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November 17, 2024
Table of Contents
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: Vaser Liposuction vs fat freezing
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 liposuction
Developed by plastic surgeon Dr. Alfredo Hoyos from Columbia, Vaser Liposuction is an ultrasonic-assisted liposuction technique that removes fat and shapes the body.
Vaser Liposuction was first introduced in Singapore in 2008 by three doctors, including Dr. Ivan Puah, the medical director of Amaris. B. Clinic. So what lies in the beauty of Vaser Liposuction?
Vaser Liposuction is less intrustive than traditional liposuction and can be performed under local anaesthesia. It eliminates 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.
Vaser Liposuction 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 and stimulates collagen production for skin tightening.
Worried about pain and recovery time? Fret not. This procedure targets only the fat tissues while leaving other important connective tissues intact. This means you have lesser discomfort and downtime than with traditional liposuction.
Another reason Vaser Liposuction is so popular is that the fat tissues removed are permanent. As long as you can maintain a balanced diet and active lifestyle, the treated areas should be able to maintain their sculpted appearances.
At Amaris B. Clinic, patient safety and results are always prioritised. Dr. Ivan Puah will advise patients on the appropriate treatment plans based on their clinical conditions, needs, and expectations.
Liposuction can only be performed by doctors 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 he is known for his meticulous approach to body sculpting.
