpting is not dangerous.
Here’s some data that proves exactly why Coolsculpting is not dangerous:
The FDA Has Approved CoolSculpting
First, Coolsculpting had to be cleared by the FDA in order to be legally allowed. The FDA, as a government agency, had to spend time, resources, and energy investigating the safety of the procedure.
After consulting with scientists and doctors, the FDA gave Coolsculpting its full stamp of approval.
Independent Clinical Studies Have Determined That Coolsculpting Is Safe
The Aesthetic Surgery Journal, after comprehensive research, concluded that:
“Cryolipolysis [Coolsculpting] has been shown to be a safe and effective noninvasive procedure for the reduction of localized subcutaneous fat.”
Can Coolsculpting Cause Nerve Damage?
No, Coolsculpting cannot cause nerve damage when being done by a trained & licensed medical professional.
Medical News Today consulted all 319+ pieces of medical literature and determined that Coolsculpting cannot cause nerve damage.
Here’s what they have to say:
“CoolSculpting is generally viewed as a safer, non-invasive type of fat reduction surgery than traditional procedures, such as liposuction.”
Coolsculpting Side Effects
As with any procedure, there are potential side effects that need to be considered.
Coolsculpting has some immediate side effects but for most people, these side effects are temporary and only last 24-48 hours.
Here are some of the potential side effects of Coolsculpting:
- Redness
- Itchiness
- Swelling
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Tenderness
- Minor Bruising
- Minor Pain
- And more
What To Do Before Coolsculpting To Make It As Easy As Possible
The great thing about Coolsculpting is that it doesn’t require much preparation at all.
There are things that we recommend you do before your treatment to make it as easy and effective as possible, but there is nothing required of you.
You can show up for your treatment without doing anything and be totally fine!
Here are some things we recommend doing before your treatment:
- Eat healthy foods and get some exercise: We stress that Coolsculpting is NOT a weight loss procedure – it’s a fat-freezing procedure and a fat-reduction procedure. By getting into healthy habits, your Coolsculpting results will be that much more impressive!
- Avoid aspirin or other blood thinners (that aren’t medically prescribed) before your procedure: There’s a chance that the suction from the Coolsculpting applicator can cause some bruising. By avoiding blood thinners before your procedure, you’ll minimize the amount of bruising.
- Get some rest and relaxation: As with any procedure, Coolsculpting can induce stress on your body. We are freezing your fat so your body will immediately try to heal the afflicted area. By getting enough sleep and rest, your body will be primed for recovery.
What To Do After Coolsculpting:
Again, the great thing about Coolsculpting is that it doesn’t require much post-procedure work on your part.
You could walk out of the medical spa and go about your daily routine without having to worry about anything!
There are things that we recommend you do after treatment if you want to take full advantage of the procedure.
Here are some things we recommend doing before your treatment:
Eat healthy and get active: Remember, Coolsculpting will not eliminate your fat forever. If, after your procedure, your diet worsens and you get less exercise than you normally do, then there’s a chance the fat can come back. So, get into the habit of creating healthy routines.