My Experience with CoolSculpting

I mentioned a few months ago that I was going to try something completely different for me! Through a sponsorship relationship, I underwent CoolSculpting®.

I was a little skeptical!

My CoolSculpting Experience

In early July (3 months ago), I went to a local physician’s office to undergo the first treatment based on the assessment I had done a week or so earlier.

It was the recommendation of the staff that I tried a total of 6 cycles with the first 4 being completed on that first treatment day.

What is a CoolSculpting Cycle?

I am sure there are fancy and more official ways to describe this, but basically a cycle is a 1 hour treatment on a specific area.

The first thing that is done is before pictures are taken and then the area is marked to make sure the cycles are completed in the desired areas.

The cycles are completed one at a time with the following steps:

Wet mesh cloth-like material that is a rectangular shape about 3 inches x 8 inches is placed on the area to be treated. It is cold! Brrrr…!
A medical device that is a deep, slightly smaller rectangle at its base is placed on the material.
When turned on, it is like a vacuum. My stomach was sucked into the device resulting in a strong pulling feeling.
The first 10 minutes is the most uncomfortable because once the fat is sucked in, the machine starts to freeze it. Once 10 minutes is completed, the area is numb with cold.
Continue for another 50 minutes or so.
When the machine is turned off, the “vacuum seal” is dislodged and the tissue slides out.
Then the area is massaged or use of a device that I can only describe as a small jackhammer is used to further break up the fat tissue. This last for a few minutes, but because I was still numb from the cold, it really is just a weird sensation – not painful.

To understand better what was happening, this is from CoolSculpting:

During the CoolSculpting procedure, non-invasive applicators deliver precisely controlled cooling to the treatment area to specifically target underlying fat, leaving surface skin and other surrounding tissue unaffected.

If more than one cycle is being done in that treatment, then the process will be repeated. Add a few minutes for a bathroom break and walking around pause in between cycles.

I took my computer to work, but realized that I wasn’t being very productive and just caught up on some of my Netflix binge watching instead.

When the cycles are over, my stomach was a little swollen and felt sensitive. The swelling decreased over the next week and the sensitivity decreased as well. On about day 8, the swelling and sensitivity was completed and I was left with a numbness-feeling that lasted for about 6 weeks. It wasn’t uncomfortable. It was just there for awhile and then resolved completely.

Seeing Results from CoolSculpting

The results from CoolSculpting gradually happen over time. In fact, it may be up to 3 months before the full benefits are seen. Because of this, it is something that you don’t notice everyday, but you notice after not thinking about it for awhile!

My husband was the first to comment on it. He mentioned it one morning about 6 weeks after the procedure saying that it had really worked.

I noticed that I was more comfortable wearing clothes that were tighter across my waist and that I willingly put on a swimming suit that exposed my stomach. That is something that I haven’t done for several years!

This is from CoolSculpting about typical results:

Following the CoolSculpting procedure, patients typically see a 20-25 percent reduction of fat in the treated area, with results as early as three weeks. The most dramatic results are typically observed 1-3 months after treatment.

By the time I returned for my after pictures from the first treatment, it was obvious that CoolSculpting had made a difference. My weight was within a pound of my previous visit, but my tummy was flatter.

Oh lordy! Posting pictures of my stomach on the internet is a bit nerve-wrecking!

The cool thing is that I see that difference everyday. I also underwent two more cycles at that appointment – one above my belly button and one below – so my results in 3 more months will be even better.

Does CoolSculpting Work?

That was my initial concern, but after going through it and not changing anything in my diet or exercise routine, I can say, yes.

I love seeing the before & after pictures of others. Here are two:

CoolSculpting is not a weight loss program, but for people like me who are close to their desired weight, it can make a visible difference in areas of concern.