Does CoolSculpting Hurt?

The Perception of Pain

According toScienceDaily.com, brain imaging confirms that people feel pain differently. Some are more sensitive to pain than others, and different people react to the same type of pain differently. In fact, what is perceived as “painful” by one person may not be “painful” at all to another person.

Robert C. Coghill, Ph.D., the lead investigator in the study published by ScienceDaily.com, indicates that treating pain is a medical challenge because of “the accuracy of patients’ self-reports of pain.” He also says these self-reports should guide pain treatment. In other words, what hurts needs to be addressed per patient with the goal of successfully decreases what the patient identifies as pain.

What CoolSculpting Feels Like

At Dermacare of Hampton Roads, we have helped numerous patients achieve the body contouring results they desire with CoolSculpting. Parts of the procedure can be uncomfortable for some. Our patients have different experiences and their perceptions of “pain” vary.

Patients differ in their reports of discomfort during treatment, but we have noticed some constants. Discomfort, if it occurs, general lasts for approximately three minutes, and the “pain” is described as anywhere from “painful” to a “tickling” sensation. Pain perception also depends on the area of treatment. CoolSculpting is most often used to treat:

• Abdominal fat
• Arm and back fat
• Love handles
• Bra fat
• Double chin
• Fat deposits on the inner and outer thighs

The few minutes of discomfort are usually reported at the beginning of a CoolSculpting treatment when the cooling starts to take effect. CoolSculpting works by freezing targeted fat cells that will later be absorbed and disposed of via the lymphatic system. Most patients report the “worst” part occurring at the end of treatment when the applicator is removed and the massage begins. At this time, warm air comes in contact with the cold tissue, and the “frozen” fat is massaged away. This only lasts for a few minutes and reports of discomfort resolve.

It’s all part of a scientifically proven process that generates real, permanent results. While CoolSculpting is not known to hurt, it can cause minor and brief discomfort for some patients.

What to Expect

Our team’s focus is always on your comfort and achieving your desired outcome.

You can trust our team to monitor your comfort at all times and adjust as needed. We pride ourselves on providing stress-free treatments that help you ditch the strain of shedding stubborn fat. Call us today at 757-547-7546 to learn more.