Learn About What to Expect & How to Care for Yourself Before & After CoolSculpting^®

While the CoolSculpting^® procedure at Germain Dermatology is non-surgical — thus avoiding the tradeoffs that come with incisions, sutures, and other aspects of surgery — it is still a medical-grade treatment, and as such, it will work best if patients follow the instructions and recommendations provided before and after their treatment.

CoolSculpting^® Pre-Treatment Instructions

Our providers ask that you:

• wear loose and comfortable clothing to your CoolSculpting^® appointment.
• are properly hydrated before your treatment session
• ensure that the skin in the area(s) to be treated is clean and free from any cuts, wounds, or lesions
• remove all jewelry or piercings from the area(s) to be treated
• not be pregnant
• allow photos and weight to be taken prior to the first session for the sake of pre- and post-treatment comparisons

In addition to the above instructions, we also make further recommendations for your comfort.

• Bring a spare set of clothes as the gel pads applied with the applicator may make your clothes wet. We will provide you with disposable garments if you do not have a change of clothes.
• Eat only a light meal, as some patients (in very rare cases) may feel slightly nauseated at the beginning of the treatment.
• Bring a mobile, tablet, or book to entertain yourself during the treatment session if you would like. If not, our rooms are equipped with Netflix for your convenience.

What to Expect During a Treatment Session

• It may take anywhere between 35 minutes to a few hours depending on the number and size of the area(s) to be treated.
• No topical anesthetic or pain medication is required.
• As treatment begins, vacuum pressure (which most of the CoolSculpting^® applicators utilize) draws in fatty tissue into the applicator cup. You may feel sensations of deep pulling, tugging, or pinching, as well as some stinging, tingling, aching, or cramping.
  • These sensations typically subside as the area becomes numb and treatment continues – and once they do, most patients find the rest of the session quite tolerable.

What to Expect Immediately After a Treatment Session

• Most patients can return to their day-to-day activities immediately after their CoolSculpting^® treatment session.
• Brief tingling or stinging sensations.
• You may experience stiffness and/or transient blanching (temporary whitening of the skin) in the treated area(s).
• Slight nausea or dizziness may occur for a few minutes as your body readjusts to its natural warmth and sensation.
• Redness in the treated area(s) may persist for up to a few hours after the applicator is removed.
• Any bruising, swelling, numbness, and/or tenderness that occurs will resolve within two weeks.

What to Expect in the Weeks Following Treatment

• It is common for the treated area(s) to feel bloated or swollen in the first few weeks after treatment.
• A temporary dullness in sensation could occur for several weeks.
• At some point in the first two weeks after a treatment session, you may experience deep itching, tingling, numbness or tenderness to the touch, pain in the treated area(s), strong cramping, diarrhea, muscle spasms, aching, and/or soreness. Please contact our office if such symptoms persist or worsen after two weeks.
• As the body breaks down and flushes the treated fat cells, a gradual reduction in the thickness of the fat layer in the treated area(s) will take place. You may start to see to see changes as early as three weeks after your last CoolSculpting^® treatment session, with full results becoming apparent after one to four months. Your body will continue to process and flush out the dead fat cells for about four months after your last session.

CoolSculpting^® Post-Care & Long-Term Maintenance

We recommend schedule a follow-up appointment around three months after each treatment session to review your results and determine whether you require further treatments to achieve the best possible fat reduction.

After your treatment package is complete and you have achieved results you are happy with, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regimen so that your body’s remaining fat cells do not become larger.