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How do you slim your waistline and banish the dreaded cellulite? Simply put on a giant pair of inflatable trousers and lie down. At least if you\u2019re a Hollywood A-lister who doesn\u2019t mind looking like the Michelin Man, that is.<\/p>\n
So-called pressotherapy is the latest wellness trend taking Tinseltown by storm, as evidenced by Friends star Jennifer Aniston who shared a shot of herself undergoing treatment with her 42 million Instagram followers earlier this week.<\/p>\n
And while the actress, 54, may have looked a little odd, to say the least, she is clearly doing something right with her \u00adenviable lean figure and toned legs.<\/p>\n
The treatment involves wearing enormous hi-tech compression trousers that are said to provide a lymphatic drainage massage to eliminate toxins and reduce water retention. Its benefits are said to include improved circulation, firmer skin, better digestion and a stronger immune system.<\/p>\n
Plus it promises to help banish the dreaded cellulite. Lady Gaga, Cheryl Cole, Denise van Outen and Zoe Ball are other big names who\u2019ve snuggled up inside the \u00a38,500 trousers in the name of health and beauty.<\/p>\n
READ MORE <\/strong> Jennifer Aniston says cast should’ve ‘thought through offensive Friends jokes’<\/strong><\/p>\n But does pressotherapy really work? I\u2019ve arrived for a 60 minutes, \u00a3150 session at the newly-opened Zen Hampstead Pharmacy and Clinic in North London. Inside a dazzling white and bright centre is an array of revolutionary treatments.<\/p>\n Each one, from vitamin-infused IV drips to whole-body cryotherapy, purports to transform your health \u2013 inside and out.<\/p>\n Pressotherapy isn\u2019t the newest kid on the block. But that, I\u2019m told, gives it more credibility. It originated in Israel in the 1950s as a medical-grade therapy for treating people with lymphoedema. The chronic condition is caused by swelling in the tissues and can arise from genetics or cancer in the lymph nodes, small lumps of tissue that contain white blood cells and fight infection.<\/p>\n Manufacturers moved pressotherapy, also known as compression therapy, into the aesthetic market around 12 years ago, says wellness coach Gemma Wilkins, who specialises in nutrition and lymphatic health.<\/p>\n She\u2019s travelled the world with the kit, officially called the Body Ballancer (yes, with two Ls) treating people aged from 15 to 89.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never not had a client see a result and I\u2019ve treated thousands from all walks of life with all genetic predispositions,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s an amazing treatment, it should be in your top three.\u201d<\/p>\n In a small room upstairs, I find the trousers on a single bed hooked up to the Body Ballancer machine. Gemma explains how by massaging my legs, hips and stomach, the suit will stimulate the lymphatic system, which protects the body from infection and disease.<\/p>\n \u201cYour lymphatic system is like your rubbish disposal unit because it picks up any waste, bacteria and toxins in the body,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s constantly mopping up anything that might be sitting in the tissues or cells.\u201d<\/p>\n Lymph is a colourless fluid that travels through lymph vessels and is drained back into the bloodstream through lymph nodes. While the heart pumps blood around the body in the circulatory system, the lymphatic system relies on movement, and is slowed by poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle.<\/p>\n \u201cMost of us aren\u2019t moving as much as we used to and we\u2019re not promoting lymphatic drainage,\u201d Gemma says. \u201cCellulite is one of the key signs that there\u2019s a build-up of toxins in the body. Within a couple of sessions, \u00adpeople often say how energised they feel, how light their legs feel and how their \u00adsleeping has improved.\u201d<\/p>\n And, after a particularly boozy weekend, I can\u2019t wait to get started. I\u2019m trying a typical treatment of three cycles lasting 45 minutes.<\/p>\n We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n Don’t miss… <\/strong> Each one applies tailor-made different levels of pressure within the trousers, which have 24 overlapping air chambers that inflate in wave-like muscle contractions upwards from the toes.<\/p>\n The programme promises to recondition my skin and reduce my bloating.First, I apply a gloopy jade-coloured cream to help rid me of my cellulite before I nestle into my inflatable cocoon, ready for my beauty metamorphosis.<\/p>\n The whirr of the machine signals we\u2019re underway and seconds later I can feel my toes being invisibly kneaded. The pressure relents before my feet, calves, thighs, hips and stomach are each gripped in turn. It\u2019s a pleasant sensation, like the start of a blood pressure monitor squeezing your arms before the pressure intensifies.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s a strange feeling as I peer downwards to watch the garment rise and fall of its own accord, accompanied by crinkling sounds. The next cycle is far stronger, with undulating waves of pressure designed to shift water retention.<\/p>\n It\u2019s akin to a sports massage, so it\u2019s no wonder elite athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo and Anthony Joshua have become devotees. At this point, the massage becomes more intense as the suit fully inflates up to my chest.<\/p>\n I feel my stomach and hips suck in tightly as if a boa constrictor has wrapped itself around me. It\u2019s intense, although not painful, but I am relieved when the pressure drops and the cycle repeats. After my 45 minutes are up, I feel relaxed and just a little light-headed.<\/p>\n My stomach hasn\u2019t flattened but I\u2019m told you won\u2019t see miraculous results after one treatment. Gemma advises doing three weekly sessions for up to a month for \u201cphenomenal results\u201d.<\/p>\n Would I do it again? Realistically, I don\u2019t have Jen\u2019s budget to do so. But if I could rival her pins, I\u2019d be sorely tempted.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/79\/590x\/secondary\/4958704.jpg?r=1694642583572\")
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