Getting rid of the stubborn fat

Getting rid of the stubborn fat –Dr. Fadi El Jiz, American Board Certified plastic surgeon explains the pro’s and con’s of the different fat reducing treatments.

In general, about one fourth of our body is composed of fat. Subcutaneous fat plays an important role in the metabolism of the human body – it is an efficient heat isolator, an energy storage, gives a padding, serves as a source of stem cells and many more. The ideal fat content is higher in women, as the fat is essential for the hormone production, but the fat percentage increases with the advancing age, too.

Certain areas have a genetic predisposition to store the fat as an energy reserve. By gaining weight these regions accumulate the extra fat first and by losing weight the same tissue would retain it. Because of this special feature, even in case of an ideal body weight the fat distribution could be unfavourable. Everyone knows his or her ’problem areas’ – this stubborn fat doesn’t want to disappear, even after a very agressive diet. Or when it does, it comes back very easily. By men it is mostly the waistline, by women the thighs.

The ideas about the ideal body shape may vary depending on the cultural background, geographical location, ethnical group and fashion trends. There is no universal beauty standard – feel free to share your dreams with the doctor.

Plastic surgery offers different options to get rid of these fat cells. In the Shamma Medical Center, Dubai, we offer the most advanced and effective options available in the United Arab Emirates for body contouring. These treatments destroy the genetically predisposed fat cells, reduce the number of fat storing cells. Although the body sculpting procedures remove a considerable amont of fat (weight), they are unable to replace the proper diet. Always consult your plastic surgeon about the best available option.

The non-surgical state-of-the-art method called coolsculpting. By this treatment the subcutaneous tissues are cooled down, without freezing them (this would avoid the frostbite). The sensitive fat cells do not survive the this sudden drop of the temperature. The result would be visible after several months, when the remnants of the dead cells are removed naturally by the self-cleaning mechanisms of the body. The main advantage of this treatment is its effectiveness without any anesthesia, invasive surgical intervention and long lasting healing. The side effect are minimal.

The surgical alternative is the liposculpting. The surgeon injects a special fluid into the subcutaneous fatty tissue. This is meant to enhance the removal of the fat and decrease the bruising. Then he removes the unwanted fat using a vibrating cannula, while preserving the important blood vessels and nerve to the skin. This procedure gives an istantly visible effect, but wearing an elastic garment for several weeks is necessary to stabilize it. In an expert hand the surgery is safe and the complication rate is very low.

In both cases the reduction of the fat containing cells is permanent – both procedures change the fat distribution. A proper diet is important to maintain the achieved result.

If you have any question regarding the body contouring procedures; call the Shamma Clinic to book an appointment – +971 4 349 88 00.