The Art of Body Sculpting

Detoxifying and remodeling massage treatments, popular in parts of Europe for nearly a century, are spreading across the U.S., flattening bloated bellies and slimming limbs

Puffy, sluggish, and fresh off a recent flight from New York to Paris, I entered the studio of Martine de Richeville, a French heard that her treatments, which are sought after by models, Hollywood insiders, and well-heeled Parisians, were transformative. What I learned, however, is they're not relaxing. As de Richeville kneaded my stomach, legs, arms, and back, encouraging fluid movement and, in her words, "reorganizing fat cells to contour the body," I winced and stifled a yelp more than once.

"Done!" she announced after an hour, pointing at my now-flat belly and leaner legs. As I sat up, I noted that I also felt lighter and more energetic.