Pain during Sculpsure. Is this normal?

Hi Marjules. Thank you for your question. Pain tolerance varies on the individual. Various areas may be more tender to some patients while others may be perfectly fine. The administrator of the SculpSure procedure has the ability to adjust each applicator to the appropriate setting for each patient, hotter or cooler. For optimal comfort blasts of coolness can be given upon a patient's request. The outcome should not be affected, but with our patients we have found bruising to not be typical. In our office we have done over 760 applicators and only one instance was there mild bruising on the abdomen. Good luck with your recovery!

Thank you for your question. Your technician should work with you to create a safe and comfortable procedure. There can be some tenderness and swelling after your procedure, but it should subside after a few days. Please review the post op care instructions provided by your board certified facial plastic surgeon and team.
Best wishes,

Thank you for your question.

Sculpsure is a noninvasive 1060nm diode laser treatment that removes up to 25% of stubborn fat in the treated area in 25 minutes.It is FDA approved for the abdomen and flanks. It is safe if you get pregnant in the future.
The body contouring effects are seen in as quick as six weeks with final results at 12 weeks. 
The results are permanent as long as you maintain your weight and health.
The laser targets and destroys the fat cells only which are then naturally removed from the body. Since the laser does not affect the skin or muscle it can be used on all skin colors and there has been no reported incidents of burns when treated by a properly trained physician. It is protective since it alternates heating and cooling. 
It has four applicators that can be customized to treat the areas of stubborn fat. 
If a second treatment is needed we wait at least six weeks and usually closer to 12. 

If you notice lumps after (which I've never seen) I would recommend massage. You should also alert your surgeon.

There is no downtime and you can resume your normal activities right after the treatment. There may be some soreness in the area for a few days for which you can take ibuprofen or tylenol. A cold compress can also be used.

Sculpsure is not used for skin tightening however some of our patients have seen this. If more skin tightening is needed we have combined this with thermi or Ulthera for a complete treatment. Sculpsure is recommended for stubborn areas of fat that are not being lost by diet and exercise. It is not a weight loss treatment

Since I have both a coolsculpting and sculpsure I am working on protocols of utilizing both of these depending upon what areas need to be treated and the response to the treatment. 
I have used sculpsure on other areas other than the abdomen with very good results. 

I also use a Vectra 3D imaging system to try and show people what their treatment areas could look like.

Since Sculpsure outcomes can be based on technique and experience, please see a board certified plastic surgeon that specializes body contouring to see if Sculpsure or other treatments are available to meet your goals. 

Take care,

Dr. Schwartz 
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Most of the areas are mild pain although the area around the bellybutton and arms can be more painful.  The pain should be a 2-3/4 to get the best result. I suggest seeing an expert if you are concerned.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Every patient process pain differently and every area of the body responds differently as well. Some are simply more sensitive -- such as the inner thighs. The pain will decrease with each subsequent treatment as the fat diminishes. Hope this helps.  

SculpSure is always slightly uncomfortable but everyone's pain tolerance is different. Different areas of the body can be more sensitive than others. We have also found that the way the applicators are set up can also depend on how much pain you feel. The good thing though is that it does not affect the outcome, you will still get the same results. The black and blues may be from the technician not applying the applicators correctly and it could have been pinching the skin.

Different parts of the body may be more sensitive than other parts. The inner thighs in particular are extremely sensitive to pain due to a higher concentration of nerve endings near the surface. In addition, each individual patient has a different pain tolerance. The nice thing about SculpSure is that the settings can be adjusted for each patient, so no one should have to be in unbearable pain during the procedure. Different levels of pain will not affect the overall outcome.

Sorry to hear about your painful experience. SculpSure is typically painless for patients, but some discomfort can occur based on the individual's pain tolerance levels. Inner thighs are highly sensitive areas and therefore an individual would experience more pain there. Bruising can occur on a sensitive treatment area and will dissolve within a few days.

Thanks for sharing your question. I can
appreciate your concern.Pain is a subjective issue. In most of the cases the procedure is very well tolerated. However, stria, or scar tissue may be the reason for overheating tissue generating more sensitivity, and requiring lowering the settings.

Wishing you the best in your journey

Sorry to hear about your experience. Typically, SculpSure patients have a strong tingling / borderline pain for only a couple of seconds before each cooling phase begins. The inner thighs and upper back tend to be the most sensitive areas.  A small amount of bruising happens and it should clear up. I wonder what settings your doctor was using? I've never encountered anyone who went through anything like you described, because we adjust to patient sensitivity just as Cynosure, the manufacturer, recommends.