What’s the Best Treatment for My Stomach Pooch?

Most women know the term “stomach pooch” all too well: those stubborn pockets of fat in the lower abdomen that no amount of dieting, sit-ups, or cardio can remove. Most women have some extent of a stomach pooch after having children from a separation of the six-pack muscles. There are simply certain areas of your body where fat accumulates, and that fat is resistant to all forms of diet and exercise. These fat pockets can appear for all sorts of reasons including pregnancy, normal aging, heredity, and weight gain and loss. However, just because you have these “pooches” now doesn’t mean you have to learn to live with them. Getting rid of stubborn pockets of fat may be easier than you realize. Depending on the extent of your abdominal pooch, the perfectly tailored procedure is out there for you.

Small Pockets of Fat With No Skin Laxity

If you are currently dieting and exercising and very near to your ideal weight, you may be a candidate for a non-invasive fat reduction procedure called Liposonix®. This revolutionary technology uses high-intensity ultrasound energy to target and destroy fat cells in the abdomen before the fat is naturally processed and removed from the body. This procedure requires no downtime, minor swelling subsides quickly, and there is only mild discomfort during the procedure. It is ideal for individuals who have good skin quality and cannot get rid of those extra pockets of fat.

Pockets of Fat With Minimal to No Skin Laxity or Muscle Laxity

One step up from Liposonix® is liposuction. Liposuction has been the gold standard of fat removal for years. At Wilson Plastic Surgery, Dr. Wilson uses a liposuction technique known as VASERlipo® that uses ultrasound technology to loosen and liquefy the stubborn pockets of abdominal fat before it is suctioned out using a cannula. This method is more invasive than Liposonix® given that small incisions will need to be made to insert the cannula. However, the results are both easily noticeable and more significant than that of Liposonix®, as a greater amount of fat can be removed. Liposuction does require about a week of downtime and is not the ideal solution for patients with any significant amount of skin laxity, as liposuction does not address the skin.

Pockets of Fat With Skin Laxity or Muscle Laxity

Tummy tuck surgery rounds out the list of procedures to remove stubborn pockets of abdominal fat. The most invasive of options, tummy tuck surgery (either mini or full), can result in a leaner, firmer, and more youthful abdominal contour. Commonly performed after pregnancy has left its literal marks on the body, tummy tuck surgery not only removes the stomach pooches, but it can also tighten the weakened abdominal muscles and loose skin while removing excess fat. Depending on the area of the fat pockets and the extent of skin or muscle laxity, you may be a candidate for the less-invasive mini tummy tuck, which only focuses on the lower abdomen.