How Long is the Recovery Time from CoolSculpting on the Neck and Chin?

The road to your body goals is not always easy. For many people, however, the road to their dream figure can be blocked by stubborn excess fat in their neck and chin area that they can’t seem to shed no matter how much facial exercises they practice. If you’re just a couple of pounds away from your goals and just need to get rid of a few unsightly fat bulges in these areas, CoolSculpting may be the best option to speed up the process. 

So how much recovery time is necessary for the neck and chin area? Since the procedure is non-invasive, it takes minimal to no downtime at all, and you can resume your day to day activities right after. Though you can expect a little swelling, redness, soreness, fullness of the throat, and even diarrhea due to your fat cells being flushed out little by little, but all of these are normal and there’s nothing you should be concerned about. 

What to Expect After the Procedure

CoolSculpting is best for reducing fat in places that can be difficult to burn fat away with exercise, like people with double chins or folds of fat at the back of their necks.  

The procedure is based on the science of cryolipolysis, which targets the fatty tissue and freezes fat cells in the area. Frozen fat cells then break apart and dissolve, which your body then absorbs these fat cells, filters its remains, and then excretes it out of your body as waste. 

CoolSculpting is a non-surgical and non-invasive treatment, so no anesthesia is needed. One CoolSculpting procedure should take around 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the parts you’re treating. For the chin and neck area alone, this should take around 30 to 35 minutes.  

Immediately after the procedure, it’s normal to feel tingling, stinging, or a pulling sensation from the CoolSculpting device. This should subside within a few hours up to a few days after the procedure. 

1. No Downtime Needed

CoolSculpting requires minimal to no recovery period after the procedure, and you should be free to resume your normal activities. You may notice some side effects as your body continues to shed away fat cells, but this is normal and will go away within a few weeks. If the side effects can be difficult to ignore, you can use several home remedies to ease the discomfort.  

2. Common Side Effects

CoolSculpting is FDA-approved, so you know it’s safe for use. You may feel these temporary side effects, but they are temporary and usually won’t get in the way of your daily activities. 

• Minor redness, soreness and tender skin. During CoolSculpting treatment, your plastic surgeon will use a device to suction and cool your targeted area, so it will be subjected to pulling and pinching. After the treatment, your skin might have redness and feel tender or sore to the touch. This can go away after a few hours. If the tenderness persists, you can use a cold pack or take over-the-counter painkillers to help mitigate its effects. 
• Swelling in the treated area. This may be your body’s inflammatory response to the CoolSculpting device’s pulling and cooling effect. Inflammation can be triggered by damaged cells, resulting in swelling. In case of swelling, apply a cold compress until the effects subside.  
• Bruising in the treated area. This is because of the CoolSculpting device pulling and pinching your skin. If bruising in the treated area develops, apply a cold compress over the treated area. It should subside and return to normal after a few days. 
• Achiness, pain, and tingling sensations. This is the result of your body reducing fat cells. Even after your treatment, your body will continue to filter out broken fat cells in the area. 
• Feeling of fullness in the throat. If you’ve had fat in your neck treated, you may feel a fullness in your throat. This is due to the fat cells dissolving and making their way to the lymphatic system to get rid of the excess fat being in the area. 
• Diarrhea. After your fat cells dissolve, they are filtered by the lymphatic system and eventually expelled as waste through feces. It takes up to six months for your body to fully expel all the remains of your fat cells, so during this time you may experience diarrhea from the additional waste. 

3. Results

After the procedure, results won’t be obvious immediately. It can take between three weeks up to three months before you notice a difference. How much fat that sheds away can vary from 20 to 80%, so you may also need additional CoolSculpting sessions to reduce more fat cells and achieve the shape you want. 

Fat cells in the treated area will continue to break down for months. These will break down, dissolve, and be absorbed by your lymphatic system. This will filter out the fat cells out of your body, which is then excreted as waste. After your treatment, it can take up to six months to fully filter out all the fat cells. 

CoolSculpting kills fat cells and helps your body shed them away. However, that does not mean results are permanent. You’ll need to practice a balanced diet and a regular exercise regimen to avoid re-developing fat cells that can develop in your neck and chain area. 

Best Candidates for CoolSculpting

The best candidates for CoolSculpting are healthy and fit men and women who are trying to reach their ideal weight and appearance. Removing fat from your neck and chin can be difficult with regular exercises and dieting, and CoolSculpting can remove these stubborn fat pockets to help you make the final steps towards a better-looking you. 

CoolSculpting results are not permanent, and it is possible to develop fats back in your neck and chin if you regain significant weight over time. That’s why the best candidates for this procedure are people who:

• Lead active, healthy lifestyles 
• Have a healthy weight for their age and height
• Are close to attaining their goal weight
• Have stubborn fat in places like their neck and chin that are difficult to shed through diet and exercise
• Prefer for non-invasive cosmetic procedures to reduce unwanted fats unlike getting a surgical procedure such as liposuction and tummy tucks
• Understand that CoolSculpting is not a weight loss treatment or a shortcut to weight reduction
• Are willing to wait around eight weeks or more to see visible results

CoolSculpting does not treat obesity and is not an effective procedure for large fat deposits compared to other fat reduction procedures. Overweight and obese individuals are not good candidates for CoolSculpting and may need to go undergo further weight loss before they can get CoolSculpting. 

CoolSculpting Aftercare

After your CoolSculpting procedure, there is little to no downtime required, and you can immediately return to your daily activities. However, there are certain practices you need to observe to get the best results out of your procedure. These include:

• Wear loose-fitting clothes made of breathable fabric. If you’re only having your neck and chin treated, go to your appointment wearing loose-fitting clothes around your neck area. Avoid tight-fitting tops, tops with high collars, and tops with high necklines. Your treated area may be red, tender, and irritated after your procedure, and wearing these types of clothing can rub against the area and further irritate it. If you experience any side effects like redness, bruising, or a feeling of fullness in the throat, continue to wear loose-fitting clothing until the symptoms subside.  
• Drink enough water. Staying hydrated can benefit your lymphatic system, making it easier to flush out your dissolved fat cells faster. Drinking enough water daily can help speed up the filtration process and get the excess fat cells out of your body in less than six months. 
• Practice a less intense exercise routine until side effects subside. Your neck and chin may feel sore after treatment. Give yourself a day or two to rest and let the side effects subside before going through a strenuous workout. If you really must exercise, less intense exercises like walking can do. 
• Use warm water when showering. Wash the treated area gently to avoid irritation. Water that is too hot or cold can be painful for sensitive skin. 
• Take over-the-counter painkillers if experiencing pain. CoolSculpting is non-invasive, and doctors do not recommend prescription painkillers in case you experience any type of pain or irritation after the treatment. 
• Schedule your next session. At your initial treatment, your doctor will determine whether one CoolSculpting session is enough or if you will need an additional treatment plan. However, those with stubborn fat cells or have multiple areas to treat may require one or two extra sessions. After your first treatment session, you can schedule your second session two months after treatment.  

Reach Your Body Goals with CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting is the procedure for men and women down to their last few pounds before achieving their fitness goals and wanting to enhance their appearance even more. This non-invasive procedure requires little to no downtime so you can still enjoy your everyday activities after the procedure.

If CoolSculpting sounds like a plan to you, head on over to New Jersey’s Center for CoolSculpting. Our team of experts use only the best tools and treatments for you to achieve your dream body just within months. Try it for yourself and be amazed with the results. Visit our website to schedule your initial consultation today.