Science-backed ways to get rid of stubborn fat in problem areas

Imagine this is the evening which you have been waiting for your whole life, walking down the aisle to the sweet sound of wedding bells. You have been exercising and dieting for the past 6 months, wanting to look your best, as you know that all eyes will be on you… the bride. As you are donning your elegant and strapless wedding gown, you can’t help but notice this persistent ‘bra bulge’ that refused to budge no matter what you do.

 

Unfortunately, we all have problem areas on our bodies that just seem to hold on to fat. This is especially true as we get older and our metabolisms slow down. Exercising and a healthy diet can help, but sometimes, we need something extra for these stubborn areas. While there is  the option for invasive surgeries like liposuction, these types of procedures have long downtime and carry significant surgical risks.

 

On a bright note, there are now non-invasive body contouring options that have little to minimal downtime. These include cryolipolysis, more commonly called “fat freeze,” or “cool sculpting” and Vanquish ME, which uses radiofrequency (RF) energy to heat and destroy fat cells. Let us look at what are some of the most common areas of stubborn, embarrassing fat deposits and how to get rid of them.

 

How Do I Know Which Treatment To Choose?

 

The best way to decide which body contouring treatment is right for you is to schedule a consultation with an experienced doctor to discuss your aesthetic goals and how to achieve them quickly.

 

Choosing a treatment also depends on which areas of your body you want to target as well. The list below will outline four of the main “trouble spots” and suggest which non-invasive treatments might work best.

1. Bra Fat

If you have pockets of excess fat that show above your armpit when you are wearing a bra or strapless dress, then you are looking at “axilla fat”, or in layman’s terms: “bra fat” or “armpit fat”. Bra bulge can be caused by a number of factors, including consuming more calories than you burn and sagging skin.

 

Non-invasive Treatments: Cryolipolysis may be suitable for you. It works by freezing fat cells underneath the skin causing fat cell death (apoptosis), and then allowing the body to naturally remove these dead fat cells through the lymphatic system, without damaging the surrounding tissues.

How does cryolipolysis work?

 

The area of concern will be marked out and a special gel pad will be placed over that area to protect the skin. The cryolipolysis hand piece will then be placed over the gel pad. . You may experience mild tenderness, redness or numbness in the treated area for a few days, but most patients reported that they are able to return to their daily lives after leaving the clinic. Since the procedure is non-invasive, there is minimal downtime.

 

If the appearance of the bulge is exacerbated by loose skin, either before or after cryolipolysis, skin-tightening treatments such as High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) or Fractional Radiofrequency is recommended.

 

You might need more than one session to achieve the best result, and each session is spaced 4 weeks apart. Therefore, if you are planning a big event or wedding, you may like to start your treatment 3-6 months in advance.

2.Love Handles and Belly

Love handles are those annoying pockets of fat hanging at the sides of your waist while belly is fat deposited in the lower abdomen. These two areas are notoriously hard to smooth away despite the number sit-ups we do, and especially frustrating for people who are otherwise slim but still have a “muffin top” or “pooch” when wearing tight-fitting pants or dresses.

 

Non-invasive Treatments: If the area is small and specific, cryolipolysis will be the treatment of choice. If it’s a larger circumferential area, Vanquish Me™ may be more effective as it is able to cover the whole abdomen from flank to flank.

Vanquish ME™ is contactless and covers a large treatment area

 

Both cryolipolysis and Vanquish Me™ are FDA approved treatments for fat-loss. However, unlike cryolipolysis which uses controlled cooling, Vanquish Me™ utilises non-contact selective radiofrequency (RF) energy to heat and destroy fat cells.

 

The contactless RF induces gentle deep-tissue heating to destroy fat cells in problematic areas that need contouring without harming the skin and surrounding structures. The fat cells will then be flushed out of the body through the lymphatic system over time.

 

Vanquish ME™ is generally very well-tolerated with most patients reporting it as a “warm heating sensation”. The contactless panel and larger surface area also mean lesser side effects such as bruising, uneven skin texture and lumpiness. Downtime is again minimal as it is a non-invasive procedure.

 

Vanquish Me™ can be used as a standalone treatment or it can be combined with cryolipolysis for treating stubborn areas.

 

3.Flabby Arms

Excess fat on the underarm or “flabby” arms

 

Have you waved someone goodbye and noticed that your arms are flabby? Even thin and trim people can have embarrassingly jiggly arms, and some people call this extra arm fat “bat wings.”

 

Non-invasive Treatments: Cryolipolysis is an effective treatment to target those “pinchable” fat on your arms. It can be used as the primary treatment or complemented with Vanquish Me™ to provide additional toning for your arms.

 

4.“Banana Roll” and Thighs

 

Women burn fat differently from men and can find it especially challenging to get rid of lower body fat, such as the thighs and “banana roll”, which is the pocket of fat in the fold beneath your bottom.

 

Non-invasive Treatments: Generally, Vanquish ME™ is more suitable for the bottom and thighs because it can cover a large area and produce a circumferential reduction in fat.

Using Vanquish Me™ to treat the thigh area

On an ending note, cryolipolysis and Vanquish ME™ are effective body contouring treatments, but not weight loss treatments. In order to achieve a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI), you still have to exercise regularly and eat healthily.