These are the questions people ask about SculpSure, grouped the way they are asked. The side effects come first because they are the question asked most, then the price, which is given in writing at the free consultation. Every treatment is led by Dr Marie Duggan, GMC 7488383. Call 0207 043 8120 or use the form below.
Side effects and safety
What are the downsides and side effects of SculpSure?
Tenderness, swelling or a firm feeling in the area for one to three weeks; the trials also recorded bruising, nodules, blisters, numbness and hair loss. The 63 reports to the US regulator between 2016 and 2024 include burns, one of them full thickness, and one report of nerve damage; in our practice the fitting and the cooling are watched throughout. The result is modest, about 7 to 15% of the fat layer, and takes weeks to show.
Is SculpSure safe in the long term, for cholesterol or the liver?
The longest published follow-up is six months, so there is no long-term human data either way, and we say so. The maker says the body clears the destroyed fat cells through the lymphatic system.
Who is not suitable, and what BMI?
The US clearance sets a BMI of 30 or less for the body and 49 or less for the chin, and the maker says it is not for weight loss or for people who are obese. Your clinician checks your suitability at the consultation, including pregnancy, skin conditions, medicines and previous surgery in the area.
Price and sessions
How much does SculpSure cost per session?
We set out the price of SculpSure in writing at a free consultation, and we price match any comparable written quote. Consultations and follow-up reviews are free whatever you decide. The price depends on the areas and the number of treatments.
How many SculpSure sessions do I need?
Most people have a course of treatments, and your clinician sets the number and the spacing at the consultation. The maker describes a series without a number; the FDA body studies used one treatment per area and the chin studies up to two. In our practice a second treatment of the same area can follow the twelve-week review if you want more change.
Results
Does SculpSure actually work?
Yes, for a bulge on a cleared area: one treatment (up to two under the chin) made the fat layer 7 to 15% thinner at twelve weeks in the trials, with satisfaction of 83 to 98% on the body. It is not weight loss and the change is modest.
How long do SculpSure results last?
The maker says the cleared fat cells do not return and that the result holds as long as significant weight is not gained. The longest published follow-up is six months: the MRI study largely held its result (24% at three months, 21% at six), and the independent chin study found the change no longer significant at six. In our experience a steady weight is the best way to keep the result.
When will I see results?
From about six weeks, and best at about twelve weeks after the last treatment, when the trials measured.
Is it weight loss, and what if I gain weight?
It is not weight loss: it reduces a bulge by a measured fraction of its fat layer. The maker says the result holds as long as significant weight is not gained, and in the independent studies people who gained weight did less well.
Consultations and follow-ups are free
Comparisons and areas
Which is better, SculpSure or CoolSculpting?
Neither has been shown better in a trial. SculpSure is heat in a 25-minute cycle, cleared for the abdomen, flanks, back, thighs and chin; CoolSculpting is cold, cleared for those areas and the upper arm, bra fat and the banana roll. The fat enlargement documented after cold treatment appears in none of the SculpSure reports to the US regulator. We provide both, CoolSculpting at our sister clinic, and the doctor plans the right one for your bulge.
Can SculpSure treat a double chin?
Yes. The chin is a cleared area: in the trial behind the clearance the fat layer was 15.2% thinner at twelve weeks after up to two treatments. In an independent 20-patient study of one session, the change was significant at three months and no longer significant at six. The double chin page explains.
Which areas can be treated?
The cleared areas, each with its own trial, are the abdomen, the flanks, the back, the inner and outer thighs and under the chin. The knees have one independent study. The upper arms, bra fat and buttocks have no published study, which we say plainly, and we treat them in our practice.
The session
Does SculpSure hurt, and is an anaesthetic used?
It feels hot, with contact cooling running throughout; pain averaged 3.9 out of 10 under the chin and 6.1 on the knees in the independent studies. Neither the maker nor the studies describe an anaesthetic. Tell your clinician if it is uncomfortable, and Dr Marie Duggan plans comfort with you.
Is there downtime, and what aftercare is needed?
You can return to normal activities straight away, though tenderness, swelling or firmness can last one to three weeks. Your clinician gives you aftercare advice at the appointment, including what to do if an area stays tender or hard.
Are there before and after photographs and reviews?
In our practice we show you your own photographs at the twelve-week review, and our patients review the clinic on review.clinic, where it scores 4.9 out of 5 from 41 reviews in November 2026.
Is SculpSure safe, and is it available in the UK?
The device is FDA-cleared in the US for the five areas above, and the risks are the ones on this page. It is in use at our clinic, with every treatment led by Dr Marie Duggan, GMC 7488383.
Where is the clinic, and how do I book?
The clinic is at 8 Devonshire Place, London, W1G 6HP, five minutes on foot from Regent's Park station and eight from Baker Street. The clinic page has directions. To book a free consultation, call 0207 043 8120 or use the form below.
