Every year around the holidays, we are inundated with articles featuring tips and tricks for keeping the pounds off during party season. Then, the New Year rolls around and we’re forced to confront the reality that — despite our best efforts to avoid snacks after 8:00 pm or to hang close to the veggie tray at the office party — those extra 10 pounds have set up camp around our midsection. We then proclaim a “New Year’s Resolution” full of lunges and crunches to lose those them.

But if we really face facts, those 10 pounds probably never left and will remain a nuisance.

The truth of it is, this battle is not confined to the holiday season. Many women — and men, too — struggle year round to rid themselves of extra fat; beating themselves up over the inability to lose unsightly muffin tops, underarm fat or unlovable love handles. Despite our best efforts, many of us are just predisposed to hold onto weight in certain places.

The cycle of feeling guilty over that extra inch and looking for the latest and greatest shapewear to feel better in your pants is exhausting, to say the least. When maintaining a reasonably healthy diet and an active lifestyle isn’t enough to dispel that persistent bulge, what then?

Many people are under the false impression that the only option is an invasive surgery like liposuction or an unregulated over-the-counter diet pill. In reality, there are a couple of incredibly safe, non-invasive treatments to eliminate unwanted fat under the skin. New technologies like CoolSculpting and Liposonix have made it possible to safely and effectively eliminate fat in about an hour with no down time—with visible results in about two to three months.

Here is how these treatments work:

Liposonix

Liposonix is the newest FDA-approved, non-invasive fat elimination treatment. It uses heat generated through high intensity ultrasound to target fat cells in a specific area. The process kills the unwanted fat cells, while the outer layer of skin is left intact and often firmer.

Over the following 8 to 12 weeks, the dead fat cells are removed by your body through natural processes, leaving you with a slimmer waistline at the end of the 12-week period. Patients typically lose one to two inches of fat, depending on the area. And often the skin is tightened in the process.

Liposonix can be performed on most areas of the body, including the back, thighs, arms, abdomen and love handles.

CoolSculpting

This treatment was approved by the FDA about two years ago and has been generating results ever since. It uses advanced cooling technology to selectively eliminate fat cells through a gradual process that does not harm the surrounding tissues. During the treatment, a non-invasive applicator is applied to the skin’s surface to deliver precisely controlled cooling to a targeted region of the body. Fat cells are then eliminated through the natural metabolic process. Generally, patients can return to their normal routine the same day, including going to work and exercising.

Patients typically undergo CoolSculpting to reduce love handles and abdominal fat. The resulting fat reduction is visible in most patients in about two to four months.

With both Liposonix and CoolSculpting, it’s important to keep in mind that they are not weight-loss treatments and should not be thought of as an alternative to daily exercise and balanced diet. Both treatments are ideal for those struggling with stubborn fat pockets that don’t respond to diet and exercise. These technologies are called “body contouring” by physicians because they modify the body’s curves; they create a noticeable reduction in fat cells, allowing your clothes to fit better and your confidence to soar. The goal is to feel like the best version of you — to look as great on the outside as you feel on the inside and be proud of the skin you’re in.

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Dr. Steven Zimmet has been practicing dermatology in Austin, Texas for over thirty years. Call 512.861.8901 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Zimmet. Mention Culture Map for an exclusive 15% discount on body contouring services.