What is CoolSculpting?
What is CoolSculpting? Do I submerge my whole body in some sort of human-sized freezer and hope for the best? Is the “cool” part really cool? And does it even work?
I’ll admit, I had a ton of questions when I went to Queen C Skin Studio to discuss CoolSculpting procedures. Even after doing my own research online, comparing photos, and trying to pick just one body part to have the procedure done on, I still had my doubts. How can COLD get rid of my unwanted fat? I do live in Saskatchewan after all and none of the frigid winters have ever helped my summer body. The first step was to meet with a CoolSculpting professional for a consultation.
The best part? It’s completely free, and Queen C Skin Studio offers virtual consults!
CoolSculpting is a leading non-surgical fat-reduction treatment, also known as cryolipolysis. It involves no surgery and has minimal to no downtime. It uses controlled cooling to precisely target fat cells underneath the skin that are crystallized (frozen), destroyed, and then naturally overtime your body processes and eliminates the dead cells.
How is it different from just losing weight? After weight loss, fat cells shrink and get smaller but the actual number of fat cells remains the same. With CoolSculpting, the cells are destroyed completely. They are gone for good!
CoolSculpting can reduce the number of fat cells in treatment areas by up to 27% after six months. And since these cells are eliminated from your body, there is zero risk they migrate to another area in your body. With over 7,000,000 treatments worldwide and 52 published clinical research studies, CoolSculpting has proven, legitimate results.
THE PRE-APPOINTMENT:
Queen C did a remarkable job answering all of my pesky questions and reassuring me at my consultation. My consultant took a look at the areas I was considering (stomach, flanks, bra bulge, double chin) and made a recommendation based on my goals, budget, and where I would see the best results.
CoolSculpting can treat visible fat in the double chin area, thigh, abdomen, flanks (love handles), bra fat, back fat, upper arms, and underneath the buttocks (banana roll). Although every body is entirely unique and the situation is customized to you and your goal results, I went with the standard “COVID gut”, or lower belly pooch.
Some questions I had before my appointment:
- If it’s really cold, can I get frostbite?
No! CoolSculpting machines have controlled cooling devices with built-in safety measures. If sensors detect that the skin is getting too cold, the system automatically shuts down. - Is it permanent?
Yes. Once the treated cells are destroyed, they are naturally processed and eliminated from your body. Once they are gone, they’re gone for good! - What areas can I have CoolSculpted?
CoolSculpting can treat visible fat in the double chin area, thigh, abdomen, flanks (love handles), bra fat, back fat, upper arms, and underneath the buttocks (banana roll. Consults with Queen C to see if you’re a candidate are always free! - Can everybody get CoolSculpting?
While most people are great candidates for CoolSculpting, not everyone is eligible. As with any medical procedure, ask your healthcare practitioner if CoolSculpting is the right fit for you.
DURING YOUR APPOINTMENT:
A CoolSculpting appointment is typically 90 minutes in length, but 75% of the appointment is relaxing while the machine does the work. Queen C started by taking some measurements, and before photos to track my results. My consultant used a large plastic oval to mark the area on my lower stomach and double check to make sure the placement was correct and straight. Once we had the area mapped out, I laid down in her cozy treatment chair while she applied the CoolSculpting gel to the area.
The machine reminds me of a “tall mini fridge” with a few arms coming from the sides. The “arm” attaches to the treatment paddle, which is secured to the treatment area (my stomach) by using a velcro wrap, which reminded me of one of those weight loss bands. Once secured, I laid back and relaxed!
The actual treatment is pretty boring to be honest. During the first five minutes or so, the machine is quite noisy as it literally sucks the fat cells in to be treated. Think of it like a vacuum hoovering up your tummy chub to really focus the cooling in the right area.
Once the machine has a good grip on all of the fat cells, the cooling process starts. And it is, quite literally, cool. Queen C made sure I was comfortable laying down with enough pillows to prop up my head, and supplied fuzzy blankets to make sure I didn’t get too cold. I had brought my laptop and was able to watch Netflix while I waited. The cooling process takes close to an hour and you cannot move. No bathroom breaks, sitting up, adjusting – you must stay as still as possible to not interfere with the machine.
After my CoolSculpt nap, Queen C removed the treatment paddle and machine and got to work massaging the treated area. I would say this was the most uncomfortable part of the entire procedure. The massage immediately post treatment is a short few minutes, but necessary to see the best results. It helps to immediately break up the fat cells, but can be on the more painful side.
And that’s it! The treated area was quite cold for a few hours post-treatment, but otherwise I had zero downtime. I did notice it was a bit sensitive, red, and the skin felt numb to the touch, but that all gradually disappeared within the next few days.
AFTER YOUR TREATMENT:
The best part about CoolSculpting is the near zero downtime. If you plan to treat your midsection, I would recommend wearing stretchy leggings or loose pants to your appointment.. My tummy skin was red and cold immediately after, but wore off after an hour or two. The treated area was sensitive and a bit swollen for 2-3 days after the treatment, but otherwise I experienced no pain or symptoms that I had a procedure done.
The worst part about getting a CoolSculpting treatment? Waiting to see the results! The full results of your treatment can take up to 90 days to fully be noticeable, and most people choose to do more than one treatment session for the best results. With 45 days recommended between treatment sessions, you’ll want to plan in advance of any special events. Winter is a great time to consider starting your CoolSculpting journey – summer bodies are made in the winter!
If you feel like you have a few spots where you just can’t seem to drop those final few pounds, want to tighten up your abdomen region, or maybe you feel less confident in sleeveless tops because of your arms, you should definitely book a free CoolSculpting consultation with Queen C Skin Studio – you won’t regret it!
