What To Know About CoolSculpting® Before and After Treatment That the Ads Don’t Tell You (Updated 2024)

With the help of celebrity spokespeople such as Molly Sims, CoolSculpting® treatment has become increasingly popular, taking the aesthetics industry by storm. As a provider of CoolSculpting Elite body contouring, I can attest to the incredible results it can provide.

However, the ads fail to mention a few aspects of CoolSculpting. As a doctor, I feel responsible for educating my patients about the treatments I offer so they know more than what they see on social media and TV. So, in this blog post, I’ll share some of what you should know about CoolSculpting before and after treatment that the advertisements don’t mention.

The Truth About CoolSculpting

1. Your skin will look like a “stick of butter” after treatment.

Immediately after your treatment, the skin where the CoolSculpting applicator was placed will be bright red and look like a rectangular “stick of butter,” as some patients say. That’s because the CoolSculpting device sucks a fatty bulge snugly into the applicator. This ensures the cryolipolysis (fat freezing) treatment is concentrated in that area and evenly distributed among the fat cells. But don’t worry—the shape won’t last. As soon as the applicator is removed, we’ll rub the treated area of your skin, which is highly elastic, and it will return to its original form.

2. Your treatment area will be temporarily sore.

A CoolSculpting treatment does cause some soreness and minor cramping in and around the treatment area. This occurs when the treated fat cells begin to die. Once they’re damaged, your body recognizes those cells as waste and removes them through natural processes. This causes inflammation around the treated area, and thus the soreness. This discomfort will last a few days as your body is working extra hard to remove the fat cells, but it should not affect your normal routine.

3. It takes time to see your results.

The treated fat cells take time to die and be removed from your body, so you won’t see results overnight. However, you will see improved results in time. Many people see this gradual elimination of fat as a good thing as it creates a steady slimming effect that looks like you’re just naturally losing fat.

How long will it take to see a reduction in fat? Results can appear as soon as 1 month after the first treatment, though optimal results are usually revealed about 4 months after the last treatment. This timeline depends on the treated area and the number of treatments you have, among other factors. (Most patients receive at least 2 treatments, spaced a few weeks apart, but that depends on your specific needs.)

We also offer other treatment options for addressing unwanted pockets of fat, such as Smarlipo®. You can read more about these body contouring options in this related blog post.

4. You will see slimmer, more toned contours, but you won’t lose weight.

CoolSculpting is not a weight loss treatment. It is, however, a great solution for people who have already reached their weight goals and want to slim those stubborn areas where fat just won’t budge. Most patients who visit me for CoolSculpting have already reached their target body weight but still have deposits of fat in their lower abdomen, love handles, thighs, or under their chin. These deposits are often caused by genetic factors and don’t respond well to diet and exercise. These individuals are great candidates for the CoolSculpting treatment, which can be targeted to those specific, tricky areas.