Most effective current treatments to eliminate abdominal fat in women

Expectations: can we really talk about “removing” fat?

Imagine the fat as if they were balloons.

The more balloons there are and the more filled with air they are, the greater the volume. 

Each balloon is an adipocyte, the cell that stores fat. Influenced by genetics and hormones, they form localized accumulations that are very difficult to eliminate with diet and exercise (in women in the abdomen, thighs, legs and buttocks). 

And more over the years…

How can you reduce these fat accumulations? 

Well, destroying balloons (adipocytes) so that there are fewer or “deflating them” to make them smaller. The treatments act in one way or another to achieve a flatter abdomen, correct contour irregularities and define the silhouette..

What’s happening?

• • If you destroy a fatty accumulation, the body under normal conditions does not regenerate it because it does not create new adipocytes. If you gain some weight, it is distributed more in bulk throughout the rest of the adipose tissue, not in that specific area.
  • If you “deflate” it, what you are doing is stimulating lipolysis. Break down the fat stored by the adipocyte so that it is released and the body “burns” it. But the adipocyte is still there… If you gain weight or no longer apply that stimulus, it “inflates” again. 

In both cases you eliminate fat, but in the long term the results change. 

• • When destroying a stack, the effect is permanent. In the vast majority of adults only would reproduce again with sustained overweight or obesity.
  • If you “deflate” it by activating lipolysis, you will need to treat yourself every X amount of time to maintain the result. And this will not be as obvious as if you destroy it.

Let us start by saying that we are not talking about weight loss procedures. They do not replace healthy habits nor do they serve to correct obesity. 

Subcutaneous fat VS visceral: what are we dealing with?

Important point, mind you.

Fat is mainly distributed:

• • Under the skin (subcutaneous fat, represents 80-90% of the total).
  • Around internal organs (visceral fat). 

The accumulation of visceral fat in the abdomen is what is most related to the risk of different pathologies. Hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes…

With age this increases and, furthermore, women with menopause go from storing mainly subcutaneous fat in the hips, buttocks and thighs to depositing it more at the abdominal visceral level. 

After pregnancy, this adiposity also develops more.

Where do I want to go?

That the treatments only eliminate subcutaneous fat, which is what causes us an aesthetic defect (the “belly”) and distances us from the desired figure. Keep this in mind if you have done a study, your visceral fat has been high and you are looking for how to reduce it. 

Both adiposities respond very well to lifestyle. Therefore, as we will see later, a 360° approach is essential to reshape the abdomen and gain health.

Are there differences regarding treatments in men?

Not really.

The treatments used to eliminate excess abdominal fat in women are the same as in men.

Yeah..it may be a specific combination of techniques because there are specific needs after pregnancy, menopause, etc.

The other day, for example, a patient came to Cànons Clinics who had given birth. He had fatty deposits located in his lower abdomen and flanks (they didn’t go away with anything). Also many stretch marks and somewhat loose skin.

We then did a more global procedure to correct all of this, shape her figure and return the youthful and smooth appearance to her abdomen. 

She was delighted.

Or for example, if during the consultation we see that the patient would benefit apart from a treatment for cellulite and sagging legs. So we recommend it. 

Beyond that, fat is treated the same way in women and men. Whether one or another technique is used depends more on what the person needs and not so much on their sex.

Non-surgical methods

The great claim.

There are several treatments of body aesthetic medicine that allow women to eliminate abdominal fat without undergoing surgery. They are applied to the skin without incisions or anesthesia. Recovery is immediate and discomfort is minimal. 

The main ones:

• • Cryolipolysis. We place a device that selectively freezes the adipocytes to induce their death so that the body discards them.
  • Ultrasounds. We destroy the fat cell with ultrasonic waves that act through thermal and mechanical mechanisms (cavitation). 
  • Radiofrequency. We produce controlled heat that eliminates adipocytes without damaging other tissues. It also stimulates collagen, firming the skin.
  • Lipolytic laser. Effect similar to that of radiofrequency, but the heating is achieved with a specific laser.
  • Shock waves. Another method to cause the breakdown of fatty tissue. In this case with acoustic waves.
  • Mesotherapy. We infiltrate substances into the skin that destroy the adipocyte or that induce lipolysis to release fat.
  • Red light therapy. We use a low-intensity laser to open small pores in the cell so that it loses fat content.
  • Carboxytherapy. We inject carbon dioxide in therapeutic doses. It also activates lipolysis.
  • Body electrostimulation. We cause contractions in the abdominal muscle so that it demands energy and therefore uses the accumulated fat.

They are very safe techniques if done by an aesthetic doctor (be careful with non-medical alternatives. Less power, less control… more risks).

Disadvantages?

First, what I told you at the beginning: destroy el adipocito VS “deflate it”. 

Treatments that deflate (stimulate lipolysis) are not permanent. Those that destroy do (especially cryolipolysis and monopolar radiofrequency), although they also fall short for large fat deposits.

The second thing is that several sessions are required to reduce the abdomen. The effect is gradual (there are women who prefer it). 

Surgical procedures

The liposuction It is the operation par excellence to eliminate localized fat.

It has 3 main advantages:

• • Corrects severe fatty accumulations in 1 session. Surgery goes where neither lifestyle nor aesthetic treatments, which are for mild deposits, can’t. And it does so definitively in a single procedure. 
  • Greater abdominal reduction and definition. We directly extract the adiposity with fine cannulas. The result obtained is much more evident in terms of improved volume and body contour.
  • Allows you to further reshape your figure. What we take out can be used to correct other areas (legs, buttocks, chest…) and achieve a more homogeneous and stylized silhouette. It is what is called liposculpture.

Sure, but this involves an operating room, anesthesia, incisions…

Things have changed a lot.

Medical technology advances at a frenetic pace and today we already have techniques that allow us to operate with maximum safety, leaving minimal scars. The percentage of satisfaction among patients is very high.

In fact, in women liposuction is the second most requested aesthetic intervention according to the latest SECPRE study. Only breast augmentation surpasses it.

By the way…

Do not confuse it with abdominoplasty. This is a body plastic surgery that treats skin, fat and muscles of the abdomen. Lipo is essentially for fat.

Result of assisted laser liposculpture. There is a marked abdominal reduction and improvement in contour

Our technique of choice to eliminate localized fat

Abdominal fat is a very common consultation at Cànons Clinics.

We have been serving women for more than 20 years who are looking for an effective treatment to eliminate these stubborn accumulations and achieve a slimmer figure. 

What have we seen that works best? 

Without a doubt the laser assisted liposuction or lipolaser. It is the technique of choice if you want the best results with the least impact on your daily life.

It is a minimally invasive surgery. In 24-48 hours you make life practically normal. And the incisions are very small. The scar is almost imperceptible.

In my experience it is superior to traditional lipo for 3 reasons:

• • Less complications. The laser dissolves and helps extract fatty tissue better, in addition to coagulating blood vessels. Bleeding is thus reduced and recovery is more comfortable and faster. 
  • Increased skin tightening. The key advantage. The laser stimulates collagen and skin retraction. This makes it very useful in patients with some sagging, since the skin adapts much better to the new silhouette.
  • Greater definition. The laser also gives us precision when it comes to eliminating adiposity, correcting the contour and avoiding irregularities in the abdomen. 

Summing up…

Liposuction is more efficient and safe as long as it is performed by a specialist plastic surgeon. We have operated on more than 500 patients with excellent results.

And non-surgical treatments?

Multipolar radiofrequency, muscle electrostimulation and mesotherapy work quite well for localized adiposity. 

However the truth is that we do a bit of them. 

Unless surgery is contraindicated for some health reason, the majority prefer to have surgery when they know the advantages. 

What really makes the difference for a beautiful result

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