Seven Ways to Help With Recovery After CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting is all the rage in the fat-reduction field lately, since, after all, it is entirely noninvasive and eliminates up to 25 percent of a body part’s fat per session. With no downtime or anesthesia needed, the fat-freezing technique appears to be less of a fad and more like a permanent fixture in today’s cosmetic procedure world.

That being said, while the benefits of cryolipolysis seem to outweigh the risks, there are still some side effects you should acknowledge. Below, we will review some tips to reduce the swelling and help patients recover after each session.

Tips to Help With CoolSculpting Recovery

1. Wear the right clothing: Because you are likely to feel bloated in addition to feeling pain due to swelling, in the days after CoolSculpting, you should wear tight pants that provide a compression effect. Yoga pants or Spanx, specifically, make help the most during this initial stretch.  Note that some people may prefer to wear loose clothing immediately after their treatment for comfort reasons. Generally, the decision of whether to wear loose or compression garments comes down to the individual’s personal preference. Whatever you do, however, avoid trying to slip into those tight-fitting jeans right when you get home. 
2. Take things slowly: While you can technically return to your daily activities the day of the procedure, take things slowly and don’t push yourself to reduce swelling and make yourself comfortable. Try keeping the rest of your day after the CoolSculpting session free, if not a couple of days after as well. 
3. Avoid anti-inflammatories: The swelling that follows your noninvasive fat procedure occurs naturally as your body expelling dead fat cells. Taking pills with ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatories will inhibit this healthy response and limit results. 
4. Don’t become couch-locked: We did recommend taking a day (or days) off work for recovery, but that doesn’t mean you should stop moving altogether. Once your body feels comfortable enough, you should always abide by a solid exercise regimen to keep you heading in the right direction. Doing this will also have positive effects on pain and swelling in your body too. You should also stick to a healthy and sustainable diet as well, of course. 
5. Massage the area: You probably know patients receive a somewhat painful massage right after their CoolSculpting session to help break up the frozen fat cells. Having a friend or family member massage the treated area similarly can help further break up these cells and improve results. Going to a professional massage therapist can even help loosen up extremely tender patients. 
6. Prepare for more severe pain: Between three and ten days after the procedure, your body’s inflammatory response will pick up as it begins removing dead fat cells more promptly. This response will cause mild to moderate pain, which should reside about two weeks after the treatment. Consult with your doctor if these nerve twinges do not subside in the days within that time frame. 
7. Drink water: This tip technically has no medical studies or hard data to back it up, but doctors generally agree that drinking large (but healthy) amounts of water after a CoolSculpting session will help improve results. This effect can be attributed to the fact that hydrated individuals tend to eliminate waste more effectively.