What Are the Risks of CoolSculpting? [Guide]

Although BodContour doesn't offer CoolSculpting procedures, we want to make sure that our patients know about other weight-loss options.

Anyone weighing the pros and cons of noninvasive weight loss treatments should learn about CoolSculpting, a technique that uses cold temperatures to kill fat tissue. The process works well for certain people, but it does have some risks that potential patients should know.

Patients who undergo CoolSculpting procedures can expect to experience some common side effects like:

- Skin sensitivity

- Muscle cramps

- Numbness, tingling and tenderness in the treated area

- Red skin

- Mild swelling

These side effects rarely last more than a few weeks, so they don't present any significant challenges.

Other common side effects, however, can cause more anxiety in patients. Some people experience diarrhea while their bodies eliminate dead fat cells. If diarrhea lasts more than a few days, it puts people at risk of dehydration.

Patients who receive CoolScultping around the chins or throats may experience a sensation that their throats are full. While this may feel strange, it doesn't present any health dangers.

A small percentage of people who undergo CoolSculpting experience a condition called paradoxical adipose hyperplasia, a medical term that refers to fat cells that get larger instead of shrinking.

For unknown reasons, paradoxical adipose hyperplasia occurs more often in men than women. Still, the condition only affects about 0.005 percent of patients. That means it only happens to one in 200,000 patients.

Luckily, paradoxical adipose hyperplasia doesn't have any health risks. The only effects are cosmetic. Correcting the problem, however, requires surgery.

Long-term negative effects of CoolSculpting are rare, but they do happen. Long-term complications that some patients experience include:

- Frostbite

- Scars

- Skin discoloration

- Dry mouth (when CoolSculpting is used on the neck or chin)

- Dizziness

- Pain that can last a month or longer

While CoolSculpting is a useful procedure for most people, certain health conditions can make the process unsafe. Patients who should not get CoolSculpting include those with:

- Anxiety disorders

- Chronic pain

- Implanted medical devices

- Dermatitis, hives and other skin conditions

- Poor circulation

- Autoimmune disorders

- Diabetic neuropathy and similar nerve conditions

Pregnant women and people taking blood thinners should also avoid CoolSculpting.

BodContour uses the latest laser lipolysis technology because we believe that it offers the safest, most effective way to target stubborn fat. Anyone who wants to learn more about BodContour and other noninvasive weight loss treatments can contact us for more information.