Can 2 Antifreeze Membranes Reduce the Coolsculpting Results?

Question

I bought 3 Coolsculpting sessions and I had my first 1 yesterday and the lady put 2 antifreeze membranes on my belly and then the applicator. I'm fairly skinny but with a belly. First she doubted if I had enough fat to be sucked, but it actually did. Why did she put 2 membranes? I'm wondering if this was intentionally to would make the procedure less effective so that I'd have to go back in 4 months and redo it and they'd make more money. I didn't feel any pain or discomfort at all times.

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

The antifreeze membranes you mention are gel pads that are placed on the skin to protect it while the CoolSculpting applicator is attached.  It would be unusual to use two gel pads for one applicator.  Did she put the two gel pads side by side or on top of one another?  And do you know if the large or small applicator was used on your abdomen?  Normally, one large gel pad would be used with the large applicator for the abdomen and one smaller gel pad would be used with the small applicator.  It's possible that if they did not have any of the large gel pads that they may have used two small gel pads side by side.  I don't think that using two gel pads would make the treatment less effective.  I would discuss your concern with your treating physician to try and determine why 2 gel pads were used with your treatment.

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

you should ask the provider why two membranes were used. The membrane is used to protect the skin during treatment and help ensure good suction. Normally only one membrane is used but I doubt it would decrease the effectiveness of your treatment in any way as the membrane is quite thin.

	The information provided in Dr. Shelton's answer is for educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice.  The information provided should not be relied upon as a substitute for consultations with a qualified health professional who may be familiar with your individual medical needs.

Michael Law, MD · Answer

There is a protective gel pad placed on the skin before the CoolSculpting applicator is applied.  This is a protective measure and also allows the body tissue to glide into the applicator.  It is not protocol to use more than one gel pad but this should not have caused your treatment to be ineffective.  The cooling panel inside the applicator has monitoring sensors in place and it seems that the treatment would not have run its cycle if the two gel pads were causing a barrier.  I recommend that you contact your provider to voice your concerns and allow the provider to explain why the treatment was done this way.Many patients will need multiple treatments.  This can be more than one application on the same area or applications in different areas of the body, or both.  Find a high volume CoolSculpting provider in your area by searching the CoolSculpting website.  As a Premier Crystal Practice my patients are offered Instant Rebates for free CoolSculpting.  The patient will receive one free session with each CoolSculpting session purchased.  In addition to this discount, patients at my practice enjoy CoolSculpting Complete at no extra cost.  This includes dual machines, compression garments, and vibrational therapy.

Grant Stevens, MD · Answer

I don't know why the provider you saw for Coolsculpting would use two gel pads for your treatment.  I can't imagine this was done to intentionally decrease the effectiveness of the device or procedure.  If you have any questions or doubts about your procedure, you should never hesitate to ask the office where you were treated.  Years of research have gone in to the Coolsculpting technology to determine the most effective way to treat patients, if this involved using two pads or thicker pads for better results then that would be the standard of care.

Can 2 Antifreeze Membranes Reduce the Coolsculpting Results?

Answers (4)

Answer: 2 gel pads with Coolsculpting

Answer: 2 gel pads with Coolsculpting

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Can 2 Antifreeze Membranes Reduce the Coolsculpting Results?

Answers (4)

Answer: 2 gel pads with Coolsculpting

Answer: 2 gel pads with Coolsculpting

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about CoolSculpting

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.