I Tried TruSculpt 3D, The Newest In Non-Invasive Body Contouring

Tatiana Boncompagni, Wellness Editor
Updated

At 40, I feel more confident than ever in my skin. I also feel more entitled to doing what makes me happy, which is why I no longer feel like I have to apologize for wanting to look as good as I can—and availing myself of a new technology that can help me look and feel young and energetic.

One of the newest innovations in body contouring is TruSculpt 3D, a treatment that uses monopolar radiofrequency (RF) energy to target, heat and destroy fat cells beneath the skin (currently approved by the FDA for circumferential reduction of the abdomen and flanks). In the case of TruSculpt 3D, results are noticeable after three months; some patients start seeing improvement in the treated area after about six weeks.

How Does It Work?

The new TruSculpt 3D machines rolled out in doctors’ offices in May 2017, and may represent a step forward in non-invasive body contouring. Dr. Matthew Schulman, a New York City board-certified plastic surgeon who offers the procedure in his office on the Upper East Side, says TruSculpt 3D delivers more consistent results with less pain and more safety. “Specifically, the addition of the 2 MHZ frequency heats fat more efficiently (faster) ensuring that therapeutic temperatures are met and maintained throughout the entire 15-minute treatment session. The new glide protocol also allows us to deliver heat to a larger treatment area than before, decreasing treatment time but increasing efficacy,” says Dr. Schulman.

Despite working out and following a healthy diet, I have two (admittedly) small but highly annoying pockets of fat on my lower-back/flank area. No matter how much weight I lose, they remain. No matter how many planks I do, they don’t budge. The good news? They make me a perfect candidate for TruSculpt 3D.

Pain Levels: Manageable

I had my first session with Dr. Schulman about 3 weeks ago and while it wasn’t entirely pain-free, the discomfort was manageable (more manageable than what I experienced when I had Thermage on my stomach to tighten my loose skin there. Everyone responds differently to treatments (some patients report having zero pain with Thermage, for example) but I found that because the technician glides the TruSculpt 3D handle piece over the top of the skin instead of moving from one section to another like a stamp, it was more tolerable. If I had to describe the sensation I would say the treatment starts out feeling like a hot stone massage and by the final minutes feels closer to being ironed by an iron on a very low setting. In other words, it was truly tolerable but I had enough discomfort to feel like something was being done. Each body part is treated for 15 minutes with this procedure, so my flanks took 30 minutes (15 a side) in total.

A Little Tightening Here & There

One potential side benefit TruSculpt 3D offers over some of the other body contouring options on the market? Skin tightening. “There will be some skin tightening since the radiofrequency energy heats the deeper layers of the skin as well as targeting the fat,” explains Dr. Schulman. “The primary result will be fat reduction; however, we have seen improvement in the skin texture and tone. There can be a reduction in the appearance of cellulite as well.”

The technology is currently FDA-approved for the flanks and abdomen, but Dr. Schulman and other doctors are also using it on the arms, bra bulges, neck and other body areas. Cost depends on the size of the area treated, and two treatments spaced four weeks apart are recommended. “The clinical studies demonstrate up to a 24% improvement after only one treatment. In my office, we recommend a series of two treatments, since we believe this will allow us to get the best results possible,” says Dr. Schulman, who charges $1,300 for two treatments of a small area such as the neck and $2,400 for two treatments of larger areas such as the flanks or abdomen.

I’ll be reporting my results so make sure you check back in with Charlotte’s Book for an update on my progress.

Image via Liftologie, a fitness and diet plan designed by Tatiana and celebrity fitness trainer Heather Marr.

READ MORE

Check out Tatiana’s Guide to Body Contouring for Perfectionists.
Plus: her opinion on if non-invasive body treatments actually work.

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