There isn’t much to love about those noticeable, grabbable areas of fat and skin that many people have at their sides. Affectionately called “love handles,” they often don’t seem to budge from our flanks and hips—even when we lose weight by restricting our calories and exercising regularly. Love handles are quite common, even among very slim people. They can even be noticeable when you’re wearing clothes, creating the impression of a “muffin top” that hangs over the waistline. The annoying features develop when we accumulate too much fat around the hips, lower back, and abdomen. Gaining weight by consuming too many calories can certainly be a contributing factor. However, hormones, age-related fat retention on the abdomen, stress hormones, genetics, and excessive alcohol are other typical elements at play. CoolSculpting® from our Illinois-based practice is much more effective at destroying hip and flank fat than conventional workouts.
Focusing on traditional fat-loss methods is a common strategy people try when they attempt to diminish their love handles, but losing overall body weight or focusing on exercises like side planks that target the obliques at the sides of the stomach will usually make very little difference. Your love handles might get slightly smaller, but they can still look proportionately large for your frame. This is because each person has his or her own body type, with fat distributed in a unique way. Once we reach adulthood, there isn’t much you can do to change your natural shape.
The number of fat cells we have also stays the same when we become adults. So it really isn’t possible to spot reduce or control which areas become smaller when we lose weight.
Instead of simply shrinking fat cells—like when you lose weight through traditional means—CoolSculpting® freezes the fat cells in isolated spots. Your body can then break them down. The applicator is attached directly to the target area, where it causes unwanted fat cells to freeze without harming any of the skin and surrounding tissue. Patients can lose between 20 to 25 percent of the volume in the treatment area without the need for invasive surgery or downtime. Best of all? The fat cells can’t return.
Want to say farewell to pesky, diet-resistant fat for good? Reshape your body and get the look you’ve always wanted with CoolSculpting® at Skin Care Center of Southern Illinois. Call 618-244-0031 or submit a contact form to request an in-office, telehealth, or virtual consultation.
