"IT WORKS!" Body Wraps Review

Above is my YouTube review of 1 "IT WORKS!" body wrap. It cost $35 for only 1 here in Melbourne and I bought it from my gym. It came with instructions, all of which I followed. Instructions included showering first to "open the pores" and remove any comsetic products, drinking plenty of water (I drank 3 litres)and suggested using cling wrap or shape wear over it to enhance effectiveness & keep it in place.

I saw no results with this product. I wasn't expecting any, but it would have been awesome if anything happened! I did not use this product for stretch marks or excess skin, I was testing it for inch loss. Before/after photos and some online information about the product DOES tout inch loss as an effect of the wraps, but many distributors deny this and say it's purely for improving skin tone slightly (wouldn't moisturiser do that?). People on YouTube say 1 wrap is a sample and 4 is a "full treatment", however nowhere on the packaging of mine did it say that.

The only effect I saw was a rash, but I am prone to skin rashes (eczema, hives, heat rash) and I left it on longer than the recommended 45 minutes for a first time. However IT WORKS distributors told me you can leave it on overnight. It smelled like eucalyptus or menthol and essential oils can cause rashes for me. The rash lasted for 4 days.

My video became really controversial. People were claiming that I did it incorrectly, that before/after photos would be more reliable than taking measurements, that I shouldn't have used cling wrap, that I obviously didn't drink enough water... and my favourite: that I had a negative attitude which affected the outcome. Is it like meditation or prayer, that you have to really focus and believe? Come on, now.

Some people were even claiming that they knew me personally and that they know I didn't drink any water and that I ate hamburgers that day. It was hilarious, but also showed me how scary this "IT WORKS" pyramid-type scheme and its followers can be. I would never buy one of these again and I also wouldn't be willing to use them for free because I am currently losing weight and wouldn't want any diet/exercise results to be attributed to the wraps.

In terms of inch loss, I believe the wraps can be motivational for people and that they don't realise that they are changing some of their bad habits. I mean, investing $35-$99 into 1-4 items that are meant to to boost your weight loss (& improve skin tone) will motivate most people to make some kind of additional change. I study Naturopathy/Nutrition, and even just visiting a Naturopath/Nutritionist can motivate you to make some changes simply because it's costing a lot of money and you don't want it to be wasted.

I am not claiming that they don't have any good effects for anyone, because some people seem to really like them - however there is no decent scientific research supporting them whatsoever and I don't trust any health products or supplements that are not backed by research and that come from multi-level marketing schemes or pyramid schemes. I must also say that I know some people in my personal life who began selling them and it was the same pattern with all 3 of these people. They'd get on Facebook and say they discovered this amazing new product that has made them lose inches in a week or 2. They then stated they were selling them for a discounted price, because they truly believe in this product and why not make a bit of business out of something that can really help people? A month or 2 later... nothing. No talk of the wraps, not selling them anymore and not personally using them.

As a 4th year health science student, I would certainly not recommend this product! Invest that money into a piece of equipment that makes it easier for you to exercise, or into some good quality food, or even a gym membership if you like going to the gym. Even if this product does have some results after months and months of expensive use, wouldn't it be better to just exercise and eat a bit better to get those results?

Does Ultrasound Fat Cavitation Work?

My personal experience with 6 sessions of ultrasonic fat cavitation, called "the non invasive liposuction".



It didn't do anything for me, personally. I had the sessions and exercised afterwards, drank lots of water and didn't overeat or eat junk. I'd say it has potential for noticeable results if you have a SMALL amount of fat in the area, but not a large amount like I have on my abdomen. Also I wonder about the safety of a prolonged ultrasound in that area (over the ovaries as well). They say the frequency only targets fat cells but I never fully trust these things. I might try it again in the future when I only have a smaller amount of fat left that exercise won't target.