CoolSculpting® Elite is a fat-reduction treatment for men and women who want to get rid of stubborn pockets of fat in certain areas of their body (see FDA-cleared areas for treatment). CoolSculpting® Elite is NOT a weight loss procedure. CoolSculpting® Elite is a nonsurgical alternative that has little to no downtime.

That all depends on what areas you treat and how many treatments you have. Many patients choose to do CoolSculpting® on multiple areas to reach their ideal end result.

When you meet with a CoolSculpting® provider, they will work with you to find a personalized treatment that fits your body and your budget. In fact, many CoolSculpting® providers offer flexible payment plans to help you get the results you want without having to pay the full cost up front.

CoolSculpting® Elite 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 applicator will be placed on the treatment area, and there will be a slight sucking sensation as it adheres to your body, followed by that signature cooling effect. During the procedure you may experience sensations of pulling, tugging, mild pinching, intense cold, tingling, stinging, aching, and cramping at the treatment site. These sensations subside as the area becomes numb. Following the procedure, typical side effects include temporary redness, swelling, blanching, bruising, firmness, tingling, stinging, tenderness, cramping, aching, itching, or skin sensitivity, and sensation of fullness in the back of the throat after submental or submandibular area treatment.

After the applicator is detached, your provider will do a brief massage on the area to break up the treated fat cells and enhance the fat reduction. That’s it!

Each CoolSculpting® Elite treatment is different, so it depends on which areas of the body and how many of them you plan on doing. Depending on the area, treatment can be done in as little as 35 minutes. If you opt to do multiple treatments in a session, expect to spend more time. The CoolSculpting® Elite machines feature dual applicators, allowing patients to do multiple treatment areas at once, reducing the amount of time spent in the office as compared to using 1 CoolSculpting applicator.

While you will see up to a 20-25% fat reduction in the treated area after a single treatment, it depends on the person and the area being treated. Your provider will work with you to determine if additional treatments are necessary to reach your desired goal.

You’ll start to see changes as soon as 1-3 months post treatment. Final results may take 6 months or more.

CoolSculpting® Elite uses cryolipolysis, which is just a technical way to say fat freezing. When fat cells freeze, they die and are then naturally eliminated through the body’s natural process. Don’t worry: This process happens so gradually, you won’t necessarily notice a difference in your day-to-day life.

CoolSculpting® Elite has been cleared by the FDA to safely and effectively treat 9 different areas of the body (see the FDA-cleared areas below).

Following the procedure, typical side effects include temporary redness, swelling, bruising, firmness, tingling, stinging, tenderness, cramping, aching, itching, or skin sensitivity, and sensation of fullness in the back of the throat after submental or submandibular area treatment. Rare side effects may also occur. Paradoxical hyperplasia (visibly enlarged tissue volume in the treated area) may develop 2 to 5 months after treatment and requires surgical intervention for correction. As with any medical procedure, ask your physician if CoolSculpting® Elite is right for you.

The CoolSculpting® Elite treatment helps eliminate stubborn pockets of fat. But, since CoolSculpting® Elite is not a weight loss treatment, it is possible to gain weight post treatment if you don’t keep up your healthy habits. This kind of weight gain will most likely happen evenly throughout your body, not just in treatment areas.

Because CoolSculpting® Elite is a voluntary medical aesthetic treatment, it is not normally covered by insurance providers and FSA companies. Check directly with your insurer to learn what is covered under your plan benefits. Alternatively, you can also check with your CoolSculpting® Elite provider to see if they offer financing options.