Is it normal/common to get a burn from CoolSculpting? What could cause burn? Will it leave a scar? Does it still freeze the fat?

In my opinion, it is not normal or common to get a burn from a CoolSculpting treatment.  In fact, I have never seen a patient that I treated have a burn from the procedure.  CoolSculpting uses a cooling technology, so theoretically, it should not cause a burn due to heating of the skin.  It is possible to get temporary redness after the treatment, but this is not due to a burn but rather from the cooling of the skin.  

A burn from Coolsculpting is not typical. Some redness and swelling can be typical. If you have a burn, I recommend following up with your practitioner for aftercare. To speed up healing, you can try adding hyperbaric oxygen, lymphatic massage, venus legacy or exilis radiofrequency treatments.  Keep in mind, for best results, a combination approach is needed and some people need more than one treatment with Coolsculpting. I recommend adding radiofrequency treatments like Vanquish 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

Coolsculpting is a fabulous procedure and we have amazing results with no down time or side effects.  A burn is definitely not the norm and you should consult your treating physician for the proper treatment.  Please consult an expert in Coolsculpting for the best cosmetic results.  Best, Dr. Green

cool sculpting can burn the skin theoretically as super cold can burn skin similar to heat - however, if done properly, the risk should be very rare- I have never seen one personally- I would follow up with your provider to see if it is a burn - this should not affect the fat freezing 

You should not get any type of burn from coolsculpting. Redness of the skin is typical following the procedure. The machines themselves have a built-in safety mechanism to turn off if there is any type of exposure of the skin to the cooling itself.

A burn after a CoolSculpting treatment is not normal. It is normal to have redness in the area treated, some swelling, tenderness and possibly a bruise due to the suction of the older applicators. The new CoolAdvantage applicators that we have in our clinic have reduced the incidence of bruising after treatment. If you feel you have a burn, I recommend seeing the physician at the clinic where you had your treatment for proper care. Hope this helps, all the best. Manish Khanna, MD FRCPC

No, it is definitely not normal to get a burn after a Coolsculpting treatment. Coolsculpting uses freezing technology to destroy the fat cells in the area treated, so there be no area of heat to cause a burn. I have heard of people using inferior technology having “frost-bite” after a treatment, but I must stress that this was not the original Zeltiq Coolsculpting technology. Coolsculpting has a “freeze-detection” technology safety feature, which ensures that the area treated does not go below the minus eleven degrees. If you think that you have a burn I would advise you to seek medical attention immediately.