CoolSculpting Staff Blogs – Rachel – March 6-7, 2014
March 6, 2014
Hi there! My name is Rachel and I am one of the patient coordinator’s at The Swan Center. I have just been told I will get the opportunity to have CoolSculpting by Zeltiq performed here at the office (score!!!)
This is an extremely exciting opportunity for me, as I am both a full time employee as well as a dedicated mommy. Not only do I have little or no time for a regular fitness regimen (excuses I know) but I certainly do not have the downtime to undergo a surgical procedure at this time. The great thing about CoolSculpting is that the procedure is noninvasive, and I am told I will be able to resume my rather demanding schedule as soon as my procedure is over! I am so pumped after doing research on the procedure and seeing the before and afters. It appears to WORK! And work well, for people like me!
I am 5’ 6, 137 lbs, and my measurements before the procedure are:
Upper Waist: 27 ½”
Navel: 32 ½
Midline: 36 ½
Hips: 37”
I can’t believe I am sharing this but here is one of my “before” pics taken at the office! EEEK!
March 7, 2014
TGIF! It’s time for my procedure!!!! Very excited! Came prepared today with sweatpants and a fully charged Kindle, as I understand each area treated will take approx. 1 hour. Travis, our Licensed Aesthetician, will administer treatment. He will start with my evaluation (See pic below). The evaluation consists of pinching the areas that need treatment to determine the best placement for the CoolSculpting wand!
(Travis taking an evaluation and marking me for the procedure! This is a great example of one of my trouble zones, the flanks! He had more than an inch to pinch.)
After I was marked it was time to place the machine. Travis first laid a “barrier” pad on the area being treated and then applied the Coolsculpt device. This felt…weird. I would not describe it as pain, nor would I describe as a pleasurable feeling. It feels weird when suction is applied to the skin! He then pressed the “Go!” button and I immediately felt a cooling sensation applied to the area being suctioned in the machine.
The science behind this is fascinating, as Harvard researchers discovered the fat is destroyed by suction and cold exposure. They were lead to this conclusion because children who ate popsicles a lot were more likely to develop dimples! Isn’t that crazy? I love the fact that this procedure is so safe and that the fat cells will take a while to rupture and process through the body in the natural way (through the lymphatic system, just like with diet and exercise!). The natural elimination is the reason why it will take 6-8 weeks before enjoying the full results! I am going to be so anxious to see them, I just know it. Here I am, all hooked up, and undergoing my first treatment:
(LOL.)
:
Once the hour was up, they removed the wand.
They compare the treated area to looking like a stick of butter. Behold…my butter!
Once all four zones were treated, two in the abdominal region, and one on each flank, I am done! Immediately following the procedure I was numb. The areas treated were cool to the touch, and feeling did not start to return to those areas for a couple hours. Once I was home preparing dinner, I noticed there was some residual soreness. I put on a pair of Spanx, thinking the compression would help with the soreness and it absolutely did.
I would recommend wearing something that provides some compression to treated areas for the first few days. Next day I went to work per usual, and felt a little swollen and still sore. It did not affect my work in any way and after taking a Motrin, I no longer noticed the soreness. I will keep you posted on my progress from here!