My CoolSculpting Journey, Part One: The Consultation

We sat down with a recent patient {we will call her Emily for privacy purposes}, a Garcia Plastic & Hand Surgery patient who recently underwent CoolSculpting treatments with our Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist, Sonja Balcom. In the next few blog posts, we will follow Emily on her CoolSculpting journey, from initial consultation, to treatments, to check-ups, to the final results. Today’s blog post starts at the very beginning…

My CoolSculpting Consultation Story

I had heard about CoolSculpting from so many sources, and was interested in knowing if it was right for me. Below, you can read what it was like for me to attend a CoolSculpting consultation at Garcia Plastic & Hand Surgery.

Why I Decided to Book a CoolSculpting Consultation

The main reason I decided to pursue CoolSculpting is because I had gained weight, primarily in my stomach and love handle area. I had heard about CoolSculpting years ago, and was intrigued that it was a non-invasive procedure unlike liposuction. I wanted to kickstart a healthier lifestyle, carry myself better and with more confidence, and have my clothes fit better, too.

After researching CoolSculpting on Garcia Plastic Surgery’s website, I booked a CoolSculpting Consultation with Sonja to learn more about my eligibility, the pricing, and the treatment itself.

The Consultation Process

The main reason you have a consultation is to see if you are eligible. As the Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist, Sonja, explained to me, some people may not be eligible for CoolSculpting, depending on the type and amount of fat on the area they want to treat. Sonja is very knowledgeable about CoolSculpting, having done over 1,000 treatments! Having treated so many CoolSculpting patients over the years, Sonja can tell right away during the consultation whether she can treat a patient or not. The most treated areas are lower belly, abdomen, and love handles. You can also treat inner and outer thighs, underarms, chin, and the areas around your bra. After examining my stomach and lower back, Sonja let me know I could be treated!

Once we determined I was eligible, Sonja explained the science of the CoolSculpting procedure, how it is a non-invasive procedure that freezes fat cells. Once frozen, these fat cells die and are expelled by the body naturally in the next few months. Then, Sonja walked me through the entire steps of the CoolSculpting procedure, including what I could expect and feel during the actual procedure, the recovery, potential downsides, and how long it typically would take for me to start seeing changes. I was very comforted knowing that Sonja has a medical background. In addition to being a Certified Master CoolSculpting Specialist and a Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist, Sonja is a Registered Nurse. This gave me peace of mind knowing Sonja was going to not only treat me aesthetically, but safely!

Surprising Information I Learned about CoolSculpting

• CoolSculpting can only treat subcutaneous fat cells (fat visible just under the skin). If your fat cells are visceral (fat that surrounds organs), such as a man with a beer belly, CoolSculpting cannot treat it. The only way to treat visceral fat is diet and exercise.
• You can get multiple CoolSculpting treatments in one day. When Sonja recommended I get 8 treatments on my stomach and back, I thought that meant I had to come in 8 separate times, but I was wrong. You can get multiple CoolSculpting treatments done in one sitting. Sonja mentioned some people prefer to come in and do 4 treatments one day and then 4 treatments another day, but I figured I would rather do it all at once. It’s great to have the option though!
• You are clothed the entire procedure. On treatment day, you’re instructed to wear comfortable, loose clothing. This was nice to know that I would be able to be very cozy during the treatment.
• Results don’t happen immediately. Although initial results can take as little as three weeks, maximum results are typically seen over 2-3 months after treatment. The best way to improve and maintain your results are through diet and exercise.

The Next Steps

After determining I was eligible and explaining the treatment process, Sonja laid out how much each treatment would cost and settled on the plan we were going to do. In general, treatments can cost $2,000-$4,000 per session. I chose to focus exclusively on my back and lower stomach. After the dates of my treatments were arranged, the consultation was all done!

I was so excited to start my treatment…

Read Part Two of Emily’s Story: My CoolSculpting Journey, Part Two: The Treatment

Read Part Three of Emily’s Story: My CoolSculpting Journey, Part Three: The Results

Book Your Own CoolSculpting Consultation at Garcia Plastic Surgery!

If you resonate with Emily’s story and you think CoolSculpting might be the ideal body sculpting procedure for you, follow in Emily’s footsteps and come in and find out what it’s all about firsthand.

Give us a call at 518-793-0475

Checkout some of our additional CoolSculpting Resources Below:

Featured CoolSculpting Cases – See some of the amazing results that have been achieved by real patients at Dr. Garcia’s practice!

CoolSculpting FAQs – We answer some frequently asked questions about the CoolSculpting procedure we get from patients.

Real CoolSculpting Patient Before & After Photos – See before and after photos of real patients who have undergone CoolSculpting treatments to see just how successful this non-invasive treatment can be.