Wednesday, May 25, 2011

My 45-minute CurveX Experience

I like keeping fit, that’s why I decided to take up pole dancing, a fun and challenging sport which I’ve been doing for almost 4 months now. Aside from pole dancing, I try to swim at least 3 times a week and do strengthening and toning exercises like pilates and yoga. Even before I took formal classes, I already do my workouts via home videos, which I follow and pop on, depending on my mood.

Of course, I do not deny that the body does need a little help with regards to unsightly fat that appear on the sides of the stomach, back, arms, hips, and thighs. Even for thin girls like me, I admit that I’m quite conscious with the appearance of dimpling on the backs of my thighs and a bit of saggy fat. No matter how much I tried exercising, there’s still a bit of sag that needs a little push. Of course, even if the fat is gone from all the workouts and healthy diet, there’s the skin that still hangs on.

During the Elizabeth Arden event, we were introduced to a procedure called CurveX Advanced Body Contouring, now recently offered by Beverly Hills 6750. CurveX is a non-invasive and nonsurgical method that allows one to lose stubborn fatty deposits (like cellulite) in hard-to-reach areas like legs, abdomen, buttocks, and thighs. Noninvasive means that you won’t be punctured, incisioned, or sliced, so for those with fear of pain or surgery, that’s a big yay.

So what happens to the fat? The fat cells are broken down and converted to a liquid substance that’s removed through the lymphatic system and locaql inflammatory scavenging, meaning the fat just exits the body via sweat or when you pee it out.

Lucky for us, we were given the chance to undergo one session of CurveX Advanced Body Contouring. I decided to have my appointment last Friday, where it would be a rest day from pole class and a rest day for me to work. I booked an appointment and got to the main branch of Beverly Hills 6750 for my appointment.

Before my session, I was asked to fill out a patient form, which had to contain my medical history, family history, allergies, current medications, recent hospitalizations, and all that the doctors and therapists need before me jumping to the procedure room. After that, I was briefed by one of the staff on the procedure. She asked me about my medical history too and also asked me the million-dollar question as to where will they blast the fat cells away. When I pointed out my thighs and saddlebags, she understood (thin girls with cellulite please raise your hands!) I was also told that in the process I could be experiencing bruising, a bit of swelling, and soreness just like after I had a workout session. Bruises are nothing new to me, obviously and with the squats during our warm up sessions that we do, I’ll probably be a-okay and not be screaming of exquisite pain midway.

I was then led to the room where the procedure would be done. I changed into this wraparound coverup and two of the therapists took measurements of my thighs. Prior to this, I had to sign a waiver/consent form in undergoing the procedure and allowing necessary documentation, like photos for studies and measurements. I had to lie on my belly and before starting, they made sure I was comfy, even granting my request of putting a pillow under my head.

If you’re getting your saddlebags and thighs done, it’s advisable to come in loose clothing and preferably wear a pair of thong panties or g-string so it’s easier to work on the buttocks. The process of Curvex is broken down to 3 stages, each with specific roles in losing unwanted stubborn fat in the body and tightening the skin too.

The first step uses Ultrasonic Cavitation. Gel is applied on your trouble areas an a machine head glides through the body. You’re going to hear a slight buzzing and high-pitched sound as the process goes on. In this stage, the fat cells are broken down. The gel just makes the machine head glide better on the body. The reason why there are two attendants in the process is because one attendant works on the machine while the other one spreads the gel (or lotion, in the next two stages).

The next stage is Multi-Polar Radio Frequency and LED Photodynamic Massage, which uses heat and light to burn the fat. The head of the machine is kind of warm, and the whole thing feels like the jet streams from a Jacuzzi. I was told that there are some patients that even fall asleep in this step due to the heat and massaging action.

It's like those karate-chop moves we get during our massage with a bit of heat, but nothing really strange. Who would have thought that this is the stage where the fat burns right?

Next stage supposedly is the painful part, and where the bruising comes in. Lotion is again applied and the head has a slight suction action as it goes on the targeted areas in a gliding, rapid motion. The purpose of this Endermology Vacuum Massage is to firm and tighten the skin so we get smoother results. Since intensity varies from person-to-person depending on the target area, the intensity level of this stage varies. The therapist first sets it to the lowest intensity, being 1, and if tolerable, they increase it until it's the most tolerable option for the patient. I was able to tolerate up to intensity 4. It felt like a hard swedish massage, but nothing really causing me to wince or scream of extreme pain. I was even chatting with my therapists during the entire process.

After the third stage, the lotion was wiped and alcohol was spritzed on my thighs and bum to remove all the lotion. My measurements were then taken. my mid and lower thighs had an increased measurement but that's probably because that I'm still swollen from the procedure, something that's expected. the area below my bum was the one that lost a few millimeters though.

Basically, I felt okay after. I didn't feel like I was beaten to a pulp. More of the feeling like I had quite a number of squats, but nothing bad. The next day, I was able to notice less of the jiggling and my backside looks and feels a lot firmer. I do notice that I tend to pee a lot more and sweat, probably the fat exiting my system (hopefully vowing never to return again). It's more pee than sweat for me though thankfully.

It's recommended for those planning to take CurveX though to have it at every four days to see maximum results or once a week. However, for Php14,000 a session, it's a bit too steep for my budget. If I have the budget though and probably I know when I'm older I might need more help than crunches or yoga to maintain a tighter tummy then maybe I'll be back for that too.

Just remember that results in each patient or area could vary, so just be patient and go with your own pace, in case you're willing to try it. :)

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