What Types of Sensations Are Associated with Cool Sculpting?

asked 9 months ago by anon
Latest answer by Tom J. Pousti, MD
Question viewed 240 times
Tags: aftercare, cold, comparison, discomfort, duration, fat, fat melting, fat reduction, feel, numb, sensation loss, sensitive skin, sensitivity, temperature

Will there be some discomfort? Will it be mild like the pain from working out or a numbing like very cold water or even warm at times? Will I have tingling or any unusual feeling in the coming days after the coolsculpting session?

10 answers to What Types of Sensations Are Associated with Cool Sculpting?

Sensations With CoolSculpting

The most uncomfortable area is the abdomen. Especially with the 8.0 applicator. The pulling sensation is moderately uncomfortable until the cooling numbs the area. This is about 7-8 minutes. After that you don't really feel anything. Afterward you will have numbness of the area usually lasting 3-4 weeks. In addition you can get very different sensations. When I did my lower abdomen it felt like I had a sunburn occasionally, itching and a few sharp pains... more

Christopher L. Hess, MD
Fairfax Plastic Surgeon

What does the CoolSculpting procedure feel like?

Amongst the many nice things about CoolSculpting is how well tolerated the procedure is. At the start of the procedure one will feel a tugging sensation as the bulge is pulled up inside the CoolSculpting applicator. Some of my patients have compared this to a mammogram i.e. awkward but easily tolerable. Once this has been achieved the cooling process begins. You will experience some cold but also easily tolerable and within 5-10 minutes the area will become numb. At that point most... more

Ted Brezel, MD
Long Island Dermatologist

Coolsculpting- squeezes and freezes and pleases!!!

Like any other procedure different patients have different experiences. I can tell you the experiences of our staff and all of out patients since April of 2011 have definitely been positive. So does it hurt? Well for sure it does not hurt like injecting the acidic based local anesthetics for regular liposuction (assuming you would even be bold enough to do liposuction without general anesthesia!). But it does have an INTENSE pulling- tugging sensation when the vacuum of the machine is... more

Adam G. Newman, MD
Mountain Home Plastic Surgeon

Sensations with CoolSculpting

Thank you for your questions. In my experience (when I had this treatment performed), the first 3-5 minutes was the most uncomfortable -- that was when the cool gel was placed on my body and the suction started. The pulling sensation lasts only a few minutes and then the rest of the hour, you really don't feel much. Some patients experience numbness, tingling, aching in the area treated but that usually goes away after a few weeks. Overall, a very easy procedure. more

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.poustiplasticsurgery.com

Sensations associated with CoolSculpting

The sensations during CoolSculpting can include: numbness, tingling, burning and pulling. It can be uncomfortable and you can feel cramps for the first 8-10 minutes. After that the area is frozen and the sensation is gone. It's amazing how quickly the body adapts to the machine being attached to it. After the treatment, the area can have bruising for a few days and some numbness for up to 3 weeks. Everything should resolve by that 3 week to 1 month time... more

Joe Gryskiewicz, MD
Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon

CoolSculpting is tolerated well by most patients

It feels weird and it's common to feel anxious as the suction draws in the skin/fat compartment to the machine. That strong suction does hurt, a little in some patients and a lot in others, but then it gets better in 5 - 10 minutes as it freezes. Very rarely, especially with the abdomen, there can be a nauseating sensation. If the device is too uncomfortable, the applicator can be repositioned in the first few minutes, and this does help make it more comfortable sometimes. It is... more

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologist

www.thenyac.com

Sensations associated with Coolsculpting procedures are very predictable.

The actual Coolsculpting procedure has many sensations associated with it. First the skin layers that are pulled into the applicator feels uncomfortable until the layers get cooled. This takes 6-10 minutes. When the applicator is released the skin is numb for typically 3-6 weeks. Some people feeling mild to moderate tingling as the nerves come back to "life".

Laurie Casas, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

www.casas.md

Sensations with Coolsculpting

During the procedure it is a pretty intense suction feeling but most people tolerate it very well. After the procedure, usually by day four or five, you may have numbness or a crampy, "pins and needles" sensation that some describe as very uncomfortable but most tolerate it very well.

Steven Hacker, MD
West Palm Beach Dermatologic Surgeon

www.palmbeachdermasurgery.com

What You Feel with Coolsculpting.

Hi, The thing I love about Coolsculpting is how easy it is, how fast you see a result, and what minimal to no down time there is for patients! When you have the small or medium applicator, you feel a mild to moderate suction and then it starts to become numb after 5 minutes. When you use the large applicator on the abdomen, it feels like a strong suction but once again it is numb after 5 minutes and some patients actually fall asleep! For 2-3 weeks after, you will feel... more

Grace Liu, MD
Newport Beach Dermatologic Surgeon

www.newportcoastdermatology.com

Sensations with Coolsculpting

The greatest thing about coolsculpting is that it is non-invasive and is very comfortable for most patients. When the applicator is attached to the treated area there is an initial pulling and squeezing sensation followed by some tingling once the cooling process is started. This will last for the first 8 minutes of the procedure. After that patients are very comfortable. Once the procedure is completed there is some tingling, numbness, and redness that usually resolves within a few hours... more