This Noninvasive Treatment Reduces Fat and Builds Muscle—No Exercise Needed

It’s easy for many of us to dedicate ourselves to regular in-office treatments that keep our skin looking flawless (hello, injectable wrinkle-reducers). And while we love seasonal laser treatments and yearly filler appointments, we should probably focus our beauty efforts on more than just our face. After all, there are quite a few in-office treatments available for the body that boast incredible results.

A new option that just reached the market has seriously caught our eye recently. truBody by Cutera, a customizable body sculpting treatment to help reduce fat and build muscle, has us scrambling to make an appointment—and for good reason.

If you’re interested in a treatment to help you sculpt your body too, truBody might be a great choice for you. And in an effort to help you decide if you should incorporate this into your regularly scheduled in-office beauty routine, we tapped New York plastic surgeon Gerald Imber, MD for a full rundown on the treatment.

First, how does truBody work?

The truBody treatment pairs two unique noninvasive therapies, truSculpt iD, a 15-minute treatment, and truSculpt flex, a 15-to 45-minute treatment, to treat areas like the abdomen, obliques, buttocks and thighs. “truSculpt iD delivers radio frequency heat to the subcutaneous fat layer,” explains Dr. Imber. “The entire treatment is 15 minutes and during this time, handpieces are placed on special adhesives on top of the skin.” Once the treatment begins, the handpiece delivers radio frequency energy that heats pockets of excess fat to destroy fat cells, which are later expelled from the body through the lymphatic system.

Once truSculpt iD is completed, your provider will move on to truSculpt flex. “This technology uses Multi-Directional Stimulation (MDS) to encourage electrical muscle contractions in the area being treated,” explains Dr. Imber. “Once set up, we choose which treatment mode, or fitness routine, is best for the patient: prep, tone or sculpt. Each mode simulates different workouts duplicating intensified twisting, squat and crunch actions.” During the treatment, the patient experiences variations of movements to encourage muscle confusion, similar to working out with a trainer, to help build muscle tone.

Who is a good candidate for this treatment?

According to Dr. Imber, virtually anyone is a good candidate for this treatment, with only a few exceptions. “Safety is a priority and everyone must have a consultation first to make sure this treatment combination is right for you,” adds Dr. Imber.

Is there any downtime or side effects associated with truBody?

You can immediately return to normal activities after treatment with truBody, except for working out the day of your treatment. “The area may be warm and flushed for one hour, and you may notice slight tingling for up to a few hours,” says Dr. Imber. “You may experience some soreness but everything should resolve in 48 hours.”

What kind of results can you expect from this treatment?

Results vary for every patient and their individual goals. Dr. Imber confirms that some patients see phenomenal results with just four appointments, while some require additional treatments.

After treatment, it takes about three to four months for your body to eliminate the damaged fat cells and for muscle mass to improve. Studies have also determined that truBody typically creates an average of 24-percent reduction in fat1,2 and up to a 30-percent increase in muscle mass3.

“Every person that comes through my office is different and each has different needs,” adds Dr. Imber. “The beauty of these treatments is that they can be personalized for each individual.”

The bottom line:

If you’re looking to sculpt your body without having to up your workout routine, truBody is likely a great option for you. “Our patients are happy with the treatment and are usually so pleased with the results,” says Dr. Imber. “Since I started doing it myself, I haven’t done a single crunch and my abs are better than ever.”

As always, consult with your provider before undergoing any treatment in order to see if it’s right for your concerns and aesthetic goals. 

1 Taub A, Bartholomeusz J. Ultrasound Evaluation of a Single Treatment With a Temperature Controlled Multi-Frequency Monopolar Radio Frequency Device for the Improvement of Localized Adiposity on the Abdomen and Flanks. J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19(1):28-34

2 Somenek MT, Ronan SJ, Pittman TA. A Multi-Site, Single-Blinded, Prospective Pilot Clinical Trial for Non-Invasive Fat Reduction of the Abdomen and Flanks Using a Monopolar 2 MHz Radiofrequency Device. Lasers Surg Med. 2021 Mar;53(3):337-343

3 Stephen J. Ronan M.D. A Novel Bio-Electric Current Stimulation Device For Improvement Of Muscle Tone 7/2019.

It's Personal

At NewBeauty, we get the most trusted information from the beauty authority delivered right to your inbox

hbspt.forms.create({ portalId: "8806970", formId: "a8aef9b2-6178-4dad-9e2a-98b7661febc2" }); Find a Doctor

Find a NewBeauty "Top Beauty Doctor" Near you

Select a state State AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC FL GA HI IA IL IN KY LA MA MD MI MN MO NC NE NJ NV NY OH OR PA SC TN TX VA WA WI Select a state Specialty Cosmetic Dentist Dermatologist Facial Plastic Surgeon Hair Restoration Specialist Oculoplastic Surgeon Periodontist Plastic Surgeon Prosthodontist Vein Specialist Select a state Treatment Abdominal thread lifts Accent your Body Acne Treatments Alexandrite Laser Arm Lift Asclera Bellafill Belotero Blue Light Body Body Lift Botox Botox Browlift Brachioplasty Brazilian Butt Lift Breast Augmentation Breast Augmentation with Fat Grafting Breast Implants Breast Implants with Saline Breast Implants with Silicone Breast Lift Breast Lift with Implants Breast Reconstruction Breast Reduction Browlift Butt Enhancement Carboxytherapy Cellulite Treatment Cheek Augmentation Cheek Augmentation with Fat Grafting Cheek Implants Cheek Lift Chemical Peels Chin Augmentation CO2 lasers Cool Lipo CoolSculpting CoolTone Crowns Dental Bonding Dental Implants Dimpleplasty Diode Laser Dysport embrace Active Scar Defense Emsculpt Endermologie Endoscopic Browlift Endoscopic Facelift Endoscopic Tummy Tuck Erbium Lasers Exilis Ultra 360 Eyelift Eyelift with Fat Grafting Face Facelift Facelift with Fat Grafting FaceTite Fat Melters and Fat Reducers Forma Fractional CO2 lasers Fractional Resurfacing Lasers Fractora Glycolic Peels Glytone Enhanced Brightening Cream Gum Dermabrasion Gum Lift Hair Hair Removal Hair Transplant Hair-Loss Treatment Injectables & Fillers for Cheek Augmentation Injectables & Fillers for Eyelift Injectables & Fillers for Lip Enhancement Injectables And Fillers Injectables and Fillers with Fat Grafting Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Invisalign Isolaz Juvéderm Juvéderm Volbella Juvéderm Voluma Kybella Lactic Acid Peels Laser Liposuction Lasers Lateral Tension Tummy Tuck Limited Incision Facelift Lip Enhancement Lip Enhancement with Fat Grafting Lip Implant Lip Lift Liposculpture Liposuction Liquid Facelift Long Pulsed N: Yag laser Lower Blepharoplasty Lower Body Lift Lower eyelid surgery Lower Facelift MACS Lift Mandelic Peels Microdermabrasion Microinjection Microneedling Microwave Laser Treatment Mini Tummy Tuck Mini-Facelift Mommy Makeover Nd: Yag Neck Liposuction Necklift Nonsurgical Facelift Nonsurgical Rhinoplasty Obagi Blue Peel Otoplasty Perlane Phenol Peels Photobiomodulation Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) Photofacial PiQo4 Plasma Resurfacing Lasers Power Assisted Liposuction Prevelle Pulsed Dye Radiesse Radio Frequency with Microneedling Radio Frequency-Assisted Lipolysis Red Light Restylane Restylane Defyne Restylane Lyft Restylane Refyne Restylane Silk Revision Rhinoplasty Rhinoplasty Salicylic Peels SculpSure Sculptra Aesthetic Selphyl Silhouette Instalift Skin Skin Tighteners Skin Treatments Slim Lipo Smart Lipo SMAS facelift Smile Smile Makeover Smoothshapes Straightening Stretch Mark Treatments TCA Chemical Peels Teeth Whitening Thermage ThermiTight Thigh Lift Titan Tooth Contouring Traditional Facelift Tumescent Liposuction Tummy Tuck Ulthera Ultherapy Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction Umbilicoplasty Upper Blepharoplasty Upper eyelid surgery Vanquish ME VASER Lipo Vein Treatments Velashape Velasmooth Veneers Xeomin Search