We all have some body fat. We need body fat to help regulate our hormones and body temperature. However, the amount of fat it takes to maintain these biological processes is minimal. Millions of adults struggle endlessly with stubborn fat somewhere on their bodies. Stubborn fat is such a common problem that brilliant minds have developed ways to eliminate it for good. At Lux Skin & Lasers, we have multiple ways to help our clients get the body contours they’ve always wanted. But first, we help them understand what may be contributing to their cosmetic concerns. Here, we discuss why fat can be so difficult to manage with diet and exercise.
Types of Body Fat
There are two types of fat that we may develop, visceral fat and subcutaneous fat. While all fat cells are essentially the same, visceral fat develops deep inside the body, usually in the abdominal cavity. Here, the layer of fat may attach to internal organs such as the pancreas and liver, presenting risks for chronic and very concerning health conditions. Visceral fat may result from an unhealthy diet and too little physical movement. It may be influenced by lifestyle habits like smoking or getting too little sleep each night. To eliminate visceral fat, we must develop good dietary and exercise habits. Interestingly, these habits may not eliminate subcutaneous fat, but they can prevent the visceral fat that poses health risks. The other type of fat, the one that tends to cause the majority of our cosmetic concerns, is subcutaneous fat. This is the fatty tissue that sits just beneath the skin. While our subcutaneous fat helps to keep us warm, it may also throw off our body proportions and make us feel dissatisfied with our appearance.
Fat Cells Can be Destroyed
If you are dissatisfied with the stubbornness of subcutaneous fat somewhere on your body, it may be reassuring to know that there are ways to eliminate the unwanted fat cells completely. This cannot even be accomplished with a healthy lifestyle. When you eat well and exercise often, your fat cells shrink, but they are always present. In our arena, we achieve great body contouring results by instigating the removal of unwanted fat via CoolSculpting. This FDA-cleared body contouring treatment has been creating beautiful bodies for many years now and has expanded to address subcutaneous fat in both large and small areas, including the backs of the arms, the abdomen, and under the chin, to name a few. The way that CoolSculpting does this is by targeting fat cells with freezing temperature. Studies have found the precise temperature at which fat cells are destroyed without harming surrounding cells, including the skin. This discovery has forever changed the way that we address unwanted fat.
After a CoolSculpting session, of which three to five may be needed for optimal results, the body’s immune system responds to the inflammatory response to treatment by sending white blood cells to the damaged fat cells. These white blood cells, called macrophages, capture the damaged fat cells and send them through the lymph fluid that eliminates toxins and waste from the body. According to studies, this process can eliminate between 15% and 25% of fat in the target treatment area. This does not result in weight loss, but it can result in a reduction in the circumference of the body part treated. For example, people who get CoolSculpting to eliminate abdominal fat may drop a pants size or two.
There are several reasons why CoolSculpting is so popular. One is that the nonsurgical treatment does not require anesthesia, nor downtime for recovery. There are very few post-treatment side effects, and none that are associated with treatment are comparable to surgical side effects. While a series of treatments may be needed, the outcome of CoolSculpting can be very long-lasting and immensely satisfying.
Now is a great time to start getting your dream body contours. To schedule your CoolSculpting consultation at our Bryn Mawr or King of Prussia office, contact us at 484-322-5316.