CoolSculpting: It Worked Better than I Thought It Would

Just like the evil villain in a scary movie, the fat around my belly snuck up on me.

I didn’t even see it on my back.

But I knew at the beginning of summer, when I put on a swimsuit for the first time, that something needed to be done.  That’s why I was so excited about CoolSculpting when I saw a commercial advertising it.  There were promises to eliminate stubborn fat.  I wanted in on that.  So, I made one phone call, but never went in for the free consultation they tried to book over the phone.  So, when a PR company reached out to me to see if I was interested in reviewing the procedure for my blog, I pretty much figured it was kismet.

We set up an appointment for a consultation and immediately after, had the procedure.

What is CoolSculpting?

CoolSculpting is a procedure medically cleared by the FDA.  It’s not designed for weight loss, so it’s not like you’ll be dropping 20 pounds on the spot, but what I discovered after going through the procedure is that you will see some frustrating fat melt away.

Actually, it doesn’t really melt.

It’s frozen and then eliminated over the next several weeks.  My initial question was whether it was safe.  Well, the fact that more than one and a half million CoolSculpting treatments have been performed in 70 countries around the world gave me comfort.  And I can now say it’s one and a half million plus one, since I went through it with no lasting problems.  I did have a little bruising a few days after my procedure, and some itching under the skin, but that went away within a few days and then it was a matter of waiting out the results.

If you want to know more about the actual procedure, read my earlier article about that (click here: Stressfreebaby.com ).  I can say it does hurt when you go through the procedure–for about 10 seconds when the paddles are first put on you–they’re cold and have sucking power that kicks butt over any vacuum you put to your arm.  So, you fight through that pain, and then sit for the next 60 minutes with the paddles essentially attached to you.  That part isn’t bad at all.  I worked during my procedure.

After those 60 minutes, the paddles are removed and the frozen fatty section is massaged.  That part hurts a bit, but I’m told is an important part of making sure the procedure works, and it only lasts a minute or two.

The CoolSculpting procedure is completely non-surgical and clinically proven. It’s the only cold-based, non-surgical body contouring treatment that is cleared by the FDA to treat unwanted fat. It targets underlying fat, leaving the surface skin and other surrounding tissue unaffected.

It’s ideal for people looking to target unwanted fat that just doesn’t come off with diet and exercise and it’s meant for people who are close to their ideal weight.

You can find a licensed expert to perform the CoolSculpting procedure by going to the CoolSculpting web site and requesting a free consultation. There’s a list on that site of licensed dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and leading aesthetic practices offering the procedure.  The price depends on what you want done and the office where you have the CoolSculpting performed.

If I have one complaint about the procedure, it’s that the results are not immediate.  I’m pretty much an immediate gratification kind of gal and that’s not how CoolSculpting works.

I started seeing results about six weeks after the procedure.  After that, I started wondering whether there really was a difference before and after, but I think that’s because I saw my body every day.  

It wasn’t until I went in for my 12 week follow-up appointment, when they took photos of me and compared those to the way I looked when the procedure was originally done, that I saw the true results. I was stunned to see just how well the CoolSculpting had done. Even the plastic surgeon seemed surprised at how well it turned out for me, not that my results were atypical, just that they were so dramatic when compared to the before pictures.  He explained that the curves I was able to see again after CoolSculpting were what most of his patients were after when they came to him for liposuction.  

Overall, I have to admit I was really struggling with how I looked at the beginning of the summer, and I’m thrilled with the results 12 weeks later.

Yes, I feel my belly is flatter, but I wasn’t even aware of the issue around my back. Now, I see those results with pictures side by side and I feel that tells the true story.  After all, we all know how before and after belly pictures can work–maybe the person is sucking in their belly, but I promise, there’s no way to suck in your back fat.

Again, I wish the results were more immediate, but if you have a few months before a big event, like a wedding, or maybe you want to look great for the holidays, CoolSculpting is an option to seriously consider.