When she reached out to the provider who performed her CoolSculpting, she was referred to the manufacturer, Zeltiq. That October, Angela found out it was PAH, and was told she needed surgery to correct it. "I couldn't get on a single dress I owned. Curiously, it had also become rubbery and tough, what she described as an "apron of gelatin."Ī patient of Misbah Khan, MD that was taken prior to corrective surgical treatment for PAH. "I thought it would eliminate the 'extra' in that area," Angela says.įive months later, the tissue in the area had expanded, she said in an interview. It was during a visit to a medical spa for laser hair removal in February 2017 that she said the technician recommended CoolSculpting. Two were able to provide thorough documentation related to getting the treatment and then corrective procedures for PAH, while three others offered evidence for key pieces of their stories.Īngela, who asked that Insider conceal her real name but provided surgical notes from her corrective procedures, didn't think much about the small patch of flab on her lower abdomen. The same thing happened after her second liposuction procedure, which, she said, also left her with permanent scarring.įive patients interviewed by Insider said that Evangelista's story is unfortunately all too familiar. Within a few months of the treatments, her suit alleges, she had developed hard, painful masses underneath her skin in spots where the CoolSculpting applicators were applied, and she was eventually diagnosed with PAH.Įvangelista says that Zeltiq agreed to pay for corrective liposuction, only to back out of the agreement 24 hours before the scheduled procedure when Evanglista refused to sign a waiver releasing the company from liability. She had the surgery anyway, but said the PAH masses were back within months. In Evangelista's case, her dermatologist performed seven cycles of CoolSculpting on her abdomen, flanks, back and bra area, inner thighs, and chin between 20, according to her lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in New York and is unrelated to the class action cases. The manufacturer then might reach a private agreement with the patient that the company will pay for a corrective procedure, like liposuction, and be released from liability, Tarassova said. When things go wrong patients simply reach out to their provider, who then reaches out to the manufacturer, Tarrasova said. Two support groups for CoolSculpting patients have formed on Facebook with a total of around 600 members, and Tarrasova serves as the administrator of both.) (Tarassova is on the legal team behind the two class action suits. "The biggest problem with the whole situation is the manufacturer is in charge of the reporting," said Louiza Tarassova, a Florida-based personal injury attorney who has been litigating CoolSculpting claims since 2018. There have been at least two class-action lawsuits filed in recent years against the companies behind CoolSculpting, and several hundred user accounts regularly share information about the procedure's side effects on Facebook. Friedman said.īut some patients who've experienced PAH question whether patients are being adequately warned about the seriousness of the risks. "Cryolipolysis has a well established safety profile and is an effective noninvasive treatment option for patients who are the right candidate for this treatment," Dr. Friedman, MD, a dermatologist and laser surgeon based in Houston and New York whose practice offers CoolSculpting and who has authored papers and case studies on PAH, said PAH "remains a rare adverse event," given the number of treatments overall. While multiple sessions might be required, the patient can be in and out within an hour.Īccording to Paul M. A technician pulls the flesh of the target area between two paddles to cool the tissue to below freezing temperatures. The concept of CoolSculpting is that it uses cryolipolysis, or fat freezing, to kill fat cells underneath the skin for a slimmer, more sculpted body in a matter of one to three months. AbbVie, the parent company of Allergan Aesthetics, also did not reply to a request for comment. It often indicates a user profile.Ī spokesperson from Allergan Aesthetics, which purchased Zeltiq in 2017, declined to respond to a detailed list of questions from Insider. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.
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