CoolSculpting: Stories

(the price above reflects my Village member dicount on there monthly special price of 900, normally 1200) I work out regulary and do all the stuff you are supposed to do, squats, cardio, diet. But I have certain areas of genetically predetermined fat pockets that refuse to go away.

I have been interested in a non-invasive fat contouring procedure for years. I have chosen to treat my inner thighs for my first treatment, if it is successful I will then do my flank area (that sounds so gross, I am NOT a cut of meat lol. Let's call it the lower back fat area.) I was measured and we took before pictures for my benefit so we could see proof of results in the future. A cold wet sheet was placed over the area and the device was placed over the desired area. There must be enough tissue to go between the metal freezing plates, which I definitely had. The suctioning was uncomfortable but not too painful. The cooling is then turned on after a satisfactory tissue grab is done.

It feels very cold but doesn't hurt, slightly achy at times but discomfort also comes from having to stay very still for the entire session. If you move and break the suction, the treatment ends. Each thigh was treated for an hour and done separately so sitting for 2 hours in a dim room with spa music can make you very sleepy. After the first side was done, I looked down to see my fat in a odd rectangular shape like a fat stick of butter. Kind of ironic lol. I poked at it out of morbid curiousity and it was a gross gelatinous hunk of semi frozen fat. It is numb so I didn't feel it being poked, just felt the firm yet squishy consistency of it and it was pretty gross.

The frozen mass of fat cells then are massaged out for a few minutes to break up the cells. I was told this is an important part of the process. This was probably the most uncomfortable part, it feels like someone is overly kneading a heavily bruised area. It remained very pink and swollen for hours. In fact, my fitted yoga pants looked strangely odd from behind as you could clearly see the upraised areas on my inner thighs.

Afterwards you are able to resume normal activities even working out but by then I was tired and ready to relax for the remainder of the evening. I was walking very stiff for a bit too from the tenderness. The day after much of the swelling subsided and the treated areas are only faintly pink, as if I got a little rug burn or something there. The tenderness is only slight and I am anxious for my liver to dispose of the fat cells. Supposedly in 6-8 weeks I should see a 20-25% fat reduction. Until then, back to the gym...

It has been 3 and a half weeks since my treatment to the inner thighs. I have been doing my cardio regularly the last week or so (had surgery 2 1 1/2 wks ago so was out of commission for about a week) and I always notice that helps but not sure if the combo with the coolsculpting is making a difference or if its just my exercising, I think maybe it is helping a smidgen but since results are typically seen at 6 weeks, I don't want to jump the gun yet...stay tuned!!

Much after my zeltiq treatment I don't feel I got any worthwhile results. I knew it would be a gamble since it isn't meant for inner thighs. Still am a candidate for lipo as this isolated area of fat never goes away much.

So I have determined that the zeltiq on my thigh areas was mostly ineffective. If I had results they are miniscule. So I decided to give my other stubborn fat area-my love handles a go, seeing as how that is ACTUALLY one of the areas that it is FDA approved for. It was it uncomfortable in a mildly painful way when you initially get your tissue pulled up into the device, you do one side at a time for an hour each. They have to massage your frozen block Crisco ( lol jk. it is so ironic to me that afterwards it is shaped like a stick of butter!). It was pretty tough. I was digging my nails into the pillow as she kneaded my skin like pizza dough. It is moderately painful but luckily only lasts a few minutes. for a good ten minutes after it burned like a heat burn does. I guess it's thawing out. Laying on my stomach was a bit of a struggle the last hour because of my breast implants and my elbows were killing me after propping myself up so awkwardly. After the treatments I got dressed (very sore, moved slow) right away but that was a mistake. My right side was on fire and was going through the thaw phase and walking around right away made me really nauseous. I literally had to sit as soon as I got to the front desk bc I felt like I was going to pass out, my face started feeling hot, and I felt chest tightness and the sensation of not being able to breathe, almost like a mild panic attack. The girls gave me some cold water and had me relax and sure enough, about ten minutes later after I "thawed" I was starting to feel normal again. It was so weird, didn't have that happen to me before. So anyways, like I said, I was very sore and you will see why in my photo. The red dots are markings she made for the device so don't let that alarm you but I had heavy bruising. The swelling that night and the next few days was moderate, enough to make my pants felt tight. I felt semi numb there for at least 5 or 6 days. I would say the bruising started to fade more on day 8 or 9. Now the darn waiting game...8-12 weeks. Boo.

This is about an hour after I had gotten the zeltiq on my love handles (not crazy about the term "flanks". Is it just me or does that term sound like I would be a horse or something lol.). The bruising had made its reddish plum hue appearance. The area was pretty numb still and would continue to be for another few days.

Darn it, this was sup to be the pic for the above, sorry.

Sorry, this pic is for the above update

FYI, the Zeltiq is one of ultrasmooth's monthly specials-half off! Can't beat that!! It was a little more than $500 to do my love handles (considered a small area). Bruising as well as semi numbness btw was about gone by day 7 or 8. Sorry about the pics above. I don't know why the heck it got screwed up and posted 2x. I hope the pic format changes soon.