This Orange County Plastic Surgeon Is Offering an Alternative to Sit-ups
Written By: Erin Price-Hale
Photography Provided By: Grover Aesthetics Get a Flat Stomach
I have always wanted abs. Not the bulky, ripped eight-pack of a CrossFit athlete or the oily runway abs of Karlie Kloss. I just wanted that little shadow you get in photos when you tilt a certain way before the picture is taken. I wanted “some” definition, real evidence of all the hard work I put in on my floor doing sit-ups to some monotonous apps’ constant chirping, drinking celery juice smoothies and 20,000 steps a day. Can abs like Jessica Alba’s be too much to ask for without doing a thousand sit-ups? I mean, who would even have time?
Luckily for me, Dr. Sanjay Grover at Grover Aesthetics gave me an opportunity to test his new Emsculpt machine for four sessions and I can now share with you my experience and the results. These are the questions I had before starting out and I hope my answers and results can answer questions you might have.
1 | What is Emsculpt? Get a Flat Stomach
If I had to describe the machine in detail (you can skip this and scroll to the bottom to see the results if this is boring), it looks like a portable air conditioning unit with a CPR paddle coming out of it. It is actually much more technical than that, but if you are more interested in the aesthetics of this machine, check out the photos below.
2 | What does Emsculpt do and what is it supposed to accomplish? Get a Flat Stomach
First of all, it is non-invasive, which is a medical way of saying you don’t have to go to sleep. There are no needles, it’s in office and they won’t have to operate. The machine pictured above sends electromagnetic energy through the paddle that is attached to the stomach (it works on butts, thighs, arms and calves also), causing thousands of muscle contractions that you could never do on your own. In one 30-minute session, you can have up to 20,000 contractions—this builds muscle and can also destroy fat cells, which I am told cannot rebuild. I’m not a doctor or a scientist, but the thought of improving muscle tone and strength with some ancillary fat reduction seems amazing.
3 | Is it painful? Get a Flat Stomach
I think the question is, would it stop me if it was? I mean, I do suffer through weekly agonizing procedures for beauty. I had read plenty of articles before starting the treatment (I like to Google everything before I try it), and most of the reviews I read said it wasn’t painful at all. I cannot in good faith say it was pleasant, but it was far from painful. If I had to compare it to anything, I would say it is like a series of small-sized cramps spaced out over 30 minutes. I looked at my phone, relaxed, and it seemed to be over before it started. There is an odd sensation to the vibration and the electromagnetic pulses but I got used to it by the end of the first session. The level of the pulses can be adjusted by the staff. I started out at 60 percent, then gradually increased, finishing my first session at 95 percent. I did the last three sessions at 100 percent power (insert bicep flex).
4 | How were your results?
BEFORE
AFTER
If you are reading ahead or are more of a visual person, you can see my photos below. I felt very hungry at the end of each session—like, post-workout ravenous. I was a little shaky and my abs were very tight (yes!). At the end of the sessions, my stomach felt much tighter but I hadn’t noticed dramatic results. I did feel better about myself though. I was feeling much stronger, and my workouts seemed easier. I did notice the start of a line in my stomach that wasn’t there before, my posture was better and there was a definite reduction of the “pooch” part of my stomach. I spoke with Dr. Grover; he was so reassuring. He let me know that we would not start to see the majority of the results for four to six weeks. We took photos at that appointment and, although the pictures you see below might not show it as well as my husband’s iPhone, I am extremely happy with the results and would love to try it again.
5 | How much does it cost?
As I said earlier, I was lucky enough to do this as part of a trial to report back honestly on how I felt. I was not made aware of the exact cost but did some research and found it was far less expensive that liposuction and more effective (as reported by others) than competing non-invasive procedures. The real cost to me was time. If I started doing sit-ups now, I would still be doing them non-stop until 2020 to come close to the same results.
Dr. Grover (Grover Aesthetics)
20360 SW Birch St, Ste 120
Newport Beach, CA 92660
949.759.9551
