Can Using Ice Packs After Cool Sculpting to Help with the Unbearable Pain? Will it Effect the Final Results?

Question

3 days after cool sculpting the pain was unbearable. the only thing that helped was ice packs. Could this hurt the outcome?

Ali Sajjadian, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello,

	 

	Although a small percentage of patients experience pain after being treated with Zeltiq Cool Sculpting, ibuprofen usually helps easing the discomfort that may last about couple of weeks before subsiding naturally.

	That said, I do not see that applying ice packs will temper with your results but it may not provide you with the comfort that you could achieve with ibuprofen for instance.

	I recommend that you contact your physician who administered your treatment and see what he/she can advise you about your situation.

	Thank you for your inquiry.

	Best of wishes to you.

	Dr. Sajjadian

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

A minority of patients have severe sensitivity or tingling pain after CoolSculpting. It can happen for several minutes after the device is removed, or it can last for up to a few months, but this is unusual.  There may be medication that your doctor can prescribe that will make it go away more quickly.  Ice packs should not interfer with your results of fat necrosis (death of fat cells) but if you're having pain from cold-induced injury as opposed to the negative pressure from suction, then ice may compound the problem. Contact the doctor that did your treatment.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.

	Some patients do experience pain, tingling, discomfort after the Coolsculpting treatment.  I do not believe that placing ice packs on the area will hurt the outcome.  

	I would suggest following up with the office where the treatment was provided to see if they can assist you further.

	Best wishes.

Michael Law, MD · Answer

Ice will certainly not hurt the results of your CoolSculpting treatments. But you should not be suffering. Call your doctor and share your results.

	Most patients experience little to no discomfort. On occasion, significant discomfort has been reported following CoolSculpting.  In my practice, we offer compression garments like the ones we use for patients following tummy tucks or liposuction. This has seemed to provide additional comfort and support to patients. On occasion, a patient might find relief with a non-narcotic pain medication called Neurontin.  This can be prescribed by the doctor or the physician assistants and nurse practitioners in the practice. However, most patients do not require medication following a CoolSculpting procedure.

Daniel Shapiro, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. Typically, there is minimal to no downtime after CoolSculpting though patients such as yourself may experience temporary pain or discomfort. I would suggest consulting with the doctor who perfumed the treatment to determine the best course of action to reduce your pain. Ice packs should not negatively affect your results. Best of luck.

Can Using Ice Packs After Cool Sculpting to Help with the Unbearable Pain? Will it Effect the Final Results?

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Can Using Ice Packs After Cool Sculpting to Help with the Unbearable Pain? Will it Effect the Final Results?

Answers (5)

Answer: Coolsculpting and Ice Packs

Answer: Coolsculpting and Ice Packs

Answer: Pain after CoolSculpting

Answer: Pain after 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.