CoolSculpting Fat Loss

What does it do? The CoolSculpting® technology uses controlled cooling to target and freeze a portion of the fat cells under your skin. In the weeks that follow treatment, the body naturally begins to process the fat cells that were frozen during treatment and removes them from the treatment site thereby affecting the appearance of the treated bulge. You may start to see changes in as early as three weeks after your CoolSculpting® procedure, and will experience the most dramatic results after one to three months. Your body will continue to naturally process the injured fat cells for approximately four months after your procedure. Results may take up to 4 months to become visible

The CoolSculpting® System is a prescription use only device and may only be used by or on the order of a physician. Your practitioner will discuss your individual treatment plan and will select the appropriate applicator for your needs. Some applicators use vacuum and others do not. During your treatment, a gel or gelpad and applicator are applied to the targeted area. Applicators that use vacuum will draw the tissue into the applicator cup. You may feel pulling, tugging, and mild pinching. With a non-vacuum surface applicator, you may experience sensations of pressure. Controlled cooling is then delivered to the targeted fat so you may feel intense cold but this feeling typically goes down within 10 minutes as the area becomes numb. In some cases you may feel pulsatile massage. Upon removal of the applicator, you may see the frozen bulge (known as a “butterstick”). The physician may apply manual massage to rewarm and smooth out the treated area.

For most patients, the CoolSculpting® procedure will affect reduce the appearance of a visible bulge in the treatment area.

You should inform your physician of your entire medical history. You should not have the treatment if you are seeking treatment for obesity as CoolSculpting® is not a treatment a weight loss solution for obesity. You should not have treatment if you have one of the below conditions: • Cryoglobulinemia, a condition in which an abnormal level of cryoglobulins (proteins which thicken in cold temperatures) are present in the blood. • Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, a blood disorder in which a change from cold to warm temperatures leads to red blood cell death. • Cold agglutinin disease, an autoimmune disease in which exposure of blood to cold temperatures leads to red blood cell death.

The following effects can occur in the treatment area during and after a treatment. These effects are temporary and generally resolve within days or weeks.

During a treatment: 

• Sensations of pulling, tugging, and mild pinching at the treatment site. 

• Intense cold, tingling, stinging, aching, cramping. These sensations subside as the area becomes numb. Immediately after a treatment: 

• Redness and firmness. • Transient blanching and/or mild bruising around the edges of the treatment area. • Tingling and stinging. One to two weeks after a treatment: • Redness, bruising, and swelling. 

• Tenderness, cramping, and aching. 

• Itching, skin sensitivity, tingling, and numbness. Numbness can persist up to several weeks after a treatment.

• Sensation of fullness in the back of the throat after submental area treatment There are other side effects that can occur with submental area treatments: 

• Cold exposure to the hypoglossal nerve may cause tongue deviation following treatment of the submental area. 

• Cold exposure to the marginal mandibular nerve may cause lower lip weakness following treatment of the submental area. 

• Cold exposure to the submandibular gland may cause dry mouth, or decrease in saliva production, following treatment of the submental area. 

Are there any other possible side effects that can occur? There are some rare side effects that have been seen both in clinical studies and commercial use: 

• Paradoxical hyperplasia: Visibly enlarged tissue volume within the treatment area, which may develop two to five months after treatment, possibly even after a visible result is noticed. Surgical intervention is required for correction may be required. 

• Late-onset pain: A typical onset several days after a treatment and resolution within several weeks.