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Types Of Body Fat & How To Get Rid Of Them
When we talk about losing fat, we often oversimplify things. The factors that contribute to how the body builds up and stores fat, as well as the different types of fat and their placements all play roles in how difficult it is to get rid of it. Here at Cape & Islands Plastic Surgery, our board-certified surgeons Dr. Loffredo & Dr. Jones have helped countless patients with body contouring treatments. A large part of their job is helping patients choose the right treatments based on their goals. For example, some patients might be great candidates for peptide-powered injectables like Semaglutide, whereas other patients will see better results with minimally invasive treatments like BodyTite, or surgical treatments including an abdominoplasty or liposuction. In this article, we will cover the different types of body fat.
Abdominal Liposcution
What Are The Differences Between Visceral and Subcutaneous Fat
There are different types of body fat found in different areas of the body. Based on a patient’s goals they might be better suited for one type of treatment or another because of where the fat is located. For example, visceral fat can be difficult to address because it is deep inside the body. These are the main differences between visceral and subcutaneous fat.
Visceral Fat:
- Location: Deep beneath the abdominal muscles and surrounding the organs
- Appearance: Because visceral fat is deep inside the body it can cause men and women to appear to have large stomachs sometimes referred to as a pot belly
- How To Get Rid Of It: Diet, exercise, and treatments like Semaglutide injections can help the body decrease this body fat.
Subcutaneous Fat:
- Location: Close to the surface of the skin and above the muscles.
- Appearance: Subcutaneous fat is often loose and can be pinched between your fingers.
- How To Get Rid Of It: Traditional body contouring treatments including Morpheus8, CoolSculpting, BodyTite, Liposuction, or Abdominoplasty
Why Do I Still Have Body Fat After Losing Weight?
Oftentimes when patients lose weight via diet, exercise, or supplementary treatments including Semaglutide injections (brand name Ozempic) they still notice lingering body fat. A common complaint we have heard from patients is that after working really hard to diet and exercise our patients have lost weight, dropped down in size, but they still do not feel comfortable going to the beach. This is because they have loose fat around their thighs, abdomen, back, or neck. It can be extremely difficult to get rid of subcutaneous fat without specialized procedures like Morpheus8, BodyTite, or Liposuction.
Does Plastic Surgery Help With Visceral Fat?
Unfortunately, most plastic surgeons can not help remove visceral fat. Because visceral fat is deep inside the body and surrounds the organs it is almost impossible to address through treatments like abdominoplasty or liposuction. The best way to address visceral fat is through diet, exercise, or supplementary treatments that help your body “burn fat”.
Benefits Of Combining Plastic Surgery with Lifestyle Changes
A common misconception is that plastic surgery treatments are supposed to “cheat” or replace the importance of healthy living. This is not true. It is very common for people who live healthy and active lifestyles to have issues with stubborn body fat. Even the term “stubborn body fat” comes from the understanding that it is extremely difficult to decrease subcutaneous fat. Likewise, many people who have undergone dramatic lifestyle changes end up working with plastic surgeons. After putting in so much effort and work to get rid of visceral fat, it can be really disheartening to still feel unconfident in how you look. Plastic surgery and body contouring treatments can help patients overcome these issues.
