Starting to see what may be abs! - Miami, FL

Hi everyone. I had my procedure done three days ago. I'm inspired by a lot of the posts on here so I've decided to document my experience. I hope that my results are as great as some of the ones I've already seen on this website.

I first had a consultation with a certified Coolsculting technician associated with the dermatologists practice. After our consulation, we decided that I would have two of the large applicators placed on my lower abdomen. The day of the procedure I was walked through the process by a friendly office staff member who provided me with a robe, flip flops, socks and tea. It felt like being at a spa.

After having my pictures taken, an RN came in to mark the area to be treated. She then applied a cool jelly-like cloth pad to protect the area and then placed the large appplicator. How did it feel? To me, the suction felt like my lower abdomen was getting a mammogram. The first 2 minutes or so were uncomfortable, but not unbearable. The process with the first applicator lasted an hour, which went by fast because I was on the phone with friends. After the applicator was removed my skin was bright pink and the frozen area looked like what's been described as a large stick of butter. The area was massaged and the stick of butter flattened. I didn't feel any pain. The area was just numb. The same process was followed for the other side of my lower abdomen. This time I fell asleep because I had noone else to call and the Netflix in the room wasn't working.

The entire process from check-in to check-out lasted 3 1/2 hours.

Here's a snapshot of what I've felt:

Day 1 - No pain. The area is a bright pink. No bruising. The treated area is numb.

Day 2 - The treated area feels like it's suffering from a throbbing headache with fluid swishing around from side-to-side. Still numb. Skin color is back to normal. Some minor bruising.

Day 3 - The throbbing sensation from yesterday has decreased about 80%. The bruising has minimized and the area is still numb.

I'll keep updating as I progress and I'll post pictures as soon as I can.

Post-CoolSculpting Day 4 - Up until last night I was doing OK. Today I'm pretty much hating life. I didn't sleep well at all last night. At all.

At first, the treated area felt like it was covered in itchy sweater material. Now, it's a burning sensation (like the one that is left behind on the skin when a bandage is removed from a hairy arm or leg) with some cramping. Really, all I want to do is yank out my skin.

I took two acetaminophen and there is slight improvement. I called the Center and was told a nurse would call me back to provide me with a prescription. I hope the pain does not increase, otherwise I'll take a day off from work.

Oh, the things I do for beauty...

Post-CoolSculpting Day 9 - I have no pain whatsoever. I've been wearing my Spanx at night and massaging the treated area for about 5 minutes. I have no medical basis for doing this but it gives me comfort knowing that I’m treating my belly with some TLC. The numbness and swelling in the treated area is subsiding.

Some final thoughts on the pain I experienced: Days 4-5 were atrocious for me and were made bearable by the medicines the RN provided me. I found a post on RealSelf by a doctor (Dr. Elaine Cook) who experienced the post procedure pain first hand. I liked her informative explanation so I’m sharing it with you:

“We perform CoolSculpting and I have had multiple treatments myself... I experienced it myself on my lower abdomen, one week after treatment. It is from small sensory nerve fibers firing abnormally...We have seen it in about 3-4/100 patients, it usually comes on 3-7 days after treatment, all have been on the abdomen and all have been treated with the large tip. It is a squirmy, tearing, stabbing, discomfort/pain that makes it impossible to sit still. I do think it is more common than is reported as I am sure some patients have been blown off. The good news is that all have resolved in 3-10 days…And so far, neither myself nor my patients have had a recurrence with subsequent treatments. That doesn't mean that you won't but it hasn't happened to us.”

All I can say is, "Thank God for medicines." I'm back to loving life again. Now, it’s just a waiting game to see how my body will respond to the procedure…

I'm pleased with the results I'm seeing that I decided to go back and get a second area treated.

I'm not looking forward to the pain but this time I'm prepared.

My follow-up visit for both procedures will be in November so I'll be posting before and after pics.

My first go round with Coolsculpting, about five weeks ago, was with two large applicators. Within days I was in so much pain I needed meds.

My second go round, about five days ago, was with two small applicators. I've felt numb and sore but nothing like I felt like with the large applicators.

Based on my experience I'm inclined to say that large applicators suction more skin and fat, but may also cause the most severe post-Coolsculpting pain.