Burn the fats around your tummy! Work off those wobbly arms!
These are commonly heard in gyms and fitness studios. And while they somehow encourage us to keep up with the routines, there’s one slight problem with them: they aren’t actually true.
The spot reduction myth
Many of us believe that training a particular muscle will help us lose fat in that area. While popular, this idea is a myth. Targeting specific spots on the body through a set of exercises is ineffective because our body simply doesn’t work this way. Sure, you can achieve more defined muscles if you’re already lean in the first place, but if you want to remove the appearance of fat, then you’re very likely to be disappointed.
This is because fat and muscle are different types of tissues. You can’t turn fat into muscles; fat can only be burned away to reveal muscles that are underneath, and muscles have to be built up with training.
Regardless of the type of exercise, the fat-burning effect is applied throughout the entire body. What this means is that you can still stick to your fitness routine if you enjoy it – you’ll achieve overall weight loss, but don’t expect yourself to get spot reduction results.
This is why there are stubborn fat pockets that won’t go away
We can’t simply use diet or exercise to “get a flat belly” or “make your buttocks smaller”, because how our body stores fat and burns fat is largely dependent on our genetic make-up. This is why some people can have a svelte waist but retain fat around their thighs. This also means that no matter how we exercise or eat right, there can still be stubborn pockets of fat that won’t ever go away.
How to get rid of stubborn fat: Fat Freezing vs. VASER Lipo
Thankfully, advancements in medical technology and improved surgical techniques can help you achieve fat reduction effectively and safely.
Fat Freezing
Fat Freezing, also known as cryolipolysis, is a non-invasive fat reduction and contouring treatment that uses a handheld device to “freeze” fat cells underneath the skin! “Cryo” essentially means “producing extreme cold”, and “lipolysis” refers to the breakdown of fats and other lipids by hydrolysis to release fatty acids.
Interestingly, scientists found that fat cells can actually be frozen and thereafter developed a treatment to “freeze” and eliminate fat cells. Fat Freezing can be used to treat areas such as abdomen, waist, thighs, and arms but do note that the areas to be treated are also limited by the size of the applicator head.
Depending on your clinical condition and treatment areas, you may need a number of sessions to achieve desirable results. During the treatment, the fat freezing applicator is applied to the chosen area, vacuum is used to suck the excess fat into the applicator cup (think vacuum machine!), and the cooling technology is applied to crystallise fat cells. There is no anaesthetic needed. There may be a pinching sensation during the process.
You’ll be able to resume normal activities immediately after the treatment, but be warned, fat freezing isn’t a quick fix because the frozen fat cells will take time to be naturally eliminated from the body’s lymphatic system. It won’t be until a few weeks or months later that you’ll notice the subtle changes.
VASER Lipo
Developed by plastic surgeon Dr. Alfredo Hoyos from Columbia, VASER Lipo is a procedure that shapes and sculpts the body. This contemporary procedure requires doctors to undergo various VASER Lipo training and practice. It utilises ultrasound wave technology to target and remove stubborn fat tissues effectively.
VASER Lipo was first introduced in Singapore in 2008 by three medical aesthetic doctors, including Dr. Ivan Puah, the medical director of Amaris. B. Clinic, who has been performing this procedure for more than 10 years. So what lies in the beauty of VASER Lipo?
VASER Lipo is minimally invasive and can be performed under local anesthesia. It is powerful enough to eliminate fat tissues immediately and is a step-up from non-invasive procedures, such as fat freezing, which rely on secondary reactions to reduce small amounts of fat over a longer period of time.
VASER Lipo is a targeted procedure suitable for sculpting small or large areas such as jowls, chin, abdomen, waist, hips, male breasts, arms, back, buttocks, thighs, knees, calves, and even ankles. It creates more muscle definition as well as stimulates collagen production for skin tightening.
Worried about pain and recovery time? Fret not. VASER Lipo targets only the fat tissues while leaving other important connective tissues intact, giving you smooth and sculpted contours you want with minimal pain and downtime as compared to traditional liposuction.
One other reason that makes VASER Lipo so popular is that fat tissues removed are permanent, and as long as you can maintain a balanced diet and active lifestyle, the treated areas should be able to maintain their sculpted appearances.
With the development of advanced medical technology, body sculpting has become more efficient. However, it is the experience and degree of meticulous body sculpting performed by Dr. Ivan Puah, who is also VASER certified, that distinguishes the results achieved with VASER Lipo from other body contouring treatments.
At Amaris B. Clinic, patient’s safety and results are always their top priority. Dr. Ivan Puah will advise patients on the appropriate treatment plans based on their clinical conditions, needs, and expectations. Fat Freezing is available for those who prefer the non-invasive way and VASER Lipo is available for those who want to achieve targeted body sculpting.
Liposuction can only be performed by doctors who are accredited by the Ministry of Health in Singapore. Dr. Ivan Puah from Amaris B. Clinic is one of the accredited doctors in Singapore for liposuction and is known for his meticulous approach in body sculpting.
Amaris B. Clinic is located at 140 Arab Street, Singapore 199827. Call 65364211 or email [email protected] to schedule for a consultation.
This article is brought to you by Amaris B. Clinic.
