Which Fat Reduction Option is Right for Me?

We all want to look trim and healthy—so if we start to put on some extra pounds, it’s only natural to wonder what our fat reduction options are so that we can examine the options available to us, especially when diet & exercise aren’t enough.

Of course, the ideal way to slim down is still the old-fashioned way — that is, sound nutrition and regular physical activity. Indeed, before you look into any clinical procedures, it’s important to do everything in your power to achieve a healthy, maintainable lifestyle. And as always, make sure your primary care physician is guiding you as to the best health choices for your particular situation.

But simply working out and eating right doesn’t always give us the results we’re looking for. And even if you do lose weight, there can still be a not-so-flattering payoff such as loose flaps of fat and excess skin around your abdomen, chin, and other parts of the body. This is a common issue for post-pregnancy women, but also for anyone who undergoes sudden weight loss.

Thankfully, there are a number of fat reduction options that we can offer here at Charlotte Plastic Surgery— procedures that can help you eliminate those stubborn deposits of fat that just don’t seem to budge no matter what you try. But not all of these fat reduction options are created equal, so it’s important to research the method that’s right for you.

The best way to do that is by meeting with one of our providers for a one-on-one consultation. As you prepare for that appointment, here is an overview of some of the most popular fat reduction options that we offer—including Liposuction, Kybella®, CoolSculpting®, and The Profound®.

Understanding Fat Reduction Options

Liposuction

Let’s start with liposuction—a procedure that’s now several decades old and remains one of the most successful and most commonly performed surgeries in the United States.

Liposuction allows you to improve your shape by slimming those areas where fat deposits remain stubborn—the areas where exercise just won’t help. This procedure is often targeted to the love-handles, hips, thighs, double-chin, bat wings (or hanging arms), and the abdomen.

Here are CPS, we offer a number of forms of liposuction, all of them proven to be safe and effective. Essentially, they all work by surgically “vacuuming” unwanted fat out of the body. Different forms of suction and/or ultrasound are used to ensure that the fat deposits are precisely targeted, and removed with a minimum of swelling or bruising.

It’s important to understand that liposuction—contrary to what’s commonly assumed—is not a weight loss remedy. Our surgeons only recommend it to those who have a healthy, maintainable body weight. What liposuction helps with is contouring those parts of the body where deposits of fat persist, unaffected by exercise.

Kybella®

Another option that our patients should know about is Kybella.

Kybella is a non-surgical treatment that specifically targets fat in the submental or double-chin area. It’s an FDA-approved injection that contours and improves the look of moderate to severe sub-mental fullness—that is, the additional skin that clusters around the upper neck and the chin, resulting in that “double chin” appearance.

Submental fullness impacts many of our patients, women and men alike, and it can be attributed to many different factors—including the simple realities of aging. What’s more, this is a part of the body that is often resistant to diet and exercise.

So how do Kybella injections work? Essentially, the main ingredient in Kybella is synthetic deoxycholic acid, a molecule that naturally occurs in our bodies to break down dietary fat. Kybella is injected specifically into the fatty areas under the chin to eliminate those fat cells, and once they’re broken down, they are gone forever.

For those looking to reduce fat in the neck area, Kybella can be an effective, non-surgical solution with some minimal downtime (including temporary swelling or bruising). Our providers are happy to provide further insight into this technique.

CoolSculpting®

CoolSculpting® has become one of our most popular fat reduction procedures—and it’s not hard to understand why. Like liposuction, CoolSculpting can target different parts of the body where you have stubborn fat deposits. Unlike liposuction, though, CoolSculpting is non-surgical; in fact, many of our patients literally have this procedure done in our office while they are on their lunch break!

CoolSculpting can be targeted to your arms, legs, chin, abdomen—basically any of those “trouble spots” that are resistant to diet and exercise. The FDA-approved procedure works by literally freezing fat cells. The body can then process and eliminate these crystalized fat cells, leading to a more contoured, sculpted you.

A single session can sometimes be as brief as 35 minutes, and it’s completely non-invasive. Some clients will read a book, watch TV, or simply have a nap while the procedure is done. To speak with one of our providers about CoolSculpting, contact CPS at any time.

The Profound

The final contouring technique we want to discuss is something called Profound—essentially, a non-surgical alternative to “facelift” procedures.

This is a good option for those who wish to tighten the skin around their jowls, jawline and chin. But in addition to reducing skin laxity, Profound can also reduce the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles and improve the look of cellulite! Yes, you read that correctly – there’s finally an option to treat cellulite on the body and the results are really quite amazing.

The procedure works through radiofrequency energy. Essentially, RF waves stimulate new collagen and elastin production, both of which are vital for keeping the skin looking tight and youthful and improving skin dimpling such as cellulite.

For anyone who’s looking for skin tightening and cellulite improvement without having to go under the knife, this can be a good option to explore—and again, our providers are standing by to talk you through the pros and cons, and to help you decide if this is the right fat reduction measure for you.

Find the Right Way to Eliminate Fat

A lot of women and men are looking for ways to slim down—and clearly, there are a number of viable options.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, however. The best way to proceed is to speak with a medical provider about your needs and your goals, and to determine which of these approaches makes the most sense for you.

To discuss any of these solutions—or to talk about alternatives—reach out to Charlotte Plastic Surgery today. Our surgeons would be glad to counsel you on the best ways to eliminate stubborn fat deposits, and to start looking and feeling your best. Schedule a consultation with a CPS provider by calling us now.