How to Remove Belly Fat with No Downtime

Posted on: January 1st, 2017 by California Skin Institute

Patients who visit California Skin Institute for belly fat treatments often express feelings of frustration and insecurity about this problem. They may exercise on a regular basis and eat in a healthy manner. But even though they can be considered in overall good health, they still have a hard time losing extra pounds around the abdomen. In such cases, California Skin Institute providers can offer a number of minimally-invasive belly fat treatments that can visibly improve the contour around the abdomen with little or no down time.*

Let’s take a closer look at some of the minimally-invasive belly fat treatments offered by California Skin Institute experts and the potential outcomes.*

CoolSculpting for Belly Fat

California Skin Institute providers have helped many patients lose excess belly fat with CoolSculpting treatments.* At the very core, this process works by cooling fat cells to a point where they suffer irreversible damage.* The body identifies the damaged cells and gradually removes them via lymphatic processes.* This, in turn, leads to a reduction of belly fat and waist size.*

During the procedure, the patient sits in a comfortable chair, and the CoolSculpting applicator is positioned on the treatment area. The applicator uses gentle suction to tug on the pocket of fat, to cool the area more efficiently.*

A typical treatment session takes 30-45 minutes and is very comfortable for the patient.* In fact, most individuals can return to regular activities, and even sports, right after treatment.*

For a typical patient undergoing belly fat treatment with CoolSculpting, several sessions will be needed.* After the first session is complete, the patient will need to wait a few weeks for the body to remove the damaged fat cells.*

A follow up appointment will help you and your provider determine whether more treatments are needed.*

Vanquish for Belly Fat

Vanquish for belly fat is also performed with no down time for the patient.* In some ways, it’s similar to CoolSculpting in that it works hand-in-hand with the lymphatic system to remove damaged fat cells.* However, instead of cooling the cells, Vanquish relies on radio frequency waves to damage the cells with heat.*

One of the benefits of Vanquish is that it can treat a larger area at a time, and is therefore more suitable for treating the entire abdominal area, including the sides of the trunk (commonly referred to as “love handles”).* Treatments are relatively short, about 30-45 minutes, and a typical patient will need to undergo several sessions to achieve optimal improvements.*

Lipsonix for Belly Fat

Another procedure that can be utilized for removing belly fat is Liposonix.* This treatment relies on focused ultrasound waves, which damage fat cells by heating them up.* Similarly to CoolSculpting and Vanquish, this procedure relies on the body’s lymphatic system to remove the damaged fat cells.*

California Skin Institute providers have helped many patients using the Liposonix device.* Of course, as with all minimally invasive belly fat treatments, the improvements appear gradually as the dead cells are removed.*

When Minimally Invasive Treatments are Not Enough

Though minimally invasive treatments for belly fat can be highly effective in some cases, they are not right for everyone.* Some of the core considerations include evaluating whether the skin has enough elasticity and whether there has been stretching in the structures beneath the skin.*

For patients with excess adipose tissue, tumescent liposuction or SmartLipo liposuction techniques are offered at California Skin Institute.* Both of these techniques are performed with local anesthesia and provide dramatic contour improvements that far exceed the minimally invasive techniques described in this article.* While SmartLipo offers a laser component that melts fat and stimulates skin contraction, it has limitations in certain patients with loose abdominal skin.*

For example, patients with significant weight gain will have experienced stretching of the skin that cannot be repaired by the body even after the weight is lost.* Therefore, minimally invasive treatments will not help achieve aesthetically pleasing outcomes, as surgical removal of excess skin may be required.* In this case, your California Skin Institute provider may recommend liposuction combined with a tummy tuck.*

Another common situation we see at California Skin Institute is the stretching of abdominal muscles experienced by women during pregnancy.* Unfortunately, minimally invasive belly fat treatments cannot address this problem. In this case, a tummy tuck (which involves the tightening of the skin and the underlying muscles) may be more appropriate.*

Schedule Your Consultation

If you feel like you need a little extra help to lose stubborn pockets of belly fat, we’re here to help in a patient-focused and compassionate environment.* Schedule your appointment by calling a California Skin Institute practice near you, or use the online scheduling portal now!

*Individual results may vary and are not guaranteed.