FAQs

CoolSculpting is a fat reduction procedure that targets unwanted bulges of subcutaneous fat cells (pinchable adipose stored just under your skin) that are often resistant to a healthy lifestyle. In essence, CoolSculpting is a non-surgical alternative to liposuction at a fraction of the cost.

Since CoolSculpting is a medical procedure, only a qualified healthcare professional can determine if you are good candidate by evaluating your individual circumstances. Therefore, the next step is to schedule a consultation at a Dr. Freeze center to determine if CoolSculpting is right for you.

IMPORTANT: You should NOT proceed with CoolSculpting if you have one of the following conditions:

Cryoglobulinemia, a condition in which an abnormal level of cryoglobulins (proteins which thicken in cold temperatures) are present in the blood.
Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, a blood disorder in which a change from cold to warm temperatures leads to red blood cell death.
Cold agglutinin disease, an autoimmune disease in which exposure of blood to cold temperatures leads to red blood cell death.
Active cancer which is NOT cured and/or is NOT in remission.

Please inform our specialists if you have any of the above conditions as it disqualifies you as a candidate for CoolSculpting. Our team may recommend other solutions that can help reduce unwanted fat.

CoolSculpting is also contraindicated if you are pregnant.

NOTE: It is important to know that CoolSculpting is NOT a weight loss solution for those that are obese. In fact, by itself CoolSculpting does NOT result in significant weight reduction. Therefore, if you are overweight or obese, we recommend combining CoolSculpting with a medical weight loss program to experience a more complete, dramatic transformation.

The following rare side effects can happen in the treatment area, during and after CoolSculpting. The risk for the side effects listed below is small, but possible.

A side effect is categorized as rare by estimating how likely it is to occur. This probability is calculated by counting how many cases of a particular side effect have been reported by people treated with CoolSculpting. Then we compare this number to the total number of CoolSculpting treatments perform around the world. Using both these numbers we can estimate the probability of a particular side effect occurring (listed in parentheses below).

Keep in mind rare side effects are sometimes not reported, which can impact the accuracy of measuring a side effect’s occurrence and calculating its probability of happening. This is why the probabilities provided here are merely estimates.

Rare side effects may happen in 1 to 10 out of 10,000 CoolSculpting® treatments(between 0.01% to 0.1%). These include:

Paradoxical hyperplasia (About 1 out of 3,000treatments, 0.033%): The gradual development of a visibly enlarged tissue volume, of varying size and shape, in the treatment area two to five months after the treatment. This is distinguished from temporary swelling and will not resolve on its own. Surgical intervention may be required.
Severe pain (About 1 out of 6,000 treatments,0.017%): Patients may experience pain of varying severity, which more commonly can be described as mild to moderate, and in rare instances, can be severe.
Late-onset pain (About 1 out of 6,000treatments, 0.017%): Pain that occur several days after a treatment and resolves within several weeks.

Very rare side effects may happen in less than 1 out of 10,000CoolSculpting® treatments (a probability of less than 0.01%). These include:

Hyperpigmentation (About 1 out of 11,000treatments, 0.009%): Dark coloration of the skin may happen aftertreatment. Typically, it resolves spontaneously.
Freeze burn (“frostbite”) (About 1 out of15,000 treatments, 0.006%): First and second-degree freeze burn which may happen during treatment. It typically resolves without additional side effects with proper care.
Treatment Area Demarcation (TAD) (About 1 out of 20,000 treatments, 0.005%): An aesthetic outcome of treatment in which the patient experiences excessive fat removal in the treatment area, resulting in a visible disruption to the continuous contour off at, or unwanted indentation in the treated area.
Vasovagal symptoms (About 1 out of 30,000treatments, 0.003%): Dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, flushing, sweating, or fainting might happen during or immediately after the treatment.
Subcutaneous induration (About 1 out of30,000 treatments, 0.003%): Generalized hardness and/or discrete nodules within the treatment area, which can develop after the treatment and be accompanied by pain and/or discomfort.
Cold panniculitis (About 1 out of 60,000treatments, 0.002%): Cold panniculitis results from injury to adipose tissue exposed to cold and may result in a mild to severe inflammatory response. In mild cases, the symptoms are self-resolving and may include redness, swelling, skin nodules, warmth, tenderness, and possible low-grade fever. These cases typically resolve without long-term side effects. In more severe cases, an intense inflammatory response may result in more extensive tissue damage, including fat tissue death, which may require medical or surgical intervention.
Hernia (About 1 out of 185,000 treatments,0.001%): The CoolSculpting treatment may cause new hernia formation or worsen preexisting hernia, which may require surgical repair.

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