Subcutaneous induration from CoolSculpt

Question

I had coolsculpt 12 days ago and on the third day the entire treated area on both sides of my abdomen went hard and was sore to touch. The hardness seems to have reached its peak at day 12 and bruising is visible on the entire area treated. The hard areas protrude slightly and the edges of the hard area can easily be felt with a light touch. Could this be subcutaneous induration and will it resolve itself or is there something worse happening

Christopher J. Davidson, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question.  It is quite possible to have pain, soreness or firm areas following a CoolSculpting treatment.   My advice is  to consider over the counter pain medication.  Swelling and bruising will resolve as healing progresses.  Always good to follow up with your CoolSculpting technician for an evaluation.  Best of luck.

W. Tomasz Majewski, MD, FACS · Answer

There is such a thing as late onset pain after CoolSculpting.  This can begin several days to several weeks after treatment.  For this pain you may consider compression garments, icing, heating pads, stretching or returning to provider for prescription of Gabapentin or Lyrica for the pain.  Bruising, redness, numbness, swelling, tenderness and itching are temporary side effects that normally resolve in a few days to a couple of weeks.  The hardness may be your bodies reaction to the frozen fat cells dying.  You should return to your CoolSculpting provider for evaluation.

Justin Hogan, MD · Answer

Good Afternoon miss jane01, 
Thank you for your question! Coolsculpting can sometimes result in areas of induration due to excessive edema, but it is difficult to tell you exactly what is going on without assessing you myself. It's best to bring your concerns to your practitioner who performed the treatment to assess for any worsening induration or edema.

Monika Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question! I have treated MANY patients with this using liposuction and fat transfer.  I suggest you see a body contouring expert. Best of luck!

Subcutaneous induration from CoolSculpt

Answers (4)

Answer: I have treated MANY patients with this using liposuction and fat transfer.

Answer: I have treated MANY patients with this using liposuction and fat transfer.

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Everything you need to know about CoolSculpting

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Subcutaneous induration from CoolSculpt

Answers (4)

Answer: I have treated MANY patients with this using liposuction and fat transfer.

Answer: I have treated MANY patients with this using liposuction and fat transfer.

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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.