QUESTION
CoolSculpting on inner and outer thighs. One side feels normal, the other side is tender. Does that mean it didn’t work?
My outer right thigh is swollen and much more tender yet numb than any other part of my thighs. I have slight tenderness on the left inner thigh. The treatments were done to the right inner and left outer and then switched to the opposite sides 5 days ago. Is it possible only one side worked? Is it possible that the tender swollen side is Paradoxical hyperplasia that people speak of? I’m a little concerned. I’ve been massaging the area and drinking tons of water as directed. Please advise.
ANSWER BY DR. GERRISH
It is very common to experience varying degrees of numbness and tenderness in CoolSculpted areas. The good news is that there is no correlation between post-treatment tenderness and the effectiveness in fat reduction. Paradoxical Hyperplasia (PAH) is a very rare occurrence (1 in 25,000 with the new Advantage applicators) and is typically not seen until about 4 months after treatment. Additionally, there appears to be no correlation between the amount of bruising, tenderness, or numbness and the development of PAH. Massaging the area is an important aspect of the treatment immediately after removing the applicator. Continued massage days after the treatment will not offer additional benefit and may actually increase the tenderness you are experiencing.