POSTED UNDER CoolSculpting REVIEWS
Don't Waste Your Money - San Diego, CA
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I am a fit person 5 ' 3" 120 Lbs 20 -22%...
6339anonJuly 7, 2010
$1,700
I am a fit person 5 ' 3" 120 Lbs 20 -22% body fat. I go to the gym and jog. I went to a local cosmetic surgeon for Zeltiq. I was told they could get rid of some problem areas but after 3 months there was hardly any change. I complained but as of this writing they have done nothing. If I was told I would have to spend another 1700, I would have opted for liposuction because I know the effects are better. I feel they were not upfront as to what it can do.
Replies (16)
Girls are trying to become too skinny these days. And, by the way, skinny is not a complement. Men like curves.
Hi liblove,
While being an active member in the community is great, judgment is not what RealSelf is all about. RealSelf is a place for people to come gain and exchange information. Please feel free to continue to be an active member, but please do not judge other members on their decisions. :)
Thanks,
-Britt
People carry fat in different places. It's not a matter of wanting to look skinny or remove all curves. Even at an ideal body weight, you can have disproportionate areas of your body.
That last comment was rude
I currently weigh 125 lbs and I had lost another 5 lbs recently in hopes of getting rid of those last bulges. I discovered that it did not do much to reduce these fat deposits, but it left me looking too thin in other areas. My breasts and buttocks became too thin looking. People began to comment that "you shouldn't lose any more weight" or "you're getting a bit too thin". But the fat deposits were still there. I probably could have lost an additional 5 lbs and reduced those spots a bit more, but the rest of me would have looked awful.
I allowed myself to regain the 5 lbs b/c it really wasn't flattering overall and it wasn't fixing what I wanted fixed. Now I'm going to have the Zeltiq. I am anticipating a modest reduction in these fat deposits, but without the loss of healthy-appearing, attractive curves. I have had Zeltiq done once before and it did improve the areas treated. I think I may need 2-3 treatments overall to achieve the results I hope for. I'm not looking for perfection, but I'm happy to have this nonsurgical option to improve my appearance.
I was the first patient on our Zeltiq device. My wife was the second person treated. I too was told that it was "very comfortable", but when the large hand piece grabbed my abdomen, I must have lost the color in my face (at least that's what my office staff described my shocked appearance as) as beads of sweat formed on my forehead. Of course my wife assured all present that, "Oh, don't go by him, he's such a baby!" as I felt that I was being lifted up to the ceiling by the suction cup. After about 15 minutes of feeling what I was later told feels like "menstrual cramps" (my empathy to all of you girls reading this), the cold plates took over and I was able to comfortably take zips of my Cafe Frappuccino (likely one of many causes for the tummy "pooch" being treated), but taking a deep breath was still difficult as I felt as if my diaphragm was stuck to the hand piece. Once the hour was up, the family-size brick of butter under my skin did feel like frozen chicken breast that was thawing out. The redness went away after a few hours. The numbness and tingling of pins and needles (like Novocain wearing off) lasted for about two weeks, but was very tolerable. Gentle massage of the treated areas is helpful. My wife only experienced a little burning sensation while being treated. We are about two months out now; my wife is very pleased with her result, and wants more. I will have another treatment soon, and have seen a little improvement (treatment immediately before Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years may be associated with weight gain, having nothing to due with Zeltiq, more to do with yummy food).
Realistic expectations are essential before the treatment. More than one treatment session should be counted on, and even scheduled from the start. It is a gradual, but scientifically proven technology.
Thanks for sharing your Zeltiq experiences. The technology is scientifically proven to work, but it does usually take multiple sessions. The numbness and tingling is normal for a few weeks. There have been a few patients who have experienced more severe pain that has responded well to lidocaine gel or patches (speak with your physician before self treating).
Good luck and be well.
Dr. P
Thanks for posting this, Dr. Persky. It's really helpful. I'd feel comforted knowing my own doc had already tried the procedure.
I too, want to try only treatments that are scientifically proven to be effective. And my experience with Zeltiq was similar to yours, though not quite as horrible as you describe.
I'm going for my second round of treatments (multiple areas). It does seem to work. Hasn't given me a perfectly sculpted, uniformly sleek body, but I wasn't expecting that. Zeltiq met my expectations.
And the best part is that it was fast and required no time off work or other activities and it was very discreet.
Best, Dr. P