In a spacious suite at the Carlyle Hotel, I lie on a treatment table, my arm exposed and drenched in ultrasound gel. Celebrity aesthetician Pol, known for his clientele including Salma Hayek Pinault and Emma Stone, glides a frequency-emitting device across my bicep and tricep, pausing occasionally to adjust settings. Initially, we chat amiably, but as the treatment progresses, a sharp tingling sensation builds, spreading like persistent pins and needles. “This sandwich has a lot more spice to it,” Pol jokes.
Pol’s “stacked” technique utilizes monopolar, bipolar, and infrared radio frequencies to tighten the skin, promising a “Skims-like” result. This unorthodox facial, devoid of cleansing, extracting, or moisturizing, has gained renown for its effectiveness and exclusivity. The basic facial starts at $1,800, while the arm-focused “baguette” version, introduced in 2023, begins at $3,000.
Pol attributes the surge in demand for body treatments to the popularity of underwear as outerwear and the return of opera gloves, which draw attention to the upper arms. “I started to get a lot of requests for the sandwich treatment on the arms,” he says. He has also launched two “sandwiches”—skin-care products in his own terminology—priced around $160.
While I’ve previously dozed off during facials, waking up with newly sculpted cheekbones, this 80-minute session is far from relaxing. “This is the same combination of radio frequencies that I use on the face,” Pol explains. “But the arms are a much larger muscle group, so I can turn the energy up.” He adds that a bonus effect is a tightening in the neck, comparable to “a temporary trapezius Botox.”
Radio frequency devices like Thermage or Morpheus 8 have been shown to effectively tighten facial skin. “Radio frequency causes contraction of collagen in the dermis for an immediate tightening,” says Manhattan-based dermatologist Daniel Belkin. “It also stimulates collagen production for more long-term firming.” Beverly Hills dermatologist Ava Shamban supports the efficacy of radio frequency for tissue tightening, based on over a decade of medical research. However, she emphasizes the limitations of noninvasive procedures. Home devices, she says, provide “a little nudge” but generally fall short of professional treatments.
Pol cautions that his therapies are not suitable for pregnant individuals or those with implanted devices like heart monitors or insulin pumps. He also acknowledges that they can only address mild skin laxity and are not a substitute for more extensive procedures like tucks or lifts.
As my session concludes, my upper arms are noticeably warm to the touch. “No cold showers for 72 hours,” Pol instructs. “You want the heat to stay in the tissue.” I roll up my sleeves to admire the results of Pol’s labor. To my surprise, I can see muscular definition, even without flexing. I haven’t exercised my arms since before the pandemic, aside from the occasional struggle with a heavy suitcase.
Days later, my biceps remain as sculpted as when I left the Carlyle. I reach out to Salma Hayek Pinault, who had been a longtime client of Pol’s classic facial before transitioning to the body version. The actor and producer is apparently more resilient than I am. “The treatments were gentle and pain-free,” she says. “It’s actually quite relaxing, and he’s a joy to be around.” With my social calendar filling up for the summer, I decide to book a second session. For some, it seems, the “baguette” is worth the burn.
