Can My Belly Fat Be Treated With a Cosmetic Procedure?
We have received several emails from patients wondering if their belly fat can be “removed or improved.” It is important to understand that as humans we have two types of belly fat, intra-abdominal belly fat (the fat around our organs which is behind the abdominal muscles) and extra-abdominal belly fat (superficial fat). Intra-abdominal fat is not amenable to cosmetic treatments or surgery. Though frustrating, this belly fat can only be reduced with diet and exercise.
The extra-abdominal fat or the belly fat that exists between the skin and the muscles of the abdomen can be treated with cosmetic procedures. Different treatment modalities exist, ranging from non-invasive treatments like CoolSculpting to minimally invasive treatments like SmartLipo to more invasive surgical treatments like a Tummy Tuck or abdominoplasty.
Depending on the distribution and amount of belly fat, some areas may be better treated by non-invasive methods such as CoolSculpting. However, if more than a small discreet area of belly fat accumulation exists, liposuction methods, such as SmartLipo, may get you a better result.
It is also important to consider the degree of skin looseness/sagginess and the presence of stretch marks. Treatments such as CoolSculpting do not treat the skin and therefore offer no benefit for skin elasticity/sagginess. On the other hand, SmartLipo offers the advantage of treating the skin from underneath, stimulating collagen production which results in skin retraction. However, if you have “too much” skin sagginess, more invasive treatments such as a Tummy Tuck may be recommended.
It is important for your cosmetic surgeon to do a through examination of the areas you wish to improve so that they can advise you on the best treatment options. At Imagen, the main reason we offer complimentary consultations is to be able to give you our best recommendation for treatments by performing a good physical examination of the trouble areas. This way you know what the best options are to help you to achieve your goals.
Frank Soto León, MD is a cosmetic surgeon who is board certified through the American Board of Aesthetic Medicine. For more advice from Dr. Soto on body sculpting and other aesthetic treatments please visit www.omahaliposuction.com where you can read his blog and see before and after photos of actual patients. If you have a question you would like to see answered as one of our blogs, let us know!
