Emily – CoolSculpting

My CoolSculpting Journey – Consultation
Posted on February 10, 2016 by emilyjanewilliamson

After finally deciding to bite the bullet and book a consultation, I headed to Illuminate Skin Clinic, which is located in Kings Hill, Kent. The address is super easy to find, the drive from Eastbourne was pleasant and the surrounding area is rather appealing to the eye too! I also need to point out the fact that it is FREE PARKING!! This is a rarity these days and as I drive pretty much everywhere, it’s a huge bonus to not worry about parking prices. The rail link is easily accessible too. A good start to the day!

I was buzzed into the building by the Clinic Coordinator/Therapist, Ellie, who welcomed me at the front desk with a friendly smile and cheery attitude. Ellie showed me to my seat, brought me a delicious coffee and assured me that Dr Sophie Shotter would be with me shortly for my consultation. While I was sipping on my coffee (I feel it’s necessary to comment on the coffee here, it was so good I even asked Ellie where it was from. Yummy!!), I was given a form to fill out which asks for the typical normalities such as contact details and purpose of visit, but it also goes further in depth. It asks for any medical conditions, medications being used, skin regime, diet and want I want to achieve from visiting the clinic. I found this very comforting, as it clearly shows that Dr Sophie wants to be as precise as possible when advising her clients. Once I completed the form, which took no longer than a couple of minutes, Ellie collected and delivered it to Dr Sophie. Looking around the setting of the clinic, it has a particular luxurious feel. Everything is glossy and clean, but has a warm feel with beautiful artwork on the walls and plants to decorate, along with a comfortable padded seating area; not like the stereotypical clinical, unfriendly and intimidating setting you would imagine.

As I finished my scrumptious coffee, Dr Sophie entered with a warm greeting and took a seat with me. She had thoroughly read through my form and understood that my aim was to get rid of stubborn areas of fat. Dr Sophie asked where my areas of concern were, which I detailed as my stomach, hips and outer thighs. She asks her questions in such a soft and sincere manner that I didn’t feel embarrassed or judged when I was talking about my trouble areas, like I usually do when I talk personally about my body. A female’s body is such a personal and private subject, especially when you’re divulging your deepest insecurities about your appearance to a complete stranger, but Dr Sophie’s mannerism is completely professional, yet compassionate and genuine, making me feel at ease while I describe my tummy ‘pouch’.

As we proceeded with the consultation, Dr Sophie approached the subject of my medical condition. Last year, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, for which I have to inject myself with medication three times a week in the areas that I am discussing with Dr Sophie (stomach, hips and thighs), to which she demonstrates her expertise in her profession. She asks for the details of my condition, to which she confirms that CoolSculpt will not affect or aggravate my condition or medicine. She already has sufficient knowledge of MS and this instantly comforts me, as I had been anxious that my condition would hold me back. (NOTE – In photos that I will publish in further blog posts, you may see red/dark marks on certain areas of my body. This is a side effect of the injection sites from my medication and is nothing to do with CoolSculpt).

After this discussion, Dr Sophie takes me into a private room, along with Ellie to physically look at my trouble areas and determine the course of action. Ellie joins as she is fully trained in CoolSculpt and will be performing the treatment on me, should I be confirmed as a suitable candidate. So we first inspect my tummy ‘pouch’. I was expecting to feel totally uncomfortable as two people examined an area I rarely even let my boyfriend touch (sorry Shane!!), but aside from a few nervous giggles I couldn’t keep in, the nerves began to dissipate as Dr Sophie continued to talk me through it. Dr Sophie was passing different sized, curved plastic strips to Ellie so she could place them on my stomach to establish the correct size needed to cover the area. The same process was repeated on my hips. It was now my turn to whip down my jeans to reveal my thighs for assessment. This was the first time I’ve ever let someone have such an intimate look at my thighs in broad daylight (I’m all about that low lighting at home), but it still didn’t feel embarrassing. The professionalism of Dr Sophie and Ellie removed my fear and the only negative thought I had was that I wish I’d worn nicer pants that day!! As this part of the consultation ended, Dr Sophie confirmed that I would be a suitable candidate for CoolSculpt. Yay!!!

As we ventured back into the reception area, Dr Sophie explained what to expect from the treatment. As I was having multiple areas done, she recommended I spread the course of treatment over a couple of days. This was absolutely fine by me, as Ellie had mentioned earlier that there’s an Apple TV, as well as Netflix in the treatment room, which meant I could relax and treat myself to some me-time and watch films while being CoolSculpted. Dr Sophie explained that each area treated may feel numb for a few days after, which made sense due to the area being frozen. She also noted that areas treated may be tender, and I may experience a slight pins and needles sensation after the treatment, all of which will subside, but clarified she can provide details of appropriate relief methods, should I experience any of these symptoms. I was also given a booklet with all of the information provided. I’m a big fan of information in a hard-copy version, so that I can physically read through it myself. Dr Sophie made sure to check if I had any unanswered questions, which I did not. She had been so thorough, she’d answered everything before I even needed to think about it! She also encouraged me to phone the clinic at any point, should I think of anything that I need to ask at a later date. From this point, Ellie took over and discussed my available dates and confirmed my mobile phone number so that a text reminder could be sent the day before my appointment. Something so simple like a text reminder, really impresses me because if any of you reading this are a complete scatterbrain like me, you’ll appreciate a casual reminder in this way. Ellie confirmed my date and I was ready to make my journey home, but not before pinching a complimentary nail file from the reception desk, which Ellie caught me doing and assured me I can take a couple if I liked, to which I obviously obliged. A lovely gesture! Dr Sophie and Ellie both gave me a gracious departure as I left the clinic. I hopped back into my car, giddy with excitement over what was in store for me over the next few weeks. Let the fat freezing commence!

In my next blog, I’ll be explaining what happens before and during the treatment, including some photos, so be sure to check that out!

Disclaimer: Please be aware that results and benefits may vary from patient to patient taking into consideration factors such as age, lifestyle and medical history.

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