Makeup Guru

‘No pain, no gain’ is how the old saying goes particularly when it comes to the relentless pursuit of a slimmer, toned self. Whether it is a body boot camp featuring muscle-defying exercises or a sweat pouring, jaw-clenching hot yoga class, you get out what you put in.

As enticing as get rich quick schemes, promises of losing weight without having to diet or exercise will always catch people’s attention…and drain their wallets.  After all, who hasn’t wished for an easier route to a svelte self?

A friend was recently approached by SpaMedica in Toronto to try Zerona®, a revolutionary product new to Canada promising to rid your body of those last few pounds (that are always the hardest to get rid of) without having to do much in terms of exercise or changing your diet drastically.  Needless to say, she was skeptical, not only as a beauty editor who receives tons of press releases for products like these, but as a consumer who has heard it all before.  But somehow this time I felt the need to bite and find out more.

What is Zerona?
Zerona® is a painless non-surgical treatment that promises to rid your entire body of fat and inches (as much as a dress size) with little effort and no discomfort.  To do this, Zerona uses a low-level (or cold) laser beam, that when passed over targeted areas of the body, penetrates fat cells literally causing them to form a temporary pore that opens and releases their fatty contents into the body’s interstitial spaces. From there the body’s normal elimination processes (including lymph and digestive systems) excrete the fat from the body.  As a result, millions of fat cells shrink resulting in inches lost.  Unlike surgical liposuction the fat cells themselves are not removed or damaged – merely deflated. 

While the science behind it seemed reasonable enough we jumped at the chance to deliver the real skinny on Zerona by sending in a very enthusiastic guinea pig. In the trusted hands of Dr. Stephen Mulholland and the SpaMedica staff in Toronto, our correspondent embarked on an adventure promising to help shed 3 to 9 inches from her waist, hips, and thighs.

Four weeks later, four pounds lighter and 4.5 inches smaller, here’s a recount of the Zerona treatment experience.

Week 1: The Prep
Like with any weight loss program, it’s important to remember the basics: moderate exercise (i.e. a daily brisk walk), drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol and fatty foods.  All were highly recommended by the SpaMedica staff in order to guarantee the program’s success.  I’m already active so I didn’t have to make any changes to my physical exercise routine. In addition to drinking plenty of water (at least 10 glasses a day) I was given an oral dietary supplement, whose primary ingredient is niacin (which assists in the functioning of the digestive system, skin, and nerves). This marked the program’s first week in preparation for the actual laser treatments. Make sure to clear your schedule when starting the Zerona program as you’ll need to commit to six treatments, one every other day for forty minutes. It’s important to not exceed 72 hours between treatments. If more than 72 hours pass, some of the fat may be taken in by the fat cells again.

To start the treatment, the SpaMedica technician measures your body like an expert seamstress, marking the “largest” parts of your neck, arms, waist, hips and buttocks.  These markings become reference points ensuring the same areas are measured each time. All this takes place in the comfort of your bra and a pair of paper panties.

Each Zerona session lasts 40 minutes -- 20 minutes on your back and 20 on your stomach. Laser beams are positioned across your body and the machine is activated. Apart from the lights there is little else to indicate anything is happening – there is no heat, sensation or discomfort of any kind. The only thing you feel is a sort of indescribable energy floating through the targeted areas. You literally lie down, relax, and let the laser do all the work.

Your measurements are taken every other session so you can see results as soon as two appointments in. It’s wonderfully motivating and makes you want to adopt healthy habits since you see the program’s effects right away. Now if only I had avoided those few vodka sodas, I may have lost that extra half inch for a total of five.

After the treatment
She lost four pounds and 4.5 inches overall – from my arms (a definite problem area) and my hips and tummy area. Weeks later the inches are still off and when your best friend says “wow, you look skinnier than I’ve ever remembered” I’d say the treatment was a success.