I had a new 35 min CoolSculpting treatment and the machine stopped twice during treatment. Will my results suffer?

Question

I had a new 35 min coolsculpting treatment. The machine stopped 13 minutes into the treatment. They started the machine after 4 minutes or so but the site heated up. The timer started again at 35 min and stopped at 17 minutes or 17 minutes into the treatment. I believe the total treatment time was only 30 minutes with the warming of the skin in between. Will this be an issue with my results.

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. It is difficult to say whether or not these two interruptions will affect your results. Please discuss your concerns with your provider.Regards,

Tina B. West, MD · Answer

The genuine Coolsculpting machine by Zeltiq features many built in safety controls to stop treatment when conditions are not ideal to protect the patient from injury and to ensure an optimal treatment is delivered.  A total treatment cooling time of 30 minutes should not alter your results.  Be sure to follow up as directed for proper post treatment assessment.

Michael A. Zadeh, MD, FACS · Answer

A full treatment cycle is needed for optimal results. Sometimes when the device stops with a couple minutes left it may not be an issue. Multiple interruptions may lead to a lack of a result. The only way to really know is to wait a few months to see if you get results. If not, you may need the treatment performed again. Make sure you discuss your concerns with your provider. Best of luck.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

The results of coolsculpting are based on a full treatment protocol, however it's difficult to determine what your results will be. If you're concerned, I recommend following up with your practitioner. Keep in mind, 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 skin smoothing. VASER with ThermiRF is a great alternative. See an expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Michael Temkin, DO · Answer

The machines will often give error message to protect the patients skin. If the tissue is not freezing correctly it can result in first or second degree burn. So it is important for the specialist to follow the exact protocol. If they are following the correct protocol you can retreat the same area as long as the treatment goes full cycle. Generally, the full cycle is 30 min.

Paul Pietro, MD · Answer

Hello needstoknowSKIN,Thank you for sharing your concerns with us. All quoted percentages of fat reduction and expected results regarding CoolSculpting are based on completing the "treatment protocol". The double interruption you have described should be discussed with the person who treated you because is difficult to predict your results if the complete protocol was not accomplished.

I had a new 35 min CoolSculpting treatment and the machine stopped twice during treatment. Will my results suffer?

Answers (6)

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