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Gain With No Pain?
by Roberta Greenwood

“High-tech body enhancements” may sound a little intimidating, but according to many practitioners in the Pacific Northwest, the science behind them is sound and safe. Utilizing electronic muscle stimulation, lasers, sound waves, and even a therapeutic dry sauna “pod,” therapists are providing women of all ages and physical condition a way to increase strength, flexibility and muscle tone, while losing weight and inches.

“I just think we’re better human beings when we stand tall. These treatments help me feel good about who I am; it reminds me that I want to have a sexy, strong body.” That’s how Dariel Norris explains the effects of the body-enhancement treatments she’s been receiving at a Bellevue spa for the past 18 months. She’s just one woman who’s discovered that strong muscles, firm, taut abs and a feeling of well-being can be found in the newest technologies that are offered at many locations throughout the Seattle area.

Why “High Tech?”

Misha Anderson, owner of Spa Beyond in Bellevue, understands what her clients need. “Many of the women who come to see me have tried everything,” she explains. “Diets, supplements and even exercise may not have worked for them, or perhaps they’ve got a physical limitation that keeps them from exercising. We offer several processes that can enhance their personal programs and give them great results.” Her clients range from medically obese women wanting to lose the weight that threatens their overall health to bodybuilders prepping for a competition. “I even get Sports Illustrated models coming in before they head to California for a photo shoot,” she laughs.

Anderson bases her treatments on computerized muscle stimulation (CMS), also known as electronic muscle stimulation (EMS). The technology was introduced in Europe forty years ago by Norwegian Kurt Bai as a way to stimulate muscle groups for the purpose of rehabilitation. Used for decades in physical therapy, electronic stimulation causes the muscles to contract, increasing circulation and sending healing properties to the body.

Bailine Shoreline, which utilizes EMS and has been in business for three years, is located next to a fitness gym – with good reason, says owner Debbie Oltman. “I’m a National Fitness Personal Trainer and I’ve been a gym rat for many years,” she laughs. “Bailine, combined with a sound nutritional plan and cardio, offers my clients a way to increase their overall strength; they stimulate their muscles, which in turn firms and tones, resulting in lost inches.”

She cautions her clients against unrealistic expectations and reminds them that the treatment may not result in lost weight, but can provide a sleeker, stronger body. “It only makes sense,” she explains. “Athletes use this technology to increase the strength in their muscles all the time. Our clients can see the difference and they feel better about their bodies; it’s fairly reasonable and it works!”

How EMS Works

Most electronic muscle stimulation programs provide a 30- to 40-minute passive, non-aerobic workout to all major muscle groups. Delivered through small pads placed on the body, electric stimulation is applied to the muscles of the client as she relaxes in a quiet room. Some say that at first the electric pulses are mildly uncomfortable, but by the third or fourth session most women say the stimulation feels more like a comfortable massage. Results vary, but most clients report increased strength, tightening of muscles, and lost inches.

A 1995 report published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that EMS devices are “effective for muscle reeducation, relief of muscle spasm, increasing range of motion, disuse atrophy therapy, and increased local blood circulation,” but warns that no valid scientific data supports the use of EMS for body slimming, shaping or contouring. Oltman responds that many of her clients are referred by their physicians and that several have extreme muscle disorders, such as multiple sclerosis. Not only do her clients gain muscle strength, they firm and tighten their bodies – and feel better about themselves, she says. “For whatever reason, some women don’t feel comfortable at a gym,” Oltman says. “They want to use their time efficiently, they want to feel strong and lose inches. This program delivers that possibility.”

Suzie Brown, a Seattle businesswoman, explains that she didn’t know what to expect when she first considered EMS at Oltman’s spa. “I had six months to prepare for my daughter’s wedding,” she says. “I was out of shape and I wanted to gain energy for my gardening season. This just seemed sensible.” During her first year, Brown received three treatments a week and reports a loss of 22 pounds and 40 inches. “It was immediate,” she claims. “After my very first session, walking to my car, it felt like my stomach was holding itself in.”

Although careful not to make any medical claims, both Anderson and Oltman report that EMS has proved effective for clients desiring toning and shaping, as well as those suffering from fibromyalgia, chronic lower back pain and rotator cuff problems. “Older women, particularly, have soft abdominals which can lead to lower back pain,” Anderson explains. “EMS provides a full-body workout, improving circulation and lymphatic drainage. The result is healthy muscle tissue and stronger bodies.”

Both Bailine and EMS require ongoing treatment; Oltman suggests two to three visits per week in the initial phases. Treatments run in the range of $50 per session with results varying according to age, weight and physical condition. Most clients see dramatic improvement in six to ten sessions. “I immediately stood taller,” recounts Norris. “I lost a full dress size in less than two months and my friends wanted to know what I was doing to look so good.”

While the effects of EMS can be lasting, they do require several appointments over a long period of time. For those women who want or need immediate (although temporary) results – there is yet a high-tech way to achieve that smaller dress size by tonight.

High-Tech Body Wraps

Body wraps have been utilized for many years as a way to tone up for a special event; the client is coated with an herbal body treatment and then wrapped in muslin or plastic sheets for 45 minutes to an hour. New technologies, such as The Alpha Thermogenic Health Pod, offer a comforting, warm body wrap that promotes natural cleansing and size reduction – all while increasing heart rate and metabolism. The “pod” (a clam-like device in which the client reclines while receiving aromatherapy and listening to soothing tapes) offers a 45-minute high heat treatment. The client relaxes on a vibrating bed while dry sauna heat elevates the heart rate. Herbal lotions can be applied and the combination of heat, massage and elevated heart rate result in a “shrinking” of tissue.

Brown used the procedure before a recent trip to Hawaii and said that not only did she shed excess inches, her energy level increased. “My energy is greater than it has been in years. There’s just nothing negative to say; not when you see results.”

An additional benefit to the body wraps and high heat saunas can be smoother skin. Merrie, a Seattle technical editor, suffered from severe dermatitis and hoped to find a way to improve her skin texture and decrease the prickly-heat type breakouts that plagued her. “The wraps really improved my skin; the texture is better and my breakouts have really decreased.” Merrie credits the body wraps, a good nutrition program and ongoing Bailine sessions for her increased stamina and loss of 14 pounds and 20 inches.

Anderson reminds clients that with body wraps, the results are temporary, lasting three to four days; ideal results require multiple treatments the week before an important event. Costs vary by the length of treatment and number of sessions, but most begin at $20 per 15-minute treatment.

What About Cellulite?

For women wanting a more lasting toning effect, endermosonic therapy offers another alternative for achieving smooth, firm skin. Endermosonic therapy is a derivative of Endermologie, a mechanized massage system that was developed in France over 20 years ago to decrease cellulite. Introduced in the US as Synergie Systems, this “roller” type treatment claimed to smooth skin and increase elasticity through deep massaging of the muscles to increase circulation. In 1998, the FDA approved the system, allowing manufacturers to promote the procedure for “temporarily improving the appearance of cellulite.”

Endermosonic therapy uses sound waves to achieve body contouring. After herbal oil is applied to the skin, the client relaxes as a wand-like device which emits sound waves is moved over the body. Therapists assert that the procedure moves toxins rapidly through the lymphatic system, allowing them to be drained quickly from the body. The result is a decrease in the dimpling of the skin that cellulite causes. Many women find this treatment more comfortable than the sometimes-bruising Endermologie procedure and, as with all other high-tech treatments, a series of several sessions is necessary to see results. Typically, sessions range from $55 to $85, depending on the area of the body requiring treatment.

As with all emerging technology, body-enhancement technology is changing rapidly. Lisa Cox, owner of The Tone Zone for Women in Kirkland, is excited about laser dermology, a new system to treat cellulite, marketed in the US as Tri-Active Cynosure. As with endermosonic therapy, Tri-Active treats the rippling, “orange peel” look of cellulite that affects an estimated 80 percent of American women. Using three components – laser, massage and a cooling laser – Cox says results are incredibly quick, virtually pain-free, with results visible after a few sessions.

The laser heats up the tissue under the skin, breaking up the cellulite, and the massage helps the body to flush it out. A low-level laser then sends a burst of cool air to the skin to diminish swelling. “This new technology originated in Italy and was recently FDA-approved,” explains Cox.

The device uses a very low level of energy to prevent damage to the epidermis, and many clients report that the treatment is comfortable and soothing. Again, multiple sessions are suggested for best results, and each treatment can run as much as $125.

Cox reports that Tri-Active treatments are also proving useful in conjunction with patients who’ve had liposuction. “The Tri-Active system breaks up scar tissue and can actually improve results of liposuction,” Cox advises. It delivers a smoother look after the surgery and can even help with some minor discomfort during the healing period. Cox warns that the treatment works best on clients who are 20 to 30 pounds overweight and willing to commit to 15 to 16 sessions followed by maintenance sessions, twice a month.

While these “high-tech enhancements” appear to offer an easier way to achieve the body of your dreams, Anderson, Cox and Oltman all agree that sound nutrition and an ongoing cardio exercise plan are also necessary to promote optimal health. In fact, the more conditioned a client is, the faster she’ll see results with any of these treatments. “The leaner my clients are, the more pleased they are,” Cox says. For Dariel Norris, the improvements she’s achieved have enhanced her life in more ways than she ever expected. “I just completed a liturgical dance at my church – something I couldn’t have tried two or three years ago.”

Roberta Greenwood is a frequent contributor to Seattle Woman. She lives in Bellevue with her husband and youngest daughter.

©2006 Caliope Publishing Company