CoolSculpting Gone Bad

CoolSculpting Gone Bad...Yes, gone really bad as instead of reducing the size of my stomach it made it bigger! Now before I get into this, I want to share that if you are new to Barbie's Beauty Bits, that 99% of the content I provide is positive as I feel opinions are just that and not facts. Hence, when I talk about a product, I am only telling you about the ones I like, the ones I hate, you will rarely hear about those.

However, this is a different circumstance, as I feel it is essential to share with you a side effect of CoolSculpting that I was unaware of, primarily as it is claimed to be rare, but it is not. So, what the heck am I talking about? I am talking about a complication called "paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH)." Where instead of the fat shrinking, in the area that is treated with CoolSculpting, it gets bigger, and over time it gets hard and can be painful. WTF?? Yes, you read correctly, I now have a large permanent bulge on my stomach that resembles the CoolSculpting applicator shape!

CoolSculpting Gone From Bad To Worse; My Entire Experience
If you do not want to read my story, you can skip to "What is paradoxical adipose hyperplasia." If not, continue reading. 

Please note, I mention two doctors, Dr. A, where I had CoolSculpting, Dr. B is the plastic surgeon I went to for a second opinion.

Now, I know you are probably thinking well when you decide to have an elective procedure you are taking risks. Well, in this case, yes and no, as I agreed to promote Dr. A’s  total body bundle, that includes red light therapy first and to finish with CoolSculpting. In turn, I would share my progress on my blog and social media as the company had no marketing or testimonials from anyone.

Before And After For Red Light Therapy And Where My Stomach Was For The Start Of CoolSculpting

The first procedure in my fat reduction journey,  which was red light therapy was amazing. I lost weight, and you can see the results from the image above. You can also see in this picture what my stomach looked like prior to CoolSculpting from the AFTER photo. While that experience was successful and I would highly recommend Red Light Therapy for weight loss, the body contouring with Coolsculpting was a downhill nightmare.

Butter Stick After CoolSculping, This Is Normal

The Risks Of CoolSculpting

For the most part, CoolSculpting has an excellent safety record. During the procedure you will get the butter stick effect, which is supposed to be massaged out, this is normal. After the procedure, most patients experience mild side effects such as redness, tingling, and numbness, which goes away after a few weeks. Mine, however, was much longer.  About the 2nd week in, I still had no feeling in the area in which I had the procedure done, and it was still very red and swollen. Because of the concern, I called Dr. A’s office in which I had the procedure, and they said for some people it takes longer to get the feeling back and for me to wait about two more weeks and check back in.

Click here to order your own at home red light therapy device SAVE $50 with code: SAVE50

My Follow Up With The Practice
When I called back, I was able to schedule an appt. With the owner of the practice, he (Dr. A) looked at me and told me, I was fine, and that the area still appeared to be swollen and to check back with him in another month, in which I did.  Two-plus months in and while the numbness eventually went away; I started to notice a bulge, that was getting harder, that too me looked like the CoolSculpting applicator.

Dr. A claimed that sometimes you must have more than one process done to remove the fat. Since he was not the one to do the procedure (a licensed Aesthetician did it) he had no idea what I looked like prior.  So, I told him with all due respect, my stomach is larger than before, and it's not fat, it's very hard, and I did not gain weight. And that I don't think having another CoolSculpting series is what I need. The spot is not soft fat; it is hard and feels like it did after it was frozen (cryolipolysis) during the procedure. And more importantly, the mark is the exact size of the CoolSculpting device, in the exact place it was used.

Dr. A repeatedly told me that if I wanted the bulge to go away, I needed more CoolScultping treatments. Frustrated as Dr. A was not listening, I left and went home. Once I got back, I looked through all my photos to see if I had a before and after to share with him.  I know you are probably thinking; well, didn't the practice have a before and after? NO, they did not, as this is one area there were horrible at.

None the less, the photos I did have were the ones I took of the procedure. And if you compared my current state with the picture you could visibly see the bulge was from the CoolSculpting device and looking back now, it was clearly PAH.

What Is PAH And Why Can It Happen After CoolSculpting?

I was not aware of PAH. I only found out about it, after my frustrations with my stomach, I decided to go to a plastic surgeon (Dr. B) to get a second opinion. It was at that appointment that I was told it was PAH. I was like what the heck is that?

The Plastic Surgeon explained the technology behind CoolSculpting, which I already knew but will share with you. You see, a CoolSculpting procedure cools fat cells to temperatures that trigger their natural death.  Those cells are then eliminated naturally by the body over the following weeks and months.

During the procedure, a non-surgical applicator delivers precisely controlled cooling to the treatment area to selectively target treated fat cells, slimming you down, and leaving the surrounding tissue unaffected. Usually, this is what happens.  However,  a side effect is that the fat in the treated area, instead of shrinking expands and hardens into an unnaturally shaped lump in response to the extreme cold (WTF, wish someone would have explained this too me).

This is called paradoxical (abnormal) adipose (fat) hyperplasia (unusual increase in a structure), or PAH for short. Instead of the area shrinking, the bulge after CoolSculpting gets larger and usually becomes firmer than surrounding tissues and resembles the shape of the CoolSculpting applicator.

Needless to say, I was frustrated, but that wasn't the worst. Dr. B told me the only way to fix this was with Liposuction. WTH, you mean I must have an invasive procedure now and pay for it out of pocket to fix this?

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The Only Way To Treat PAH Is With Liposuction
Yep, that is right while PAH is treatable, the treatment of paradoxical adipose hyperplasia is with Liposuction, not another CoolSculpting procedure like Dr. A told me. Furthermore, this is not something I can get right away, as I have to wait about nine months until the bulge softens enough to remove safely.

This entire ordeal has been both emotionally and physically draining, especially considering I did the procedure to help market the practice and secondly to address an already bothersome area on my stomach that now appears worse.

The Doctor Told Me He Would Not Help Me
After finding out that I had PAH, I proceeded to contact Dr. A directly via email. This was a fail as I got no response. About two weeks later, when I acquired his cell phone number, I called him and left him a voicemail telling him I needed to speak with him. When the doctor finally called me back, he was very nonchalant. He said that he was closing his weight loss practice and couldn't help me. He agreed that if it were truly PAH, I would have to get plastic surgery and have Liposuction done to fix it and that I should make an appointment with a plastic surgeon as he could not help me. I was like, so let me get this right, you are telling me that I have to fork out $8000 plus to be put under anesthesia and have lipo done to fix this, and you have nothing to say about it but, you can't help you're closing your practice. He said yes. And that was the end of our conversation.

Liposuction VS CoolSculpting To Lose Fat
In hindsight, I would not have CoolSculpting done. While it is promoted as a noninvasive procedure, it costs more as most have to do 2-3 treatments and you don't even get the benefit of detailed sculpting.

On the other hand, assisted Liposuction or can end up costing less than some non-surgical alternatives in the long run. A plastic surgeon can determine precisely how much excess fat to remove to achieve the desired results in only one procedure unlike me, who now has to pay twice.  And if there is an issue, even a side effect, most Dr's offer to help fix and rectify the situation. Not tell you, sorry, I can't help you, and by the way, we suck so bad we are closing our practice!

Takeaway
Do your research on any cosmetic procedure and always ask about possible complications.  While I did do research, I did not read anything on PAH, nor did the practice, tell me this was a possible side effect.  Otherwise, I may have reconsidered the procedure, since I was only about 15 lbs. overweight.

In conclusion, I hope my story will give some insight to know that while CoolSculpting is marketed as a noninvasive way to lose subcutaneous fat. It is costly, and you should way out your options. And lastly, go to a plastic surgeon, not a spa with an aesthetician to perform, as they can't fix any mistakes or assist with adverse side effects. Otherwise, you will end up like me, stuck as because this was a side effect, there isn’t anything legally I can do about.

Need to contact me regarding my experience or want to share your experience? 

Please email me at barbie@barbiesbeautybits.com

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Top Five Beauty Tips To Make Your Skin Glow

As the summer months roll in, we all would like a healthy glow to our skin so we can show it off and feel good about ourselves. A gorgeous complexion during the Summer is a less is more approached to get the natural-looking luminosity, which can be easily achieved with proper skin care and makeup. So to get you ready for Summer, we are sharing our "Top Five Beauty Tips To Make Your Skin Glow."

Hydration For The Skin
I am sharing this one first, as I am bad at drinking enough water. So to remind myself it will be first on the list!

Proper hydration is critical for healthy looking skin, which is why you need to be drinking plenty of water. Water is needed as your skin cells are made up of mostly that - water! Without water, the skin cells can shrink, which leads to them under-performing, and therefore, you’ll have dry and dull skin, that can lead to wrinkles! Not only does water help your skin from the inside out, but it also washes out all the nasty toxins and bacteria in your body so you’ll undoubtedly start to notice fewer breakouts in your skin when drinking water 6-8 glasses of water a day.

Have A Regular Skincare Routine
Creating a smooth complexion is vital for proper makeup application. That is why merely washing your face with soapy water isn’t going to cut it. You see our skin is exposed to tons of free radicals, that can wreak havoc on our skin.  Elements like dirt, sweat, pollution, cigarette smoke, even makeup not only can clog your pores but can also lead to premature aging.   Therefore it’s essential to cleanse and exfoliate your face correctly.

Some products that you should include within your routine are hyaluronic acid and vitamin c serum. Acids are very popular in skincare products now as they help with exfoliating the skin, reducing redness and acne.

As a side note, the word regular can be confusing to some. As there are times our skin reaches a plateau and what worked before may not work now and you will need to change it up. 

Just like the change of seasons, you need to change up your skincare routine. What works in the hot, humid summer will not work in the dry fall or cold winter. While there are products such as Obagi Skincare that can work all year round, it’s essential to take a deeper look at your skincare routine to see if there are products that might work better during specific seasons.

 
Get Plenty Of Beauty Sleep
The secret to a healthy glow is getting plenty of beauty sleep. Like with water, having fewer hours of sleep each night can stop your body from completely recovering and repairing itself overnight. Not only that but the under eyes will likely become darker, and bags can form, which can be hard to get rid of. You should ideally be getting around seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Of course, some people can function on less, but that’s not necessarily healthy for your body.

Use A Self-Tanning Moisturizer
Not everyone loves wearing fake tan, but a self-tanning moisturizer might be the perfect compromise that looks natural and doesn’t get as patchy as other fake tanning products. There are plenty of body and face moisturizers that will give you a natural glow over the course of a few days. You can continue to top it up each night so that you’ve got that tanned skin every day both on your body and face. They also have self-tanning in serums too if you’d rather a lighter consistency when applying self-tan on your face.

Dewy Foundation And Highlighters
To add to your self-tanning moisturizer, you might want to switch up or add some makeup products to your routine to get a glowing look. Dewy foundation can add some shine to the face and then following that with a blinding highlighter is perfect. Highlight on the bridge of your nose, under the eyebrows and on the cheekbones. You want to put it where the light naturally hits your face. These two products are the best things to have in your bag during the Summer.

Follow these five tips to get that summer skin glow you’ve been after and that will get you all of the compliments!

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3 Effective Ways To Deal With Uneven Skin Tone

Uneven skin tone, called hyperpigmentation (the irregular darkening of the skin) is a big beauty problem that a lot of women have to deal with, especially with those over forty. Not only can it make you feel self-conscious, but it can also become very frustrating if it is not taken care of properly.

But fret no more as I am here to share with you "Three Effective Ways To Deal With Uneven Skintone." Now before I get into some of the ways to treat your uneven skin tone, I think it is essential to understand some of the causes, as the treatments that you choose depends on the cause of the problem!  And once you have identified the issue, you can start looking for some custom skin care products which deal with those specific issues.

What Causes An Uneven Skin Tone
There are three leading causes of uneven skin tone.

• Sun damage
• Estrogen levels
• Swelling from acne

If your uneven skin tone is caused by sun damage or swelling from acne, the dark areas will become confined to circles, but if estrogen levels cause them, they're likely to spread further.

If sun damage is a problem, it's essential that you are using the right protection whenever you go outside and if acne is causing uneven skin tone, you need a good cleanser to stop dirt building up in your pores.

Lastly, an increase in hormones can cause Hormone-related hyperpigmentation. Most who experience this are either pregnant or taking birth control, just something to keep in mind. 

Treatments To Achieve An Even Skin Tone
I want to first start by saying you do not need to spend an arm and a leg for a laser treatment or a prescription that you can only get from a plastic surgeon or aesthetics office.  As the tips I am sharing today you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home.

Makeup
I'm listing this as makeup is one of the first things people think of, but honestly, you need to treat the problem before applying makeup! Why you may ask? Well, although makeup can work wonders, it can only do so much, and sometimes if you are not choosing the correct makeup, you can make the situation worse, but highlighting your imperfections. Yuk, I know!

Apply SPF Daily
While the sun is beautiful, it is not always friendly to our skin, especially if you are going in it unprotected!  And if you are like me in my younger years, I never wore an SPF, which is the number one beast behind hyperpigmentation. The goal is to apply a moisturizer with an SPF of at least 30 at all times and all seasons of the year.

Exfoliate
Old dead skin cell build-up is a significant reason for the skin to look dull, rough, and dry.  When we exfoliate, we can remove that build-up of old dead skin revealing the new skin cell. Another bonus when we eliminate this dead skin, it also aides moisturizers and other skincare products to penetrate more deeply into the skin, allowing them to work at their best.

Ways To Exfoliate The Skin

Skin Peels
Most of the skin cells with the darker pigment are going to be sitting on the top layer of the skin, so a chemical peel can be an excellent way to reduce the appearance of uneven skin tone drastically. However, you should stay away from bleaching peels that claim to immediately minimize uneven skin tone because they aren't effective and they are not very good for your skin. Repeated use of a normal skin peel will give you better long term results.

Microdermabrasion
I love me a great Microdermabrasion, as it is a great way to remove that top layer of skin and reduce your uneven skin tone. Most treatments use fine crystals to remove the top layer of the skin gently. And while you can go to a salon to do this, it can be timely and costly, which is why I love home kits that you can use to do it yourself.  Not only will you be saving money, but the results can be just as good. And if you use it regularly, you should see a reduction in uneven skin tone and an improvement in the overall appearance of your skin.

Bottom line beauties, while uneven skin tone can be tricky, if you follow these steps, you should be able to deal with it effectively.  Until Next Time!

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How Can Diamond CBD And CBD Oil Help With Anxiety

How Can Diamond CBD And CBD Oil Help With Anxiety

Yes, this is a question that many ask… “How Can CBD Oil Help With Anxiety,” especially with the hectic lives most of us live, stress and anxiety are becoming a bigger problem in society. The expression stress kills has taken a whole new level over the years. Many people are looking for some relief, which is why some of the big pharmaceutical companies have been pumping out tons of drugs to help treat some anxiety-related disorders.  While these are very helpful for some, not everyone is favorable of taking these.

I am one of the non-favorable ones for some personal reason, which is why I focus on some self-help ways to manage and possibly reduce stress and anxiety, by implementing some at home remedies like Exercise, journaling, laughing, yoga, personal time, therapy, and vacationing. In addition to these self-help activities, I have found a benefit in something else, which is CBD Oil. I’m sure many of you have read or at least heard about CBD oil, as it is really having a moment in the wellness realm!

According to a 2018 cross-sectional study of CBD users, “anxiety” ranks as one of the top reasons for consuming the cannabis-derived products, along with pain.

So, considering that a lot of us are suffering from some form of anxiety, about 40 million adults age 18 or older (according to the ADAA), CBD may come as welcome relief.

What The Heck Is CBD And Does It Get You High
There are many searches on the internet, asking, “What is CBD Oil” and “Does CBD Oil Get You High.” And I am going to answer those for you!

CBD is a cannabinoid that is extracted from cannabis. Like any other plant species, cannabis comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors. One group of cannabis strains is called hemp. Hemp is also known as industrial hemp or agricultural hemp, and unlike the strains referred to as marijuana, hemp is used for building materials, textiles, and food.

And there just happens to be strains of hemp that are high in CBD and have negligible amounts of THC.

Until recently, the best-known compound and active ingredient in cannabis were THC. However, Marijuana contains both THC and CBD, and these compounds have entirely different effects.

The THC that is found in cannabis is what creates the mind-altering "high" when heat is applied to, and a person smokes or uses it in cooking. This is because the THC breaks down when it encounters the hot temperature.

CBD-rich hemp is different. Unlike THC, it has no psychoactive effect. This means that CBD does not change a person's state of mind when they use it — hence allowing the consumer to enjoy the benefits of CBD without the risk of getting high.

How Can CBD Oil Help With Anxiety
So, now that you know what the heck CBD is, how can it help with anxiety? Well, before I get into this, please keep in mind I am not a medical professional, and what I am sharing with you is for informational purposes only.

But, CBD, unlike some of the pharmaceutical drugs out there that can be highly addictive, is more tolerated with its powerful anti-anxiety properties.

Multiple studies suggest that CBD is a potent anti-inflammatory that is also neuro-calming. So not only does this cannabidiol make people feel better, but it also can change the way their brains responded to anxiety by boosting the serotonin levels and thereby reducing stress.

But the bottom line is it's important to remember that CBD is a diet supplement and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. So, check with your doctor for medical advice.

Which CBD Oils Should I Use For Anxiety?
There are tons of products out there. One brand I like is Diamond CBD. I’ve used a variety of their products, even ones for my pets!

Diamond CBD has a wide selection of products. I have personally used their CBD oils (CBD tinctures or CBD oral drops), that range from 10 mg up to 3500 mg.  These oils are both flavored and unflavored all in which are non-GMO, THC free, pesticide free and made in the USA.

I like flavored CBD products and boy do they have a large variety, including 19 flavors to choose. From fruit and dessert to candy and drinks, they have you covered.

Another thing I like about this brand is that they offer more than just the traditional CBD oil, they also have a selection to include:

• CBD Honey Tincture
• MCT Oil
• CBD with Hemp Seed Oil
• CBD with Olive Oil
• And we can’t forget about the convenient, travel-sized, CBD dropper; you can take with you on the go.

The Best CBD Oils
No matter how you like to consume your CBD — with a vape, by tincture, or on the go dropper, we've rounded up a few of our current favorite CBD products to help with anxiety, including a cotton candy flavor!

Relax Full Spectrum CBD Oil - 550mg
An OIL TINCTURE
Relax Full Spectrum CBD Oil, delivers the ideal amount of CBD to meet all your wellness needs. Made in the USA from 100% high-quality industrial hemp, this 550 mg bottle of CBD is perfect for those wanting to combat stress, anxiety, and chronic pain.

With just a single droplet or two placed underneath the tongue for quick and easy absorption into the bloodstream, this full spectrum CBD oil provides consumers with the most effective form for consumption of high-quality full-spectrum CBD.

Daily Boost CBD Oil - Blue Dream 1000MG Formula
On The Go Dropper
Enjoy this convenient, travel-sized, CBD dropper anywhere you go!  The Daily Boost Blue Dream 1000mg Formula CBD tincture is a sublingual CBD oil that is MCT oil based and infused with cannabidiol (CBD). This high-quality CBD oil is made in America and scientifically formulated with 33mg of CBD oil per dose.

Liquid Gold- Strawberry
Vaping Pen
Liquid Gold CBD Vaping Pen with delicious Strawberry flavored e-liquid is the ready-to-use CBD liquid vaping stick that’s a great CBD alternative.

The Liquid Gold CBD Oil Vaping Pen comes charged up, ready to go and good for up to 200 Puffs.

Cotton Candy Flavor Diamond CBD Oil
Did someone say cotton candy? Yes, not only is it a hemp oil cotton candy flavored but it is a high-end CBD Tincture oil which is infused with premium CBD rich hemp oil that also can be used as vapor-liquid!

So, there you have it beauties my tips on how CBD oil can help with anxiety, until next time.

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