New York City has one of the highest ratios of plastic surgeons per capita — but New Yorkers are still flying across the country for a buzzy new antiaging treatment.
Lauren Goodman, a registered nurse and founder of Juliana Clinics in Beverly Hills, says she’s had people traveling from around the US to be “shrink wrapped” by a new laser that melts fat and tightens skin in just an hour.
It’s a cheaper, nonsurgical fix for anyone trying to defy the aging process, but it’s proven especially popular for battling the dreaded “Ozempic face.”
As we get older, we naturally lose collagen and elastin — which makes our skin thinner and looser, contributing to wrinkles, sagging and jowls.
The same thing can happen with weight loss, especially when the pounds drop quickly. With the rise of GLP-1s, this skin droopiness — dubbed “Ozempic face” — has inspired a growing industry of tools to combat it, from plastic surgery to skin care to supplements.
But many people prefer not to go under the knife for liposuction or a face-lift — and an increasing number of in-the-know aesthetics fans are turning to a new device called the iLaser, which practitioners say “shrink wraps” the skin without the surgical aspect.
How does shrink wrapping work?
“There are five parts to your face: bone, muscle, skin, fat, fascia. Your fascia is what holds everything together,” Goodman said, describing fascia as the “Spanx of the face.”
“So when we talk about shrink wrapping, we are talking about taking those fibers and the connective tissue and the layers of the face and [giving] you, basically, a new pair of shapewear — that’s what this laser does,” she noted.
The device uses light to cause precise heat trauma to the skin — and the healing process leaves patients looking better.
It also hits fat, meaning it doesn’t just suck everything in but can also get rid of some of the extra problem jiggle and bulge that’s hanging on in specific areas.
Patients only need a single session, as opposed to some other treatments that need to be repeated every few months. One large area, like the size of your stomach, takes about an hour.
Who’s being shrink wrapped — and who should consider it?
According to Goodman, who says her clinic was only the third in Beverly Hills to get the new tech, the average patient is 40-something — and while they see real signs of aging, they’re not ready for a full nip/tuck.
“This machine is for that person who is past the preventative point,” she said.
It’s a good fit for those who don’t want to deal with the downtime associated with surgery or are too nervous to go under the knife.
“Now with GLP-1s and weight loss, we’re noticing a lot of younger patients,” she added, like in their 20s and 30s.
Demand is especially high right now because of those drugs, she said — and we’re also in the middle of “laser season,” a period from November to early May when there’s less sun exposure and it’s easier to cover up scars, redness and other reactions.
How soon do you see results?
Goodman says people see a difference within the first week — after the compression wrap comes off — with peak results at about six months.
“You’re pretty much seeing like, 80 to 90% results at month three, and then month six is your 100% plateau mark,” she said.
How much does it cost?
Prices vary, but at Juliana Clinics, a large area — about the size of a hand, like jowls and a double chin — costs $3,000.
That may seem like a hefty price tag, but liposuction for the same areas costs around $12,000. A face-lift? Try up to $200,000.
In 2023, The Post reported people were paying thousands for procedures to fight Ozempic face, from hyaluronic fillers to Morpheus8.
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