CoolSculpting gone bad, now what? (Photo)

I have treated many patients with this type of reaction and this requires VASER body sculpting to get improvement.  Traditional liposuction does very little to get rid of this fibrosis to the point that gives the best cosmetic outcome.  noninvasive treatments will not help at this point.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Thank you for your question. It is difficult to tell without examining you. If you have developed paradoxical adipose hyperplasia, the treatment would be liposuction. I would recommend discussing this with your provider or a board certified plastic surgeon and speaking to Zeltiq as well. Regards,

Hi.  You may well have "paradoxical hyperplasia" (= unusual growth) of the fatty tissue in the area treated with coolsculpting.  This is a rare side effect of coolsculpting.  It can be treated with liposuction.  Best to see a local PS who is also familiar with the coolsculpting process.

It would help to see your before and after pictures side by side. A very small percentage of people (less than 1%) develop paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH) after CoolSculpting treatments. It usually presents with a firm area of increased fat where treatment was done. Your doctor should evaluate you for this. Zeltiq, the company that makes the CoolSculpting machine, is actually very pro-active in these situations. Your treatment provider should get them involved. Hope this helps!

Hi and sorry to hear of your problem. Without an examination I cannot make a diagnosis. However, it appears you may have developed paradoxical adipose hyperplasia. If that is the case then the best treatment is liposuction which is quite effective to correct the problem. In addition, Zeltiq will usually cover the cost of liposuction provided the diagnosis is correct. Good luck.Richard Chaffoo, MD, FACS, FICSTriple Board Certified Plastic Surgeon