Less than a month away from her 60th birthday, former Real Housewives of New York star Dorinda Medley is showing off her new investment. And no, it’s not a new handbag. It’s an investment in herself. The TV personality decided to undergo a laser liposuction procedure called TriSculpt via Sono Bello, a body-contouring company. We spoke to Medley before and after the procedure to hear firsthand about her experience and her results. She also shared her beautiful before-and-after images, which you’ll see below.
What particular concerns led you to seek out liposuction?
“I consider myself a very health-conscious person, and diet and exercise are a huge part of my lifestyle. Saying that, after a certain age, the body changes. I found that no matter how diligently I ate right and exercised, I could not get rid of certain trouble areas. I noticed a little more stubborn fat around my outer thighs, my lower stomach and my hip area. A friend of mine had just had just done TriSculpt and loved the results, so I decided to book an appointment and find out for myself.”
How was your consultation? Were you nervous?
“I went into my consultation very open-minded and a bit hesitant, but after the meeting [with New York plastic surgeon Gary S. Berger, MD], I was truly like, ‘sign me up.’ The consultation was so helpful and informative. The combination of liposuction to remove the stubborn areas of fat and the laser technology, which tightens the skin, made this a perfect option. You can do it on your chin, neck, arms, thighs and stomach. I also liked the fact that the procedure uses local anesthesia and the downtime is minimal, which it truly was!”
How important was it for you to have a board-certified plastic surgeon perform your procedure?
“It was so important that they use board-certified surgeons. Listen, I’ve never had anything like this done, and like it or not, it’s invasive and can be scary. To have an experienced, well-informed, board-certified doctor sit with you and walk you through every part of the procedure, including the before prep and downtime, was crucial for me. I felt like I had a say in what was going to be done. And, the confidence of knowing Dr. Berger is so knowledgeable helped me have an incredible experience. He answered all of my questions and concerns, and walked me through each area of my body and how it would be done. I felt very relaxed and excited the day of my procedure.”
Walk us through procedure day. Was it painful?
“I woke up so ready to go. It was exciting to finally get on this journey and reclaim the body I work so hard to keep healthy and fit. I ate a light breakfast, arrived at the facility in Westchester and was greeted by the Sono Bello staff. I was assigned a nurse that, once again, walked me through the steps. The doctor came in and marked the trouble areas we had discussed. He told me where the small incisions were going to be made. After I approved his ‘artwork’ on my body, I was ready to start. The procedure took about 90 minutes. Then, after a few hours of resting, I was ready to get up and walk to the car. I had a friend accompany me back home and spend the night.
They have you in a support garment and the areas of the small incisions are covered with a bandage. Overall, I felt good. I got home, sat up and had dinner, and then I had a sound night’s sleep. Honestly, I did not need any major pain medication, which they provide just in case. I only used Tylenol.”
What was the recovery like?
“My recovery was very minimal. I woke up the first day of recovery feeling a bit sore. I made sure to check the bandages for any fluid loss from the small incisions. Then I ate breakfast, took a small walk and had a quiet day. For me, it felt like you feel after a major workout session. I did have bruises on my thigh, hip and stomach areas. I took arnica orally leading up to and after the operation, which I believe really helped in minimizing bruising and expediting my healing. And, I also made sure to keep moving so that I could remove any extra fluids from my body and minimize swelling.”
What results have you seen?
“They took out about 3 pounds of fat overall, but the change in my body shape is very noticeable. Honestly, I want to go back already! I saw results within a week, and it only got better and better as time went on. The saddle bags from my thighs are gone, my hips feel more contoured and my stubborn lower belly fat is gone! My results have really boosted my confidence. I was just thinking the other day how I feel excited to put on my workout clothes and feel so much more confident in my bathing suit. Why did I wait so long to do this?!”
What surprised you most about the whole experience?
“I swear I am not just saying this: The whole experience from beginning to end was so pleasant, and quite frankly, easy. I don’t feel like I had to stop my life to have this done. The staff was great, I was well-informed and I felt cared for and looked after before, during and after the procedure. And, I saw the results pretty fast. The recovery for me was minimal and I feel like the contouring has inspired me to keep staying healthy and fit.”
Do you have any advice for anyone else considering a body-contouring procedure?
“Like everything I do in my life, be well-informed! Book a consultation, ask all the questions you have and express your concerns. If you’re looking into doing something for yourself, make sure the professionals around you are willing to answer all the questions. You should never do anything when it comes to your body without feeling fully informed and fully confident. If you don’t, don’t do it! The fact that Sono Bello uses board-certified doctors and the staff and nurse were there to answer and quite frankly re-answer all of my concerns, made me very comfortable and excited to get this procedure done. Get a consultation. Think about doing something nice for yourself. We deserve it!”
