No drastic changes post CoolSculpting and it's been 4 weeks, advice?

Question

Hi! I wrote a while back and now again writing as I haven't seen any results post cool sculpting procedure. It's been 4 weeks now and I certainly feel the same or bloated or swollen although I do not feel pain. The numbness seem to be there. My diet and exercise is the same or rather improved from before. I am not crazy heavy either. I am 5'9 and about 68 kilograms. I am just wondering when will the numbness and fade and when will even see a slight result?

Kimberly Butterwick, MD · Answer

It is quite common to still be a little swollen 1 month after CoolSculpting. Most people don’t really see the difference from their first treatment until 3 to 4 months have passed. Your body needs time to eliminate all of the destructed fat-cell material. It takes 2 weeks for the cells to die after CoolSculpting, so you really are only 2 weeks into healing. Be patient – you will see results. You can either use your Before photos or Before measurements as a baseline against which to measure your results; sometimes they can be hard to see by eye because the improvement is gradual. So, many times patients forget how bad the problem was and are shocked to see their pre-op photos. But after 4 months, you should notice a nice change in your clothing. Then you can decide whether that is enough, or whether you need to go on to the standard two or three treatments. Please find a board-certified dermatologist to perform your CoolSculpting to ensure beautiful results. Ideally, each CoolSculpting session should be followed by a Zimmer Z-Wave radial pulsed therapy treatment to aid in the elimination of the fat cells and create more uniform results.

Brian K. Reedy, MD · Answer

Hi! It takes about 12 weeks to see final results. Most people start noticing a change around 4-6 weeks. Be patient and maintain your healthy lifestyle. In regards to numbness it can time take to fade. If you have concerns I would contact your surgeon's office where you had the treatment done. Good luck to you!

Andrew Campbell, MD · Answer

It's only been 4 weeks. You will see improvement over the next month or two. See your provider if you have concerns. Coolsculpting works on almost everyone. Just be patient.Andrew Campbell, M.D.
Quintessa Aesthetic Centers

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

It's too soon to tell what your final results will be. You can have swelling for 3-6 months after Coolsculpting. I recommend adding hyperbaric oxygen and lymphatic massage along with your compression to help decrease swelling. For best results with Coolsculpting, a combination approach is needed. I recommend adding radiofrequency treatments like Vanquish, Venus Legacy, Exilis Ultra for skin tightening and with Z wave/Cellutone for skin smoothing. However, a Vaser with ThermiRF procedure is the best combination for a toned result, but requires more downtime. See an expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Ramandeep Sidhu, MD · Answer

All that is expected after coolsculpting - feeling swollen and some numbness. It will all get better over time and the results should start showing up by week 8.

Janet Allenby, DO · Answer

Hello,Thank you for your question. CoolSculpting takes 3-4 months to see optimum results. So give it a bit more time before you fully evaluate. The swelling can last up to a month and the numbness sometimes longer. If you are concerned it is best to reach out to your provider. We have found that because CoolSculpting provides results over a length of time, many patients don't realize how dramatic their results are until the see their before and afters. Make sure to remain in communication with your physician to track the progress of your results. Good luck!

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

It can take as long as 12 weeks to see the full effects from a CoolSculpting treatment, so it is not unusual that you would not see any changes after 4 weeks.  The amount of time the numbness lasts can vary, but in some instances, it may be as long as 8 weeks.  Additionally, it sometimes takes more than one treatment session to obtain the desired result.

Elisabeth Dancey, BM, BCAM · Answer

Be patient it can take up to 12 weeks to see results, Most people start to see changes around 6-8 weeks. I would suggest around the 12 week mark that you arrange to go back to the practice who performed the CS and ask to be photographed again so you can compare the before and after photos.

Rosalind Jackson, MD · Answer

Your question is one that a lot of patients have.  "When will I see results?"  It's been four weeks for you but the best outcome is noticeable after 12 weeks.  You can expect to see some changes prior to 12 weeks but for the ultimate transformation I would encourage you to watch the area shrink!
Swelling and soreness is common as is mild bruising. The swelling is a result of an inflammatory response which is a normal part of healing.  The fact that you are experiencing swelling is a good sign that your bodies natural immune response is responding to Coolsculpting.

Peter Petropoulos, MD · Answer

Hi,  this is the earliest we would start to see any results but normally we start to see noticeable results at 6-8 weeks and the most at 3 months.  It will happen, it just may be too early to see the changes. The numbness should be resolving gradually and normally it can take 4-5 weeks to fully go away, but it will.

No drastic changes post CoolSculpting and it's been 4 weeks, advice?

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