No, this is NOT me, but this shows how effective the Venus Freeze can be in reducing the appearance of cellulite.

I am a sucker for any non-invasive treatments that promise to reduce the appearance of cellulite or tighten loose skin. So when I kept hearing about the Venus Freeze treatment and its promises to address both of these issues, my curiosity grew. The Venus Freeze employs radio frequency waves to heat up treated tissues, causing it to contract, while magnets stimulate production of collagen and elastin. While many platforms will only treat the face OR the body, the Venus Freeze can be used anywhere on the body. You can expect to see response to the treatments after a few weeks to up to 3 months following the first treatment. The best results are seen when treatments are done weekly, for a total of 8 to 10 treatments. About 10% of people who undergo the Venus Freeze treatments will show no response, which is indeed frustrating both for the non-responder and for the practitioner who is administering the treatments. However, there is no way to determine who falls into that 10% until treatments are well under way. The good news is that the majority of individuals who undergo this treatment should see noticeable improvement in the areas treated.

Here’s where I was completely sold: the treatment feels like a hot stone massage, with no pain involved, and there is no down time. After enduring two rounds of the intensely painful BodyFx treatment, which incidentally did NOTHING to improve the cellulite on the backs of my legs, I was ready to try something that did NOT have me writhing in pain on a treatment table.

I had my first treatment last week at a wonderful facility called Laser Creations in Simi Valley, CA (http://www.lasercreations.org/venus-freeze-skin-tightening-and-body/) and am happy to report that I felt no pain at all during the entire treatment. It truly did feel remarkably similar to a hot stone massage, down to a couple of hot spots which were almost at the point of pain but not quite. After the treatment was completed, the area was massaged manually, and some fat pockets popped from this manipulation. It was a strange sensation, feeling those pockets pop, but I felt victorious because I knew that the technology was already bringing about an effect.

I noticed no change in the quality of my skin, nor did I see any improvement in the appearance of cellulite after the first treatment, but that is normal after only one treatment. I did notice that the more proximal areas (areas closer to my glutes and on my glutes) actually looked more pronounced with respect to the dimpling, but I think that has something to do with the localized swelling. I returned today for my second treatment in the series and experienced one spot which zapped me for a second, causing me to flinch. However, the rest of the treatment was fine, and the heat, though intense, was not painful at all. We got more pockets to pop today, but not as many as from the first treatment. I am very excited to see if visible changes begin to emerge after this second treatment! There are six more treatments left in the series for me, with cumulative effects expected over time. I also practice very clean eating and I drink 1-1/2 gallons of water a day, which will enhance the process of lipolysis (breakdown of fats in fat cells).

I am hoping that a noticeable difference in the areas treated will emerge shortly after my fourth treatment. As a physician who actively works in the field of aesthetic medicine, I am well aware that it takes the body about 5 to 6 months to fully generate a round of collagen, and that small, visible changes can be seen about 30 days into a Venus Freeze treatment regimen.