When competitive bodybuilder Christianne decided to take her passion for fitness to the next level, she didn’t expect the toll that rapid fat loss would take on her face. “I didn’t look cute,” he laughs. “My body looked amazing, but the face wasn’t really optimal.”
After months of strict dieting and training, she began to notice hollows, dryness and sagging that makeup couldn’t cover up. “By going on stage, you’re not just showing your body, you’re showing everything, including your face and skin,” she says. To restore the glow she had lost, she turned to Miami dermatologist Dr. Jill S. Waibel, known for her laser expertise, and their treatment of choice was the ULTRApulse Alpha CO₂ laser.
“I had an ‘Uzbek face’ without the Uzbek”
Christianne explains that her experience mirrored what is now called “Ozep face”—but hers came from intense training, not from taking a GLP-1 drug. “I had Ozempic face without Ozempic,” he says. “You can sculpt your body, but you can’t control what happens to your face.”
With the guidance of Dr. Waibel, skipped the fillers and opted for a regenerative laser approach. “I put my hands on Dr. Waibel, my dermatologist, because I really trust her,” she said. “Together, we decided that putting too much filler in the face and botox wasn’t going to get us there. He actually recommended laser and it really helped.”
Stage-Ready in Just Days
Time was crucial. Christianne’s competition was only days away, but the treatment fit.
Christianne was surprised at how little downtime there was. “By the time we got to my pageant, I was able to do the laser treatment days before and I still looked really good,” she says. “Of course, you have a full face of makeup, so even if there was a little redness, it wasn’t a problem.”
She describes the results as transformative: “It’s like having baby skin again. Lively, plump, supple and much smoother.”
How the laser works
According to Dr. Waibel, the ULTRApulse Alpha CO₂ laser is unlike any other resurfacing device on the market. “It helps wrinkles disappear, it’s like a magic eraser,” she says.
He explains the science behind the result: “It’s the most powerful laser other than erbium resurfacing. It helps with skin texture and quality. It vaporizes your tissue and is the first regeneration. It actually regenerates your skin and makes the wound heal in a way that restores your skin to younger, healthier skin.”
Because it is ideal after weight loss
Dr. Waibel says the treatment is especially valuable for patients who experience volume or collagen loss after dramatic body changes. “This is the treatment of choice,” he declares. “We use it a ton after losing weight or using GLP-1 because you often have this looseness and relaxation and it literally tightens the skin as you do it.”
He also points out that improvements continue over time. “It’s like exercise,” he says. “You only need to do it two or three times a year to really prevent aging. You’ll have your ultimate improvement months later.”
Confidence on stage and beyond
The results went far beyond the surface of the skin. Christianne says the therapy boosted her confidence just when she needed it most. A few weeks later, her hard work and skin paid off. “I won for my age group and my division,” he says. “The first contest I ever did as a beginner, I won. That qualified me for nationals and earned my professional card.”
Today, Christianne continues her maintenance laser sessions a few times a year. “It’s a long-term plan,” he says. “The food, the lifestyle, the lasers, they all work together to keep us great.”
