Woman from Tennessee tried CoolSculpting. Instead of losing weight, she gained a rock-hard belly
She now needs $120,000 to correct her deformity.
Coneigh Seay-Dial (@notconeighscauldron) from Tennessee underwent CoolSculpting in 2019. After doing her own research, Seay-Dial thought the procedure was safe. But after a few years, she’s now trying to raise $120,000 to correct a deformity, which she claims was caused by CoolSculpting.
Seay-Dial told TikTok through a “put a finger down” storytime format about her traumatic experience with an unnamed cosmetic clinic. She said the consent forms she signed did not indicate adverse side effects. But when the procedure started, Seay-Dial said she immediately experienced pain.
“You think everything is hunky dory until the first applicator is ready to be taken off your body. And that painless procedure that they tell you? Yeah, well, they’re now telling you there’s going to be a small pinch-like pain,” Seay-Dial explained. She went on to describe the pain as “one of the most excruciating” things she’s had to endure. But she powered through it and finished the CoolSculpting process. Seay-Dial left the clinic, and then she said she didn’t think much of it until she inexplicably started gaining weight in 2021—two years after CoolSculpting.
At first, she shrugged it off and didn’t think she was experiencing any side effects. A few more years passed, and in 2023, Seay-Dial said she started losing the weight and started “taking power” over her life.
“And in 2024, you start to notice everything’s slimming down except for your core. And on top of that, your core is rock-hard, and it’s also kind of painful,” Seay-Dial claimed. Initially, she thought she was doing ab workouts wrong. She tried fixing her form and doing more research, but to no avail. Then, in 2025, a video came up on her social media for you page about paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH), a side effect of CoolSculpting she hadn’t heard of.
A rare CoolSculpting side effect
PAH, a complication of CoolSculpting, may occur in 1 in 455 patients. The condition is characterized by increased fat volume in the treated area, contrary to the goal of fat reduction. PAH may also harden the adipose tissue in the area, which can be managed and removed through surgery.
“You do research on this and realize, actually, it’s not as rare as they say it is. And there are a lot of victims that have gone through this, and nobody told them what it was, or if they did tell them what it was, they didn’t properly inform them on how to get the treatment,” Seay-Dial alleged.
Seay-Dial claimed she called the clinic but alleged they “gaslit” her, telling her she wasn’t suffering from the condition. She further alleged that her medical records were also withheld by the clinic. Seay-Dial decided to fight back and hire a lawyer for arbitration. On top of a looming legal battle, Seay-Dial realized she would need upwards of $100,000 to correct her deformity.
Regardless, Seay-Dial had confidence in her lawyer’s ability to win her case. But when Seay-Dial thought victory was assured, she discovered that Tennessee has a statute of limitations for personal injury and health care liability claims. That is to say, Seay-Dial no longer has a legal avenue for arbitration with the clinic.
She’s still fundraising to correct her injury
Seay-Dial said the clinic tried to make her sign a liability waiver. The supposed waiver stipulates that she would receive $7,500 in exchange for her right to sue for criminal responsibility. She alleged the deal wouldn’t have allowed her to tell her story. Unlike a Pilates studio that overcharged a customer’s credit card, Seay-Dial is dealing with the consequences through her body.
“See, $7,500 isn’t going to cut it for the $78,000 you were quoted, plus the $20,000 recurrent surgery,” Seay-Dial said. The procedure has allegedly derailed her life. Since PAH, Seay-Dial claimed she could no longer do walks, which she loved. She also had to forgo some workout routines because the mass on her belly has given her a severe anterior tilt. Seay-Dial hopes to undergo surgery by the end of the year and has set up a GoFundMe.
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