Does fat freezing cause side effects?

Put to a salesperson, the question is: will it hurt, show or last? The published list answers in plain words, and the plain words are worth keeping.

The list as written

my.clevelandclinic.org says: "Temporary side effects for the areas that are treated may include:"

• Pain or aches
• Stinging or tingling of the skin
• Redness
• Swelling
• Skin discoloration or bruising
• Skin sensitivity or numbness

It continues: "Side effects may persist for a few days to a few weeks after treatment."

The rare one

The same page says: "One rare side effect that may occur is paradoxical adipose hyperplasia." The source calls it rare. It does not call it impossible.

What a promise would have to match

A pitch or agreement that promises no side effects does not match that list. One that says only "minor" has dropped the span of a few days to a few weeks. Whether the paper comes from a spa in Ann Arbor or anywhere else, hold it to those words.

The line to ask for

Ask for the side effects and how long they last in the provider's own paperwork, not by voice. For wider reading, see the ASPS overview of freezing away fat with CoolSculpting, the ASPS page on injection lipolysis and my.clevelandclinic.org on deoxycholic acid injection.