Melt away the muffin top with this beauty treatment!

My muffin top has long been a thorn in my side (pardon the pun) and despite healthy eating and exercising every day, it seemed like it was here to stay. That was until I heard and read about a non-invasive laser liposuction procedure that targets cellulite and stubborn fatty deposits called i-Lipo.

What is i-Lipo? Basically its low level laser technology that releases the fat within the treated area, taking off centimetres at a time. After your treatment session you exercise for about 35 minutes so that the released fat is then processed by the liver for the body’s use. It is a completely safe procedure with no down time at all and results are instant (whoop whoop)! The salon I chose also has i-Lipo Plus so after your laser session they also work over your targeted area with a suction cup thingy, which helps to firm and tighten the skin and they use a thermogenic gel to assist in the process. You can purchase the gel too for about R375. I got a sample bottle of the gel (it’s called Liposculpt thermogel ) which contains capsicum and promises to help burn fat. Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend the gel. I didnt notice a huge added benefit from it and despite washing your hands after using it, that pepper lingers until everything you prepare just tastes like pepper. Hubby also wasn’t a fan (ha ha).

Of course I had to run this by hubby (otherwise known as “the wallet”) and he did laborious research into the procedure to see if he could pick up any side effects or problems. He is very analytical and not impulsive in the least, unlike me who was all ready to book her first session there and then. Happily, he could find not an ounce of bad press about my miracle muffin top cure, so he unhappily handed over the R3500 for the recommended eight sessions.

Yippee, at my assessment the therapist said I was an “ideal candidate” as I was active and the muffin top really was a good target area. The treatment period is over 4 weeks with 2 sessions a week as ideal. Obviously if you have lots of centimetres to lose then you may need more sessions then eight. They included a free lymphatic massage in my package, which was done a few days before my first i-Lipo session. The lymphatic massage was really poorly named; it was more like lymphatic torture as the therapist kneaded the lymphatic areas to get good drainage going. Then it was recommended that I drink lots of water and not exercise that day. The lymphatic massage was really the only painful part of the whole process though, so don’t let that put you off!
I-Lipo was awesome! First they take measurements, then four paddles are secured to whichever area needs attention. Mine were secured around my waist. Ten minutes on each side, and all you do is listen to plinky plink zen music and sniff incense (depending on which clinic you go to – mine was very zen).

The best part is still to come! They measure you and you suddenly realise you are thinner!!! I lost 10cm all over in my first session. But that’s not total circumference, its measurements taken all over the target area and they mark you with a pen so there can be no errors.
You can either do 35 minutes cardio exercise after your session (my clinic had equipment for that purpose – treadmills etc) or if your clinic has that option, you can select the sauna bed. The sauna bed is fabulous if you don’t mind sweating a LOT! It is a thermal sleeping bag of sorts and after your problem area is coated in a thermogenic gel you lie in there and sweat your little fat cells away. It apparently burns up to 600 calories so is even better than exercising! This bed also eliminates toxins, not only water (like your normal sauna does) so you won’t regain the weight if you drink a glass of water. This sauna bed is also highly recommended for chemo patients as it eliminates the poisons from the system and speeds up recovery. Okay, so by the time the delegated 30 minutes are up you are ready to dive into a tub of ice-blocks, but it’s really worth it and I opted for this option after 5 of my 8 sessions even though it cost an extra R100 per session. The first one I had was complimentary. You can’t read as your arms are also zipped into the bed, so it ends up being very relaxing as you just lie there and doze, you end up feeling quite amazing afterwards.

They advise you to cut down on carbs and processed foods during the treatment period and to exercise between sessions, but after the treatment period is over you just need to eat healthy and exercise regularly to maintain your centimetre loss. Drinking lots of water is also encouraged. My therapist told me that they also offer a top up session (R300) if I start to see any of my unwanted muffin top creeping back.

All in all I had a total loss of 39cm all over my waistline. The first session almost always results a dramatic centimetre loss, but the other sessions aren’t as dramatic. At the clinic I went to I was assured that if a particular session resulted in less than a 2cm loss, they regarded that as unsuccessful and they would redo it. I also lost 2 kgs, which wasn’t my aim but great none the less!
Would I recommend this procedure? Absolutely!!!! My muffin top literally melted away because of this beauty treatment!!

Article by: Maryanne Young
http://www.beautybulletin.com/blog-directory/our-bloggers/maryanne-young

Yucky Muffin Top	Post i-Lipo (39cm slimmer would have taken months of dieting)