Kristen Doute is best known for her time on Vanderpump Rules; she spent eight seasons on the show and was, arguably, the most polarizing character of the bunch. After several years out of the spotlight, Doute is now back on TV, starring on the VPR spin-off The Valley. In true Doute fashion, she’s as candid and unfiltered as ever—both on and off camera. She recently took to social media to announce her partnership with AirSculpt, a minimally invasive form of liposuction, and show off the results of the procedure on her midsection.
We sat down with the reality star to hear more about her experience and how it’s affected her confidence as well as to get the inside scoop on what her cast members think of her plastic surgery.
RealSelf: You’ve been on TV and in the public eye for a long time. How do you think that’s affected your body image and self-confidence?
Kristen Doute: Social media wasn’t really a thing until after I had been on Vanderpump Rules for a few seasons. We used to not have to think about judgment coming from everyone. Social media can be a beautiful place and I have found a community there, but being back on TV, I can tell you I wish I had done AirSculpt before filming The Valley. Social media can also be really ugly. People want to tear you down, and it’s tough when there’s fat-shaming and pregnancy speculation.
RS: Why did you decide to try AirSculpt?
KD: I wasn’t doing it because of what other people were saying. I don’t weigh myself, I don’t take my measurements. I go based on the size of my clothes and how they fit and if I feel good. That’s what matters to me. And I had a come-to-Jesus moment where things weren’t fitting me. The past few years, before turning 40, I noticed that no matter how hard I worked out or what I did, things wouldn’t change.
RS: What kind of cosmetic procedures have you tried in the past? Did you try anything prior to getting AirSculpt for your trouble spots?
KD: I’m definitely a Botox fan! And I try to be very transparent, because there’s such a stigma around cosmetic procedures. Prior to AirSculpt, I had done CoolSculpting and Emsculpt. I put my body through hell, and nothing worked. I didn’t want to do traditional liposuction, but when I found out that AirSculpt was an option with no anesthesia, a one-time, minimally invasive treatment where I could be awake the entire time, I was sold.
RS: Tell us about the treatment itself. What was the experience like?
KD: I was very excited but anxious—shocking, I know. Zack [Wickham], who’s also on The Valley, came with me to Miami and was with me the entire time. From the second I got to the office, all of the staff was so calming and it was such an elevated experience. I felt like I was in the know with everything happening, even before we went into the procedure room. Once we were in there, I was awake the whole time. I was just chatting with Zack and the doctor and the nurses and talking about what playlist I wanted to have on.
I walked out afterward, we got in an Uber, went back to our hotel, had lunch, and watched movies. I flew back to L.A. 48 hours later. A week after that, I went to Kentucky for Comicon, and then the Valley premiere party was right after that. It was basically two days of rest, and I never had any pain or discomfort. I also bruise so easily and I never had any bruising, which I couldn’t believe.
RS: What kind of results have you seen?
KD: I took my compression garment off two and a half days after the procedure, and the results brought me to tears. It was mind-blowing. I couldn’t believe how flat my stomach already was. I saw results faster than I see with Botox! My doctor told me that three and six months are really the major milestones. I’m only five and a half weeks out, and I’ve already bought a two-piece bathing suit for the first time since 2019.
RS: Have you shared your experience with any of your castmates from The Valley? What has their reaction been like?
KD: I’ve told everyone who will listen to me about this! Family and friends all over the country, all my cast members. I won’t say which ones, but some of them now want to get it too. We actually went back and filmed after the Jax and Brittany split, which you’ll see air at the end of the season, and I was wearing my compression garment during that. But everyone is so happy and ecstatic for me. And that’s part of the reason I can’t stop posting about this too. I want to be transparent, and I also want everyone to see the results.
RS: Your desire to have a baby is a big storyline on the show. How did doing AirSculpt play in to all of that?
KD: Pregnancy was the first thing I asked about when I had my first virtual consultation, and I spoke with my OB as well. Both she and my doctor said it was totally fine to do, as long as I wasn’t actively pregnant at the time, of course. I was welcoming a pregnant body with or without doing AirSculpt, but the nice thing is, the results are permanent. And if I’m being very transparent, it has made me feel more confident as my boyfriend and I continue trying to get pregnant.
