I’ve always hated my stomach, even before I popped out an 8.5-pound baby. I mustered up the courage to wear a bikini for the first time at the age of 16, and even when they were popular, a navel ring was completely out of the question. Even at my slimmest ever (when I got married and now, once again) I still have a significant layer of fat on my belly than even a raging Pilates habit couldn’t fix. That’s why I’m doing UltraShape at Baumann Cosmetic Dermatology in Miami.
This new fat-melting treatment is different from others on the market because it uses ultrasound destroy fat cells before your body naturally eliminates the waste left behind. Three painless treatments can result in losing up to two inches around the abdomen, with none of the risks or side effects of surgical liposuction. So when I was offered the opportunity to try it, I didn’t hesitate a bit.
I had my first treatment last Friday, and it went a little something like this. I stripped down to my skivvies for my “before” pictures, I was weighed, I was measured, and I sidled up to a “pudge protrusion” gauge that was mounted on the wall. All of this information was entered into the UltraShape machine, and then I laid down on the table. Things got interesting when my amazing provider Sonia started using surgical tape (OK, a lot of surgical tape) to basically smush all of my fat into a square treatment area. (Let it be known, this was not pretty. I have pictures, but I’m not comfortable sharing them—yet.) Then Sonia placed “targets” around the treatment area so the machine was able to visualize it and tell her where to point and shoot.
Once I was all prepped (which took as much time as the treatment itself), I was slathered in ultrasound gel and we got started. UltraShape is kind of like a high-tech whack-a-mole… Dots show up on the screen, then Sonia moves the handpiece to that spot, she presses the button, the pulse is fired, and the screen gives her another one. My treatment was comprised of two parts: Three passes of single pulses, then one pass of “Supermode,” which involves two pulses per shot. Throughout the 45 minutes I was laying there, I was totally comfortable. There was no pain, although a few areas were a bit sensitive so I did feel a nice bit of heat. The video below shows my treatment in action.
Once I was un-taped and cleaned up, Sonia gave me a few pieces of advice. First, no alcohol for 72 hours (yikes). Second, drink lots of water. Third, keep my diet high on the protein and veggies and low on the fat and processed foods. She also reminded me that just like with liposuction, I may not gain weight again in the treated area, but it will go somewhere else. At the very least, I left the office feeling motivated to make this the summer of my stomach—which means eating healthy and getting my tush to the gym more.
UltraShape isn’t just for size 0-2 girls like me with a belly. (And it’s not a means of weight loss either, so don’t think that you can just zap away 30 extra pounds you don’t want to deal with anymore.) The ideal patient has stubborn fat despite a healthy lifestyle that includes a good diet and exercise. UltraShape is amazing for men, too—especially anyone with “man boobs” or the same stubborn fat that doesn’t want to budge despite all the hours logged at the gym.
I am so excited to have embarked on this journey—although I wish I started two months ago so I’d see the final results before my trip to Jamaica. My next appointment is in two weeks, and maybe then I’ll feel confident enough to share my “before” photos…