A DUO OF TREATMENTS LEVERAGE TECH TO TONE AND CONTOUR.
In many ways, the last couple of years have felt like a time warp. If you’re one of those who has lamented progress on your physical goals, two treatments from aesthetic tech maker Cutera could offer a solution without intense personal training sessions or more invasive interventions. Together, the truSculpt iD and truSculpt flex make up the truBody treatment protocol, purported to reduce fat and build muscle. With little risk and no downtime, it sounded like a dream.
Curious, I scheduled a session at Balanced Aesthetics Medspa in Buckhead to see for myself. Certified Physician Assistant Bethany Struckmeyer walked me through what to expect, patiently explaining the benefits of pairing the two treatments.
We began with the truSculpt iD ($250 per lead, the connection point from the machine to the skin, at Balanced). Struckmeyer carefully placed the treatment leads on my outer thighs. I had to pick one area to test, and this is one that, no matter how many hours I log in the gym, I never feel completely satisfied with. According to the studies conducted by Cutera, it’s possible to reduce the circumference of an area by an average of 24% in just one 15-minute treatment, and it’s designed for areas that have been resistant to diet and exercise.
During the session, it felt like a super-warm hot water bottle gliding over my skin. As someone who enjoys saunas and hot baths, I didn’t find it uncomfortable, but the heat-averse among us might find it challenging. It takes approximately 12 weeks for the body to excrete the discarded fat cells (which don’t regenerate—once they’re gone, they’re gone) through the lymphatic system, so that’s the duration you need to wait before having a second treatment, if you desire.
For the second part of the visit, I tried truSculpt flex (from $750 per session at Balanced for non-members), a muscle-building protocol designed to firm, tone and strengthen your physique without the sweat equity earned in a series of gym visits. Cutera claims one 45-minute treatment is equivalent to 54,000 crunches. Sounds unbelievable, right? “It uses electro-stimulation to cause rapid contractions from multiple directions, and that’s hard to replicate in a workout,” Struckmeyer says. “It keeps the muscles guessing because it switches exercises within the session.”
She carefully positioned the pads on the muscle groups I selected: abs and hamstrings, and since she recommends treating the same area, outer thighs. Then she covered me with a blanket and explained how I could manage the intensity of the electro-stimulation pulses. I liked having complete control to change the strength of the pulses to push myself, just as I push for a couple more reps in challenging gym sets. The machine was dialed to the “sculpt” setting, and during the protocol, it automatically changed the cadence of the pulses. It wasn’t painful, but I could see and feel my muscles jumping as electricity surged through them, causing an unfamiliar tingling sensation. Just like that, I was done. Aside from a little redness from where the leads were touching my skin (all of which were covered by my dress), no one would know I’d given my body a high-tech workout.
Struckmeyer assured me it was not uncommon to feel sore the next day, similar to how you’d feel after an intense appointment with a personal trainer. Just as consistency is important when pursuing any new physical regimen, Cutera recommends doing the flex sessions once a week or so.
It’s somewhat difficult to definitively confirm that I saw dramatic results. After all, I live with my body every day, and toning or fat cell shedding was gradual. Regardless, I enjoyed the sessions and can see how someone could become enamored with the feeling of gym-like gains from relaxing in a spa-like environment. Who can argue with innovative, intriguing treatments to jumpstart our path back to feeling like ourselves?
BALANCED AESTHETICS MEDSPA
470.226.2390
balancedaestheticsmedspa.com
@balancedaestheticsmedspa
truSculpt flex: from $750 per session (for non-members) truSculpt iD: $250 per lead
