For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a two-inch ring around my belly button, which I affectionately referred to as “my donut.” It’s a stubborn little problem that even weight loss, a clean diet, or five workouts a week hasn’t changed.
So when I hear Emsculpt, a new non-invasive, FDA-approved, safe treatment that promises to strengthen abdominal muscles and help flatten the stomach, sounds like the miracle I’ve been waiting for. I’d be lying if I said that aesthetics weren’t the original lure.
But as a very active, health-conscious person who knows the downsides of belly fat (increased risk of heart disease) and the benefits of a strong core (improved running and weight lifting, better balance and posture, and less back, neck, and knee pain), I’m more fascinated. Perhaps the best part: all he needs to do is lay on a table attached to a sleek machine.
While most body shaping procedures focus on fat removal or skin tightening with laser or ultrasound, Emsculpt’s sole purpose is to strengthen a specific area (currently abs or buttocks) by increasing muscle mass. (Clinical studies have shown an average increase in muscle thickness of 19% 6-9 months after treatment.)
To do this, the machine fires high-intensity electromagnetic pulses that cause the muscles to contract – the equivalent of doing 20,000 sit-ups in 30 minutes – strengthening the muscle fibers in a previously impossible amount of time. Fat loss – a 19% reduction – is really just a long-awaited (and proven) side effect that can have a real impact on your heart health.
It turned out that I was the perfect candidate: in good shape, but not super, with some (no more than 20 pounds) excess fat and no internal metal devices (such as an IUD) that would interfere with the magnetic waves.
“In my 10 years in private practice, this is the coolest device we’ve ever had,” says Arash Ahavan, MD, a dermatologist at the Manhattan Clinic for Dermatology and Laser Group, whose technicians tied a plastic spatula to my bare waist, covering the area between my ribs and thighs. “A procedure that strengthens the muscles without introducing any artificial substances into the body … it is truly unique.”
It’s definitely a one-of-a-kind feeling: the vibrations of the blades alternate between buzzing (some of them are so intense, I think they could lift me off the table) and hitting so hard that it feels like someone is banging a shard of glass against my stomach.
Neither is painful, just uncomfortable. When the 30 minutes were up, I got dressed and went back to work. No soreness, no redness, nothing empty – just three visits in the next week and a half.
Due to the lack of downtime, Emsculpt has become so popular that dermatologists go out of their way to have it in their offices (more than 400 people across the country currently use it). According to the doctors I interviewed, it is used all day, although four sessions cost about $4,000 in total.
“Patient satisfaction is so high,” said Dr. Ahavan, “that some of them return every month for maintenance.”
Marnie Nussbaum, MD, a New York-based dermatologist, agrees: “I see about five patients a day and none of them have any problems,” she says. “Half of the people noticed results immediately after one treatment, but 84% reported a significant difference one month after the series was completed; after three months – 90%.
An Emsculpt rep told me that this is normal – anyone who does strength training knows that our muscles need time to grow in response to the stress we put on them.
Emsculpt’s offerings are also expanding: while there is currently a treatment for the abs and buttocks, a spokesperson confirmed that it will soon be available for two other areas of the body (which and when remains to be determined, but Dr. Ahavan suggests those are the upper arms and inner thighs).
After the first procedure, my stomach did not change much, but when I touched it, it became harder for me. I swear, in the gym after the second session, my torso became stronger for deadlifts and lunges. After the third visit, I could stand for two minutes straight.
Now, a month after the last workout, I noticed that the waist has become thinner, and fine wrinkles have begun to appear around the stomach. My donut is still there, but it doesn’t look too conspicuous, especially from the outside. I’m far from six pack abs, but I’m not disappointed.
I’m more confident than ever, and not just because I’m wearing smaller tops. I love the power I feel when I run and train – it’s the strongest I’ve ever felt. This is a real miracle. machine or not.
A version of this article was originally published in the May 2019 issue of Women’s Health. For more information on how to live a happier and healthier life, buy the issue on newsstands today.
Post time: Jul-21-2023