POSTED UNDER SculpSure REVIEWS
37 Year Old Mother of 2, Tired of Muffin Top - Doyelstown, PA
ORIGINAL POST
At 5'5, 126 lbs, I know I am not overweight, but I...
MargaretEveAugust 13, 2016
WORTH IT$1,400
At 5'5, 126 lbs, I know I am not overweight, but I have a muffin top that drives me crazy! I workout 4-5 times a week, a mixture of running, strength training and Crossfit. I eat healthy at least 80% of the time, but I still have stubborn fat around my midsection that just won't budge. Even when I was at my lowest weight as an adult (117 lbs) I still had a belly pooch. I can usually disguise it with the right clothes, but it is frustrating to me that I can't tuck fitted tops in, or I sometimes get a muffin top effect in my workout clothes. I have a hard time buying pants because my waist is disproportionately larger than my hips, butt and thighs. If I buy a size up to accommodate my waist, the pants look baggy everywhere else. If I squeeze into a smaller size, I have the lovely muffin top.
I was looking for a non-invasive procedure to improve my belly fat and considered Coolsculpting. After reading so many reviews here (thank you reviewers!), I decided that it wasn't for me. At the same time, the place I have been going for laser hair removal got a Sculpsure machine. It sounded like the perfect procedure for me, so I started doing more research. The more I read, the more I liked. I came across a review here on realself that said there is an office in Doyelstown, about an hour from me, doing Sculpsure for only $700. I checked out the doctor's website, and it seems like he is an expert in laser procedures, so I made my appointment.
This Friday I have my consultation followed by the procedure. I am very excited!
My current measurements are:
Waist 27.5"
One inch below belly button 33.5
Hips 35.5
Replies (9)
August 17, 2016
Same place I went
August 17, 2016
Yes, I read your post and looked them up because of it, actually! I liked that they told you you only needed 2 applicators, instead of trying yo up sell you. The other place I consulted seemed to just want to get as much money as possible.
August 18, 2016
Yeah, I went in expecting to pay 700$ and he told me to just try the 2 for 350$ and to come back if I need to. I see some people paying 2000$ for one treatment, at that price I would just get traditional lipo I think.
August 18, 2016
Thanks , please continue to share your info .. I am thinking about doing this ?
August 19, 2016
So today is your day? Good luck and can't wait to hear about your experience :)
January 9, 2017
Don't do it. It's expensive and painful and doesn't work. My two friends had the same experience. After $4000 no result.
January 9, 2017
You had previously commented on my post, so I know you were unhappy with your experience. For me, it was not painful, was much less expensive, and I am pleased with my results.
UPDATED FROM MargaretEve
Day of treatment
Consult and Procedure Day!
MargaretEveAugust 19, 2016
Today I went for my consult with Dr. Debias and had my Sculpsure treatment immediately after.
Consultation:
Dr.Debias asked me what areas I was interested in treating and examined me. He felt I would get excellent results from two treatments to my lower abdominals. The way my fat is situated, he recommended doing two applicators applied in a landscape orientation in the area right under my bellybutton and said I should come back in 4 weeks for a second treatment. During the second treatment, they will apply the applicators on either side of my belly button but in a portrait orientation. He said my fat does not extend wide enough to warrant using 4 applicators across the bottom, nor do I have enough fat above the bellybutton to do two and two today. He described me as having a donut of fat around my belly button, which I felt was an accurate description. The fat in this area is very soft, which he said is the type that responds best to Sculpsure. His office is currently running a special that gives you 2 applicators for $350, which is the best deal I have seen. He assured me that he guarantees that price for the entire course of treatment to the areas I chose to treat today.
The other area I was interested in treating was my flanks. Dr.Debias said that I would not get as good a result on my flanks because my tissue is fibrous in this area. He likened it to a sponge. There are pockets of fat, like the holes in a sponge, that will shrink from Sculpsure, but the fibrous tissue, the sponge in this analogy, will not change. He told me a 10% reduction in my flanks was a reasonable expectation. He said I would see smoothing and improvement, but it would not be as drastic or complete as my lower abdominals. I decided to give the treatment for my flanks a try anyway, but I am really hoping I did not waste my money on that one (also $350 for 2 applicators, so I spent $700 total today. There will be similar additional charges for follow up treatments.) I was surprised that he only thought I should go with 2 applicators to my flanks, but I could understand his reasoning when he explained it to me. The fact that Dr.Debias did not pressure me at all or try to up-sell me made me feel more comfortable and confident. He repeated several times that he did not want to mislead me about my flanks and the results I could expect.
Procedure
Although I technically could have had all 4 applicators applied at once, Dr.Debias suggested the procedure be broken into 2 sessions of 25 minutes for my comfort. The technician started with my lower abdominals. Dr. Debias had marked where the applicators should be applied, and she attached the belt and applied the applicators according to this. After a four minutes, she told me I should start to feel a cooling sensation on my skin. I told her I could not feel anything at all, so she turned up the machine to a higher setting. At that point, I felt warmth spread through my abdominal region, but it was actually quite pleasant. To me it felt like a heating pad and was relaxing. When I told the technician this, she looked at me in surprise, so I don't think this is a normal reaction. She told me she had had the procedure done herself and felt a mild cramping sensation. I never felt anything other than a gentle warmth. After 25 minutes, she switched to the areas marked on my flanks. My flanks were not as comfortable as my abdominals. Particularly the left flank felt a bit of a snapping pain. It was very similar to the feeling of laser hair removal. The technician told me she could control each applicator independently and asked if I wanted her to turn the left one down. I chose not to because it wasn't intolerable, just not comfortable. The right side barely felt like anything.
I know some people on this site have said that Sculpsure hurt and others said no pain. Perhaps the answer is in your body composition. Maybe subcutaneous fat, the type for which this procedure was designed to treat, is painless. Fibrous tissue and visceral fat, which are not treatable with this procedure, might hurt. This was not told to me by either the doctor or technician, I am just guessing from the difference in sensation that I experienced. I also think I may have experienced less discomfort than some people because I only had 2 applicators at a time. I imagine the heat and discomfort would be amplified with 4 at a time.
I return in 4 weeks for my second treatment. I do not plan to post any further updates until then, unless I have any side effects in the next few days or weeks. I am not posting any pictures right now because there are no immediate changes following treatment.
Consultation:
Dr.Debias asked me what areas I was interested in treating and examined me. He felt I would get excellent results from two treatments to my lower abdominals. The way my fat is situated, he recommended doing two applicators applied in a landscape orientation in the area right under my bellybutton and said I should come back in 4 weeks for a second treatment. During the second treatment, they will apply the applicators on either side of my belly button but in a portrait orientation. He said my fat does not extend wide enough to warrant using 4 applicators across the bottom, nor do I have enough fat above the bellybutton to do two and two today. He described me as having a donut of fat around my belly button, which I felt was an accurate description. The fat in this area is very soft, which he said is the type that responds best to Sculpsure. His office is currently running a special that gives you 2 applicators for $350, which is the best deal I have seen. He assured me that he guarantees that price for the entire course of treatment to the areas I chose to treat today.
The other area I was interested in treating was my flanks. Dr.Debias said that I would not get as good a result on my flanks because my tissue is fibrous in this area. He likened it to a sponge. There are pockets of fat, like the holes in a sponge, that will shrink from Sculpsure, but the fibrous tissue, the sponge in this analogy, will not change. He told me a 10% reduction in my flanks was a reasonable expectation. He said I would see smoothing and improvement, but it would not be as drastic or complete as my lower abdominals. I decided to give the treatment for my flanks a try anyway, but I am really hoping I did not waste my money on that one (also $350 for 2 applicators, so I spent $700 total today. There will be similar additional charges for follow up treatments.) I was surprised that he only thought I should go with 2 applicators to my flanks, but I could understand his reasoning when he explained it to me. The fact that Dr.Debias did not pressure me at all or try to up-sell me made me feel more comfortable and confident. He repeated several times that he did not want to mislead me about my flanks and the results I could expect.
Procedure
Although I technically could have had all 4 applicators applied at once, Dr.Debias suggested the procedure be broken into 2 sessions of 25 minutes for my comfort. The technician started with my lower abdominals. Dr. Debias had marked where the applicators should be applied, and she attached the belt and applied the applicators according to this. After a four minutes, she told me I should start to feel a cooling sensation on my skin. I told her I could not feel anything at all, so she turned up the machine to a higher setting. At that point, I felt warmth spread through my abdominal region, but it was actually quite pleasant. To me it felt like a heating pad and was relaxing. When I told the technician this, she looked at me in surprise, so I don't think this is a normal reaction. She told me she had had the procedure done herself and felt a mild cramping sensation. I never felt anything other than a gentle warmth. After 25 minutes, she switched to the areas marked on my flanks. My flanks were not as comfortable as my abdominals. Particularly the left flank felt a bit of a snapping pain. It was very similar to the feeling of laser hair removal. The technician told me she could control each applicator independently and asked if I wanted her to turn the left one down. I chose not to because it wasn't intolerable, just not comfortable. The right side barely felt like anything.
I know some people on this site have said that Sculpsure hurt and others said no pain. Perhaps the answer is in your body composition. Maybe subcutaneous fat, the type for which this procedure was designed to treat, is painless. Fibrous tissue and visceral fat, which are not treatable with this procedure, might hurt. This was not told to me by either the doctor or technician, I am just guessing from the difference in sensation that I experienced. I also think I may have experienced less discomfort than some people because I only had 2 applicators at a time. I imagine the heat and discomfort would be amplified with 4 at a time.
I return in 4 weeks for my second treatment. I do not plan to post any further updates until then, unless I have any side effects in the next few days or weeks. I am not posting any pictures right now because there are no immediate changes following treatment.
Replies (3)
September 1, 2016
Thank you for your detailed explanation. Maybe this explains why some people get better results than others. I have a similar physique with the flanks and excess in my midsection. I appreciate your posting, and even though I may have the same fibrous tissue in my flanks, I am going to try it. Hopefully, more doctors in my area will offer it (and specials too).
January 16, 2017
Any updates?
UPDATED FROM MargaretEve
2 days post
2 days post
MargaretEveAugust 21, 2016
Just a quick update, I have not had any real discomfort following the procedure on Friday. When I touch the areas that were treated, it feels like they are bruised. My skin looks completely normal, and it only hurts if I press. I have been able to exercise and go about my life as normal. It is very hard not to get impatient for change to begin, but I know it will take a few weeks to see anything.
Thank you for beginning to share your journey here! Please update when you have your procedure and be sure to include your "after" photos too!