Bethenny Frankel Says She Doesn’t Work Out—So What’s Behind Her SI Swimsuit Glow-Up?

When Bethenny Frankel hit the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit runway in Miami last weekend, the internet had questions. Namely: How does the 55-year-old reality star, entrepreneur and content creator look that good?

To us, it wasn’t exactly a surprise. Earlier this year, Frankel shared one of the treatments she was using ahead of the show, documenting a session with PureImpact VIP by Sofwave.

In a post shared to her Instagram grid, she captioned it: “Getting in supermodel shape with @sofwavemed…let the countdown begin.” The Real Housewives of New York alum mentioned it’s “one of the things” she was doing as part of a larger glow-up strategy that she’s seemingly keeping under wraps.

“I want to tighten my butt,” she told followers. “It’s kind of mimicking gym exercises,” she said of the treatment. “I just like that it’s pulling everything together.”

As shown in her video, applicators were placed on Frankel’s abs, butt and arms using Sofwave’s new PureImpact device. Unlike Sofwave’s skin-tightening treatments, which are designed to tighten and lift skin by stimulating collagen and elastin in the mid-dermal layer, PureImpact VIP is a muscle stimulation device that mimics plyometric-style movements (short, explosive exercises used in high-intensity workouts).

“When you’re preparing for a major event, you want treatments that help you look and feel your best without disrupting your schedule,” explains Miami dermatologist Martha Viera, MD. “Sofwave can provide an immediate lifting effect and glow along with long-term collagen stimulation, while PureImpact VIP helps activate and tone muscles.”

What makes both treatments appealing, Dr. Viera adds, is the lack of downtime. “Patients can put on makeup, go in the sun or just go about their everyday activities.”

Dr. Viera says many patients see results from a single Sofwave treatment, while PureImpact VIP is typically performed as a series of four 30-minute sessions. Whether it was the treatment, the confidence or a combination of both, Frankel looked right at home on the SI Swimsuit runway.