:Terra Tries- Coolsculpting with Beleza:

Can Freezing Fat Really Help With Stubborn Spots?

After pregnancy, I have worked overtime to lose the last bit of baby weight in my belly and back. I am dedicated to my fitness, so I try my best to work out regularly and eat well (mostly). But those spots have refused to budge. Some years ago, I had heard of Coolsculpting from a friend. When she described it, I was skeptical. This machine sucks your fat into a chamber and freezes it. When those fat cells die, they are eliminated by your body giving you a more sculpted look. To be honest, it all sounded like beauty industry double speak. My friend tried it, was not pleased with her results and effectively solidified my opinion of Coolsculpting.

When Beleza Plastic Surgery approached me about giving the treatment a try, I was forthright about what I thought of Coolsculpting. As it turns out, I didn’t know much and so my ideas about the procedure were based on incomplete information.

My friend who was disappointed with her experience had only received the treatment once. But for a patient to see results, they really should go at least twice. And this is much less a weight-loss procedure and much more focused on targeting trouble spots for people who eat well and workout regularly.

Well, hey. That’s me!

I became very curious about it. So I continued the conversation with the staff at Beleza about what to expect from the procedure. I learned it’s non-invasive, it’s targeted, and best of all, the recovery time is manageable. This was a big point for me. I never like the idea of voluntary surgery. That means time away from work and usually struggling to be a contributing member of the family while you recoup. That’s not at all the experience with Coolsculpting.

While there are no guaranteed results, I decided I wanted to give it a try.
Why not, right?

We decided to do two sessions with a focus on my lower abdomen and my flanks. Go big or go home! My first session was in May. The staff at Beleza did what they always do, which is to make me feel welcomed and as comfortable as possible. Beleza has two Coolsculpting machines, which means they are able to conduct the treatment twice as fast. Each section takes about 30 minutes of the actual freezing and then two minutes of massaging the area afterward. After just a couple of minutes, the freezing part is really easy to handle. The machine itself is bulky but I was able to get comfortable enough to do some projects on my computer. Some people take a nap or watch a show, whatever helps the time pass. The part of the procedure that is most difficult is the two-minute massage.

Holy smokes.

It hurts quite a bit. I apparently have a low tolerance for that kind of pain because I nearly passed out once, which isn’t the first time. Anyway, I eventually got through the massaging with some focused breathing. The treated areas were sensitive for a few days; when you freeze areas of your body like that, your nerve endings react by tingling for about a week. And I felt a little swollen for just over a week. As far as recoveries go, it was all very easy to handle.

After my first treatment, I didn’t really see much of a change. I was honestly a little worried that I was going to have to write a blog post about my experience that basically described a procedure that didn’t work for me. My second treatment was in July… same process and sensations after the procedure. But this time, around mid-August, I started to notice a little something. My body like most tends to fluctuate throughout a month. Some days I feel very light and slender, some days I feel like my skin is one size too small for my body. In the past, whenever I had those bloated days, my lower abdomen would pop out. In August, I had all of the makings of a popped pooch - lots of time at the lake house and an intimate, long-term affair with french fries. But I noticed that my lower abdomen was as flat as it’s ever been. It kind of freaked me out at first. I wondered what was happening. I also didn’t want to jump to conclusions that it was the Coolsculpting. So I waited a few days. Those days melted into a couple of weeks. When I knew for sure it wasn’t just that I had consumed the right amount of water or some other health-conscious effort, I declared that the Coolsculpting worked. I truly couldn’t believe it. I still can’t. I’m at the end of an exceptionally indulgent holiday season and I’m surprised by how my abdomen isn’t developing into its own landing strip. I’m especially excited to dive into my fitness regimen for the new year to see what I can actually accomplish when I rededicate my efforts.

Here’s the most important part of this whole process - the staff at Beleza was exceptional, per usual. I always feel informed about what to expect at every point of a procedure with them. And I feel cared for from the consultation all the way through recovery. I recommend Beleza to all of my friends who express interest in services like Coolsculpting because I know I’m sending them to a supportive, no pressure environment. And I’m confident they will be pleased with the results for whatever they choose to do.

This is an expensive procedure (pricing depends on the size of the area you are targeting and the number of sessions) so you want to make sure you are working with a team that will be forthright with you about what to expect. If you’re at all curious about Coolsculpting, contact Beleza. They are the best at going over the facts and managing expectations about any procedure. And they never make you feel like you have to move forward if you’re uncomfortable. They are truly top shelf!

This post was created in partnership with Beleza Plastic Surgery. Beleza provided these services to me at no cost. All opinions expressed are my own.