Before beginning your CoolSculpting® treatments, please review this important information. Results and patient experience may vary. This is not meant to cover all aspects of the CoolSculpting® treatment. Please contact your healthcare provider for additional details
The CoolSculpting® procedure is a noninvasive procedure that is intended to break down fat cells that are just beneath the skin by delivering controlled cooling at the surface of the skin. The CoolSculpting® procedure is FDA-cleared for the treatment of visible fat bulges in the submental (under the chin) and submandibular (under the jawline) areas, thigh, abdomen and flank, along with bra fat, back fat, underneath the buttocks (also known as banana roll) and upper arm. It is also FDA-cleared to affect the appearance of lax tissue with submental area treatments. The CoolSculpting® procedure is not a treatment for weight loss. It does not replace traditional methods such as diet, exercise, or liposuction.
The CoolSculpting® technology uses controlled cooling to target and freeze a portion of the fat cells under your skin. In the weeks that follow treatment, the body naturally begins to process the fat cells that were frozen during treatment and removes them from the treatment site thereby affecting the appearance of the treated bulge. You may start to see changes in as early as four weeks after your CoolSculpting® procedure and will experience the most dramatic results after one to three months. Your body will continue to naturally process the injured fat cells for weeks to months after your procedure. Results may take up to 6 months to become visible. Visible results can vary from person to person.
The CoolSculpting® System is a prescription use only device and may only be used by or on the order of a physician. Your practitioner will discuss your individual treatment plan and will select the appropriate applicator for your needs. Some applicators use vacuum and others do not. During your treatment, a gel or gelpad and applicator are applied to the targeted area. Applicators that use vacuum will draw the tissue into the applicator cup. You may feel deep pulling, tugging, and mild pinching. With a non-vacuum surface applicator, you may experience sensations of pressure. Controlled cooling is then delivered to the targeted fat so you may feel intense cold, stinging, tingling, aching or cramping as the treatment begin but these sensations typically subside as the area becomes numb. In some cases, you may feel pulsatile massage. Upon removal of the applicator, you may see a frozen bulge at the treatment area (known as a “butterstick”). The physician may apply manual massage to rewarm and smooth out the treated area.
For most patients, the CoolSculpting® procedure reduces the appearance of a visible fat bulge in the treatment area.
You should inform your physician of your entire medical history. You should not have the treatment if you are seeking treatment for obesity as CoolSculpting® is not a weight loss treatment. You should not have treatment if you have one of the below conditions:
The safety and effectiveness for the treatment of areas other than the submental (under the chin) and submandibular (under the jawline) areas, thigh, abdomen and flank, along with bra fat, back fat, underneath the buttocks (also known as banana roll) and upper arm have not been established.
The CoolSculpting® procedure has not been studied in children, those who are pregnant or lactating, or patients with any of the below conditions. If you have one of the following conditions, inform your CoolSculpting® healthcare provider as you may not be an appropriate candidate for CoolSculpting® treatment.
The following effects can happen frequently in the treatment area during and after a treatment. These effects are temporary and generally resolve within days or weeks.
There are other side effects that can happen with submental and submandibular area treatments:
The following side effects can happen in the treatment area, during and after a treatment. The risk for the side effects listed below is small, but possible. We can estimate how likely it is that a side effect could happen. We do this by first counting how many of these side effects have been reported by people treated with CoolSculpting®. Then we count the number of treatment cycles of CoolSculpting® used around the world.
Rare side effects are not reported by people as often, this can make them difficult to measure. We have provided estimates for how likely it is that you could have a certain side effect. These are listed in the parentheses below.
Rare side effects may happen in 1 to 10 out of 10,000 CoolSculpting® treatments (between 0.01% to 0.1%). These include:
Very rare side effects may happen in less than 1 out of 10,000 CoolSculpting® treatments (less than 0.01%). These include:
CoolSculpting® has conducted clinical studies in the submental area, thighs, abdomen, flanks, and upper arms. It has also been studied with modified treatment parameters (MTP). The procedure has been exclusively studied in adult volunteers. The CoolSculpting® System has not been studied in children or those who are pregnant or lactating.
STUDIES:
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA:
To demonstrate efficacy and the change in appearance in the treatment site, three independent physicians reviewed before andafter photographs for each patient and were asked to identify the before photograph.
Efficacy has also been shown through ultrasound measurements which measure the reduction of the fat layer after treatment.
Flank: Reported side effects included pain during or post-treatment, bruising of the treated area, temporary numbness, tingling, redness, and swelling. During treatment, one patient reported pain at the first application site. Each of these resolved after treatment was discontinued. All side effects during this study resolved without any medical intervention by 4 weeks after treatment.
Abdomen: There were two cases of pain, two cases of numbness, two cases of nausea, and one each of: anxiety, vasovagal episode, headache, and menorrhagia. Inner and Outer thighs: Side effects reported during the studies included numbness and mild contour irregularity. A mild case of hyperpigmentation (dark coloration of the skin) lasted beyond 16 weeks. This is a rare side effect that typically resolves spontaneously.
Modified treatment parameters: Side effects included numbness, pain, and hyperpigmentation, and subcutaneous induration. One treatment was not completed due to a first-degree burn. Three cases of numbness lasted beyond 16 weeks after treatment.
Submental Area: Four side effects reported: two cases of redness, one case of hyperpigmentation, and one case of sensation of fullness in the back of the throat due to swelling. Clinical safety assessment showed anticipated side-effects, all of which resolved over the course of the study.
Upper Arm: Side effects included redness, edema, numbness, and tingling. There was one case of minor tingling in the fingers post device removal, which resolved within 20 minutes. Seven cases of numbness lasted beyond 12 weeks after treatment.
There are a variety of medical devices available in the United States that may be used for fat reduction treatment. As an alternative to utilizing cold, other devices may use other modes/means of treatment such as radio frequency, ultrasound, heat, laser, and other mechanical means. In addition, surgery such as abdominoplasty or liposuction may be an option. You may discuss these treatments with your physician.
Be sure to report to your physician (1) any side effect that lasts for more than two weeks and (2) any other symptom that causes you concern. You may also contact the CoolSculpting® Product Support line at 1-888-935-8471.
For more information or further questions about the CoolSculpting® procedure, visit www.CoolSculpting.com or call 1-888-935-8471.