CoolSculpting is a new innovative technique that has taken the body contouring world by storm. People can’t seem to get enough of this easy and quick procedure that has been proven to help reduce excess fat.
CoolSculpting uses cryolipolysis technology, which squeezes the skin in the treated area between two extreme cold pads to freeze the fat cells. Later the body flushes the dead cells naturally.
This procedure started gaining significant traction after it became approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2010. When you add to this that the process is noninvasive, which means no incisions, sutures, or anesthesia are necessary, it is almost a no-brainer for patients looking for reliable fat-loss results.
Does CoolSculpting Hurt?
In general, CoolSculpting patients should only feel mild pain or discomfort as their bodies go numb due to the cold applied during the procedure. A small portion of patients will feel moderate to severe pain, but this is a rare occurrence that is impossible to predict.
To get a better idea of what you can expect, let’s take a look at a patient testimonial. One CoolSculpting recipient described how she sat waiting for the pads to cool, and after one minute or so, she could feel the intensity of the coolness begin to set in.
“It felt like holding an ice cube with your bare hands until it goes numb. It tingles, and you feel very mild poking, but never actual pain, just some mild discomfort.” After about three minutes, the whole area had already gone numb, and she could not feel anything anymore. The patient also stated that she “was afraid of the procedure but realized that it was so much better than expected.” It was so painless that she was able to eat snacks during the procedure.
How Does the Procedure Work?
We already explained that CoolSculpting freezes the fat, but how does this actually happen? The fat freezes at higher temperatures than the surrounding tissue and skin, hence the procedure can target the fat alone without harming other body parts. The process causes the fat cells to die, and your body continues to flush these cells out naturally over the next couple of weeks.
The patient from the testimonial above expected the worst part of the procedure to be the end of the process when her caregiver removed the cool pads and started massaging the area. To her surprise, however, this was not the case, and lifting the pads instead felt like removing a Band-Aid quickly. Since the region was already numb, it dulled any significant discomfort, allowing only a minor pinch to be felt when the applicators were removed.
She concluded by stating that her experience was an enjoyable, painless one that she would certainly do again and recommend to other people.