Many women and men are interested in body contouring procedures such as CoolSculpting® to slim those stubborn areas of fat that don’t respond to diet and exercise. If you haven’t tried CoolSculpting at our Toledo practice before, you may be unsure about the treatment and all that it entails. Rest assured that CoolSculpting is a pretty straightforward noninvasive, nonsurgical procedure that can help trim your midsection, arms, thighs, flanks, and double chin.
In this blog post, we’ll explain what you can expect before, during, and after your first CoolSculpting treatment.
Before CoolSculpting
Every CoolSculpting journey begins with a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Colville or his CoolSculpting University-trained nurse. Some women and men find it helpful to research CoolSculpting and other fat reduction procedures before their consultation. You can check out our related blog post to learn more about how CoolSculpting stacks up against other noninvasive fat reduction treatments.
During your consultation, it is important to talk with your provider about your needs, goals, and potential concerns for the treatment.
Some target treatment areas may need more than one session, and your provider will give you a customized treatment plan so you know what to expect. Your provider may also suggest other body contouring or skin tightening treatments such as ThermiTight® that work well with CoolSculpting to help you fully achieve your goals.
During Treatment
Your provider will first mark the treatment area, and then you’ll lie down in a reclined chair. To begin the procedure, we’ll position a cool pad over your treatment area. In most cases, you may feel a little pulling at first as the fatty area is positioned between the cooling pads. You’ll then feel the cold temperature of the treatment, but it is usually quite comfortable.
During your procedure, you can browse your phone, read a book, take a nap, watch TV, or simply relax. You can even eat lunch during your treatment. However you choose to pass time during your session, your provider will make sure you remain as comfortable as possible.
CoolSculpting sessions can take between 1 to 2 hours, depending on how many areas are being treated. But with the latest CoolSculpting technology in our practice, each session and each area treatment can be as short as 30 minutes.
After CoolSculpting
You may notice some redness to the skin or even tenderness at the treatment site, but this will fade within a few days. There will be some surface numbness which will go away over 1 to 2 weeks. Results will gradually develop over the course of 2 to 3 months as the frozen fat cells are shed by the body. You can see the type of results you might expect by browsing through more patients CoolSculpting before-and-after photos.
If you have any additional questions about the procedure and whether it can achieve the results you want, request a consultation online. Or call our office at (419) 534-6551 to schedule an appointment, and we’ll discuss all your body contouring options.