Three Ways to Treat Stubborn Abdominal Fat
A common question that I am asked by my patients at my Tucson, Arizona office is “How can I get rid of stubborn abdominal fat that won’t go away even with diet and exercise?”. I explain to patients that there are three commonly used techniques to address troublesome abdominal fat deposits – the first is nonsurgical and that is Coolsculpting, which is an office procedure.
The other two are surgical procedures and they are liposuction, and a tummy tuck with liposuction. Which treatment option to choose depends on several factors. The first thing to consider is the presence of excess skin. If there is excess skin present, then a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)will obtain the best result. A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) involves the removal of excess skin and tightening of the rectus muscles. If a patient has excess skin, such as after significant weight loss or after pregnancy, then just liposuction alone or the Coolsculpting procedure would only be able to address the excess fat deposits, but not the redundant skin. If a patient has only excess fat with minimal excess skin, then liposuction or Coolsculpting is an excellent option.
Liposuction involves the mechanical destruction of fat, followed by suction to remove the destroyed fat cells. Coolsculpting uses cold technology known as cryolipolysis to freeze the fat and induce the natural death of fat cells; after the fat cells are destroyed, the body slowly absorbs the cells over 1-3 months. Coolsculpting can destroy 30% of the fat cells in an area. Coolsculpting is an in office procedure that takes two hours to complete; it is not painful and requires no anesthesia. The advantage of liposuction over Coolsculpting is that it allows for a larger surface area to be treated, and more fat cells to be removed. The advantage of Coolsculpting is that it is noninvasive, nonpainful, does not require anesthesia, and is an in office procedure. If you are not able to accommodate a small period of downtime in your schedule, then Coolsculpting is an excellent option. We have had patients go to the gym, to the movies, and even vacation right after their Coolsculpting treatment.
A toner, flatter abdomen can be achieved through any of these three options. Schedule a consultation at Rao Plastic Surgery today and Dr. Rao will help you decide which treatment option is best for your body and your lifestyle.