MH trials: Ultrasound fat loss

No sweat, no surgery and not one calorie cut. MH trials the laziest ab-finder on the market

Lab rat profile

Name: Kerry McCarthy, 35
Job: Runner’s World Senior Editor, skinny-fat guy
Challenge: Lose 4in from my waist in four weeks with zero exercise
Claim: Ultra-sound energy triggers huge fat loss in six sessions

Does it stack up? Instant fat reduction is a big claim

“Lose weight with zero effort” sounds like a 2am infomercial. When I agreed to go under the wand at Med Contour,
 I honestly thought there was no chance in hell it would work. But it delivered. I went from 38in to 34in around
 my navel, which is nearly three jean sizes.

‘Fat-melting’ procedures are notroriously painful...


I was seriously nervous. I’ve heard horror stories about previous incarnations of this kind of treatment: that it’s very painful, and that some people are so podgy, the ‘zaps’ can’t penetrate their flab deep enough. Both were unfounded. It didn’t hurt and (even for my some what out-of-shape self) it proved very effective. In the first 1.5-hour session, my torso measurement dropped by an inch. That’s a lot faster than weeks on the treadmill.

What do they actually do?

It’s billed as “non-invasive surgery” and is compared to liposuction. Basically, the procedure works using an ultrasound wand to carry out a localised treatment called “cavitation”.

So it’s liposuction without 
a scalpel or anaesthetic?

Low frequency waves are
 beamed into the skin, where they warm the fat cells,
 causing them to break down. 
After the ultrasound, the 
practitioners (they don’t even
 need a degree) massage the 
fat out of the problem area.
 It then drains into the lymphatic system, where it’s fed through to the liver and 
flushed out in sweat and 
urine. Pretty simple, right?

How much did you lose?

My body fat dropped by 5% in four weeks, which is like losing the weight of a small dog from my gut.

What’s the catch?

The price: six sessions will set you back £894. It’s aimed at business folk who don’t have time for the gym. I hate to admit that cheating does work, but these hips don’t lie.