It’s been nearly 10 years since we first met Brittany Cartwright, Jax Taylor’s sweet new girlfriend straight off the plane from Kentucky, on Vanderpump Rules. We’ve watched her date, get engaged and married, have a baby, and most recently, navigate the end of her marriage on the VPR spin-off The Valley.
Through it all, Cartwright has remained an open book—sharing not only all her personal ups and downs but also getting candid about cosmetic procedures. She underwent a breast augmentation on Vanderpump Rules and recovered from chin liposuction during the first season of The Valley. So it’s no surprise that the 35-year-old is now sharing her experience with AirSculpt, a minimally invasive form of liposuction.
We sat down with Cartwright to learn more about her experience and how it has completely changed her self-image during this transitional time in her life.
RealSelf: We previously chatted with your castmate and friend, Kristen Doute, about her AirSculpt experience. We have to ask—is she the one who convinced you to try it?
Brittany Cartwright: I had heard about it from Kristen, yes. When I saw her results, I was like, Yes, I definitely want to do this!”
RS: Why did you decide to get AirSculpt now?
BC: This is really the time that I’m trying to get my confidence back and focus on me. I’m putting myself first, focusing on my mental and physical health, and really getting back to being the best version of me and the best mom I can be. I’ve been very open about my weight-loss journey. I’ve been up and down since having my son, Cruz, who is now 3. But even when I’ve lost weight, I still have problem areas, especially around my lower stomach. I also have large breasts, and it’s been really hard to get my shape back. Even when I lost weight, I felt like I didn’t have a shape and looked boxy.
RS: Tell us about the procedure itself.
BC: I knew everything that was going to happen, because both Kristen and my friend Zach—who went with Kristen to her appointment and came with me to mine—told me what to expect. I was totally awake, and there were no needles in my arm or anything. They numbed up my stomach, and I was just in it and chilling, listening to music. The doctor was talking to me the whole time. You can see the tubes with the fat coming out, and then. all of a sudden. it’s done. I got wrapped up tight in a compression garment, which was almost like wearing Spanx.
RS: What was your recovery like? How did it compare to recovery from other procedures you’ve had done?
BC: This was definitely not as painful as other procedures I’ve had done. The downtime was amazing. Zach and I literally went out to dinner that night. I had some leakage out of the very small incision holes, but there were no stitches or anything. Those closed up after two days. The biggest thing was that I felt a little sore, but I was never in any pain. I was sore for a few weeks, kind of like I had worked out really hard. I was like “Dang, I got a good ab workout!”
RS: When did you first see results, and what was that experience like for you emotionally?
BC: I could tell from the first time I took a shower, two days later, that there was a change. I could see the curves on my sides, that I had shape again and that the sagginess from my stomach had gone down dramatically. I could have cried. I saw results as soon as I took the garment off, but they’ve only gotten better and better. I had the procedure done over Memorial Day weekend, and the results are going to keep improving. I keep seeing changes—I can tell in photos, and my clothes fit better. I have curves now, I have a waist, and I don’t feel boxy. And continuing to see the results makes me excited and keeps me motivated to stay in the gym.
I’m going through a lot right now, and I finally feel like myself again. I’m so proud of my body and what it did. I have the most beautiful son. But it’s been three years, and I could never get all the way back to where I was. Now I feel confident again. I think in season one of The Valley, a lot of people could tell that I’d lost a lot of my confidence.
RS: Is your newfound confidence helping you get back out on the dating scene?
BC: I definitely did this for myself and to get my groove back, but it doesn’t hurt to have confidence as you go out and start dating again. I had to deal with some things in my relationship and being put down, and now I’m just feeling confident. I’m definitely open to dating. I’m not ready for a relationship because there are still things I need to heal from for myself, but I am having fun.
RS: What’s been the reaction from your castmates and friends and family?
BC: The first time I went out without my compression garments, everyone could totally see the change. I haven’t seen my meemaw [grandma] yet, but my mom thinks I look great and is all for it. And every person I’ve talked to about AirSculpt wants to do it.
RS: Are there any other cosmetic procedures you’re thinking about doing during this new phase in your life?
BC: Right now, I’m feeling great. But I’ve been really open about everything. I’ve done Botox, I did my boobs and my chin. But if I was to go back and do my legs or something, I’d do AirSculpt. And that’s the other thing too—if I want to have more kids in the future, then AirSculpt won’t impact that. Because with a mommy makeover and a tummy tuck, that could all stretch out if I had more kids.
RS: What advice would you give to someone who is in a similar boat as you and maybe isn’t feeling great in their own body?
BC: I’d say, Do whatever makes you happy and don’t listen to the outside noise. Do whatever you feel good with and what will help you feel like your old self, whether that’s doing some kind of plastic surgery or nothing at all. Feeling good in your clothes and having confidence can really make or break your whole day, your whole month.
