After Two Kids, My Pelvic Floor Was Incredibly Weak—Emsella Treatment Completely Changed That
“I’ve been peeing my pants for the past five years.”
Nothing gets us more excited than talking about a not-so-little tweakment or a nip-tuck procedure. In the spirit of transparency, Marie Claire’s aesthetics column, Life in Plastic, delivers a first-hand peak into what goes on behind the doctor’s door.
Alana is a 42-year-old woman living in NYC with two children. She had four sessions of Emsella in Spring 2026. This is her story, as told to Marie Claire, edited for length and clarity.
After having two children, my pelvic floor became very weak. Every time I work out, I pee my pants. Like, immensely, and it was honestly just so frustrating. I’ve been peeing my pants for the past five years; it’s terrible. “Damage to the pelvic floor happens during vaginal birth due to the stretching and tearing of the soft tissues and muscles that support the pelvic organs,” explains double board-certified OBGYN and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgeon Patricia Wallace, MD. “Women have more risk factors that impact the pelvic floor than men, and therefore have more issues—loss of bladder control, often with activity, coughing, or laughing, called stress incontinence.”
Nothing would fix it, either. I went to the doctor and they told me to keep doing kegels. But nobody shows you how to do a kegel the right way, and it’s just a very frustrating process. I even went to a GP (my general doctor), and they told me to go to physical therapy to strengthen my pelvic floor. I tried it, but it was super intrusive. I had to go twice a week, and frankly, I’m too busy. I work, and I have two kids. It’s not happening.
Then I heard about Emsella, which was just four 30-minute sessions. “Emsella is high-frequency electromagnetic energy that causes contractions in all the pelvic floor muscles. Emsella 'body builds' the pelvic floor,” explains Dr. Wallace. “It is impossible to contract all these muscles voluntarily, and while pelvic floor physical therapy is always great for technique, breath and body mechanics, it doesn’t lead to an increase in muscle mass.” I heard great things, but you really don’t believe it works until you try it. I finished the treatments a few weeks ago, and I’m happy to report there is no more pee in my pants.
Session One of Emsella
I wasn’t anxious going into my appointment. Honestly, I was just nervous. All I was thinking was, Is this going to hurt? But at the same time, we do so many things and treatments that are painful to our bodies just to help us feel better. The second I got to the office—I went to BLT Body Boutique by Dr. Yael Halaas in Manhattan—I felt better. The space was gorgeous, clean, and beautiful. I filled out some typical paperwork and waited in the lobby until they called me back into a private room.
In the room there’s this flat chair, and that’s the Emsella device. The nurse practitioner told me how to sit on it—you basically lean forward and push your pelvic floor down. Then I just had to stay seated like that for 30 minutes. It went by pretty fast, which was great. It feels like this motion of electric shock waves or energy that are hitting the inside of your pelvic floor. Imagine you’re snapping rubber bands on your hands. It feels like that, but on your pelvic floor. It’s this electrical current that travels through your body and contracts your pelvic floor muscles.
There’s no pain or even discomfort after the session. I ran the next morning and felt like I wasn’t wetting myself as much. This is TMI, but I also get kind of damp when I sleep—like I try to hold my pee and wake up a little wet. It wasn’t as bad the next morning.
Emsella Sessions 2 through 4
The process for all the sessions is the same. It’s the same strength and the same amount of time. I did one a week. I probably started to notice the biggest difference after my third session. I didn’t even know if I was going to go back for a fourth session, but better to be safe than sorry. After that last one, I started waking up, and my pants were totally dry. I don’t have to change my underwear every time I come home from the gym. Like, it’s two in the afternoon, and I’m wearing the same clothes I wore to work out this morning.
“Some women feel impact after a few sessions; other women see results closer to the end of six treatments,” says Dr. Wallace. “I usually recommend repeating sessions three times per year or more as needed to stay strong. Just like any other muscle, if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
The Takeaway on Emsella
I have no regrets. It made such a big difference. It hits the spot, and I honestly don’t know why anyone would spend months in PT over doing Emsella. I’ve told all my friends to do it. Nothing is ever wet anymore. It’s great.
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Meet the Expert
Dr. Wallace's focus on women’s health and wellness includes comprehensive and integrative treatment of pelvic disorders, urinary (bladder) and fecal (anal) incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic floor dysfunction, and chronic conditions of the bladder such as recurring bladder or vaginal infections. Dr. Wallace has a special interest in menopause and bio-identical hormone therapy including BioTE pellet. She is also proficient in minimally invasive surgery and is a certified Da Vinci Robotic surgeon.
