TONED, taut and flashing a stomach women 15 years younger would envy, it’s hard to believe that just three months ago Amy Childs was considering going under the knife for a tummy tuck.
But instead of surgery, scarring and months of recovery, the mum-of-four, 35, chose a very different route – and the results left her stunned.
Over the summer, The Only Way is Essex star was feeling miserable and self-conscious after her pregnancies, coupled with recent stress-related weight loss, left her belly sagging, with skin “like an old woman’s”.
She was so paranoid about her midriff that she refused to strip off when filming for the ITV2 show in Villamoura, Portugal earlier this year.
“I’m one of the older ones on Towie now and when you are surrounded by 20-year-olds who haven’t had kids walking around in skimpy swimwear, it affects your confidence,” says Amy.
“In June, I would only wear swimsuits and I always wore a cover-up. There was no way I would flash my stomach.”
Amy was so miserable that she decided she was going to have a tummy tuck – also known as an abdominoplasty – which removes excess loose skin and tightens the abdominal muscles.
With more than 70 per cent of women saying their stomach is the most difficult area to tone up after pregnancy, according to a survey by body contouring specialists Sculpsure, Amy is not alone.
Just last year there was a 7 per cent rise in women having tummy tucks, according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), with a total of 2,820 abdominoplasty procedures in the UK.
“I wanted to take action to feel better,” Amy explains.
“I had appointments with three different surgeons about having a tummy tuck and was seriously considering going under the knife. I felt that self-conscious.
“They were all suggesting different things. One told me I needed a full tummy tuck, another said I could have a mini one, then another told me I would need liposuction, too – but I’ve got no fat there.”
Amy, who is mum to Polly, eight, and Ritchie, seven, from previous relationships, as well as two-year-old twins Milly and Billy, who she shares with her fiancé, Billy Belbosq, has had two breast augmentations in the past.
This left her worried about the risks of going under anaesthetic again, not to mention the issue of recovery time while juggling work and four kids.
So she started to look at alternative, non-invasive options and discovered 3D ReFirm, a non-surgical treatment designed to target loose skin.
“I thought, ‘I’m 35, I’m still young and I’ve got four children’, so I started to panic about going under anaesthetic and not waking up,” says Amy.
“Then having to take time off work to recover. It felt like a lot. But I was so insecure about my stomach that I thought, ‘Let’s see what else I can do’.
“I had worked with [the clinic] 3D Aesthetics before, when I had 3D-lipo [a non-invasive procedure where fat cells are broken down] after giving birth to Polly and had amazing results. I was so desperate, I thought, ‘I will give it a go’.”
Amazing results
Amy opted for Powersculpt, a 30-minute treatment which uses electromagnetic technology to contract muscles and which the clinic claims is equivalent to a staggering 20,000 crunches.
It is recommended to take a course of eight Powersculpt treatments, with two per week. Amy’s treatments cost £1,000 – £125 per session – at Emma Coleman Skin in Beckenham, but prices vary by clinic.
Recommended pricing for a 3D REFIRM treatment course, which combines both 3D Powersculpt and 3D Dermaforce Treatments which Amy had, costs £130 per week for 9 weeks.
She combined this with Dermaforce, which uses microneedling – to encourage cell regrowth – and radiofrequency technology, which stimulates new collagen cells, at a cost of £1,200 in total.
Amy had 9 weeks of treatments and will have maintenance once every 3-6 months.
As these cells grow, they start to thicken the dermis – the middle supportive layer of skin – reducing its loose appearance, and minimising stretch marks and wrinkles.
“I was really not expecting much, as I had lost a lot of weight over the past year and had a lot of excess skin,” says Amy.
“But by the fourth treatment I was really noticing the difference.
It has made me feel so confident – I would wear a bikini now
“I had the Powersculpt treatment, which lasts 30 minutes, twice a week and then a microneedling treatment once every three weeks.
“Powersculpt is not painful at all. It feels like that sensation you have when you’ve done a big workout and are a bit tingly, but in a good way.
“Then the microneedling takes 40 minutes and is for sculpting the skin and really getting that definition.
“I’ve been doing it for 12 weeks now and I honestly can’t believe the results. I don’t need a tummy tuck anymore since having this done.”
Amy is so pleased, she says she’s ready to bare her body on TV again.
“It has made me feel so confident – I would wear a bikini now,” she says.
“We are going away in January to film for Towie and I’ve said I will definitely show my stomach.”
The star, who was part of the original cast when the show first launched in 2010, says she’s even happier about being part of the drama now she’s toned up her tum.
“It’s a great part of my life and it’s even better now I feel confident in my own skin,” she smiles. “Even the dresses I’ve worn today, I couldn’t have worn before having this done. I’m really happy with it.”
Her new, tighter tum has also made her feel more confident stripping off in front of her fiancé.
“Before, I didn’t like Bill seeing it,” she admits. “I wouldn’t let anyone see my belly because it looked like an old lady’s.
“But after the treatment, he said how amazing the results were.”
Strong and toned
This year, Amy’s weight plummeted by 2st due to the stress of her mum, Julie, suffering a heart attack in April, which led to her postponing her wedding.
Then, in November her brother, Billy, was rushed to hospital after he was involved in a major car crash.
Concerned, Amy hired a nutritionist and is now working hard to get her weight back to a healthier level.
“I’ve probably put on about half a stone,” says the star, who recently revealed she is training three times a week, doing both Padel and Pilates.
“I do know I lost too much weight. I’m getting there. I’m eating the right foods now. I follow a nutrition plan with loads of protein and I do eat loads.
“It was the stress with mum. I’ll be really honest about it, it was all just too much for me. Then I said, ‘I can’t get married’, because obviously there was the pressure of the wedding and ITV wanted to film the show.
“I just had loads going on and there were times I forgot to eat. Now I want to get really strong and toned.”
Addressing online accusations that she was taking skinny jabs to speed up her weight loss, Amy shakes her head and says: “No. They wouldn’t give it to me.”
As for her wedding, Amy says she’s now in the right mindset to start planning again.
“I think we should get married next year, because if we don’t get married next year or the year after, we’re never going to get married,” she says.
“But once I set the date, I’m going to want to tone up my arms and legs in the gym. Every bride wants to look their best on their big day.
“And now at least I’ve got my tum sorted for my honeymoon.”
