Step-By-Step Guide: How to Find The Best Fat Reduction Treatment in Southlake

Southlake Plastic Surgery

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Step-By-Step Guide: How to Find The Best Fat Reduction Treatment in Southlake

With warmer weather just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to sculpt, tone, and shape your body. When going to the gym and eating healthy just isn’t enough, a fat reduction treatment in Southlake is your ultimate body-contouring solution!

At Southlake Plastic Surgery, we understand that there are tons of treatment options available, which can make it hard to find the right one. To help, we’ve created a step-by-step guide on how to find the best fat reduction treatment in Southlake. 

Step One: Understand the basics of fat

Before you go any further, you should understand the basics of how fat cells work. This will help you understand how and why a procedure works. 

So first, a little myth busting. Despite popular belief, no matter how much time you spend on the treadmill, you’re not actually burning fat cells. 

Here’s why:

From the time you’re an infant to about your mid 20s, the number of fat cells in your body increases. But once you hit your mid 20s, you really don’t gain or lose anymore. Basically, if you’re noticing some extra fat, it’s not because you have more fat cells*; it’s because the fat cells you do have are getting bigger. 

*Note: There is an exception to this. Fat cell count may increase if you gain a significant amount of weight. 

There are different types of fat cells, but white fat is the cause behind that unwanted fat. White fat isn’t always the bad guy; it’s in your body for a reason. Outside of storage, these cells are important for regulating blood sugar levels by pulling out excess sugar from the bloodstream. Too much fat, though, can throw off that sugar-regulating function. 

The size of your fat cells can be genetic, but it is also influenced by how much you’re eating versus how much energy you’re burning. When you eat too much, the energy that isn’t used gets stored in your fat cells, causing them to expand. 

The size and amount of your fat cells can also be affected by your hormone levels. We frequently see patients for BioTE hormone therapy that end up reporting back a change in weight after beginning to rebalance their natural hormone levels.

Traditional methods like diet and exercise can help shrink fat cells, but you won’t be able to specifically target where it happens. Plus, those methods won’t ever get rid of those cells, and that makes it harder to keep the weight off. Shrunken fat cells stick around, waiting for any reason to plump back up. 

Step Two: Decide if you want a surgical or nonsurgical treatment

Next, you should decide whether you want a surgical or nonsurgical fat reduction treatment in Southlake. This comes with understanding the difference between the two when it comes to invasiveness, recovery, and results. 

Invasiveness

It goes without saying that a surgical procedure is going to be more invasive. Your surgeon will create small incisions in your skin, which will lead to more trauma than a nonsurgical alternative. Because of this you’ll have to be under general anesthesia for a surgical treatment. 

Recovery

Since a surgical fat reduction treatment is more invasive and aggressive, you’ll have more downtime than a nonsurgical treatment. After your surgery, you’ll notice swelling, soreness, and bruising for up to 10 days. Although you can control pain with oral medications, you may notice tenderness until you’re six weeks post-procedure. You’ll also have to restrict physical activity and take off from work to fully recover.

On the other hand, most nonsurgical options require little to no downtime. Most people can return to their daily activities without worrying about taking off work. 

Results

A surgical procedure is going to give you more dramatic fat-reduction results. It’s great for large pockets of fat and can even tighten the skin. You’ll notice full results in about nine months. 

With nonsurgical treatments, you’ll gain fat reduction but at a smaller scale. It’s better for people who are already very close to their ideal weight and have good skin elasticity since most nonsurgical treatments do not tighten your skin.

Either way, patients find that both nonsurgical and surgical fat reduction treatment give amazing results to help contour and sculpt their bodies. To see those results yourself, take a look at our surgical and nonsurgical before and after pages. 

Step Three: Choose your fat reduction treatment in Southlake

There are a lot of different options you can choose from, but to keep things simple, we’ve chosen two of our favorites that give the best fat reduction results for both men and women. 

Our surgical pick: SMARTLipo Liposuction

 

Liposuction takes traditional lipo to the next level. Without generating heat, SAFE Lipo in Southlake is a great choice for those looking for a highly effective body shaping procedure with fewer complications and improved results.

Questions You Should Ask Before Getting SMARTLipo →

Liposuction is most commonly used for contouring areas such as the:

  • Abdomen (Circumferential Trunk)
  • Buttocks
  • Breasts
  • Thighs
  • Upper Back
  • Arms
  • Face
  • Neck

How SMARTLipo works

SMARTLipo is a very safe, effective technique we use to help reduce downtime and improve patient results. It allows for a natural, yet dramatic, body contouring process that helps prevent irregularities typically caused by traditional liposuction techniques.

Frequently asked questions

Will liposuction help me lose weight?

Liposuction may help you lose weight, but don’t think of liposuction as a weight loss procedure. Instead, see it as a contouring procedure for areas that are resistant to weight loss and exercise.

Who is the ideal candidate for liposuction?

The ideal candidate for liposuction is a healthy male or female who is close to their desired weight. Keep in mind that it’s extremely important to keep up good nutrition and an exercise program before, during, and after liposuction to ensure that you achieve and maintain optimum results.

Is SMARTLipo better than traditional lipo?
SMARTLipo isn’t necessarily better than traditional lipo, but it does come with great benefits. Liquifying fat before removing it can lead to better accuracy and make the process easier. It can also minimize damage to the surrounding tissues.

What can I expect after my procedure?

After getting SMARTLipo, we will provide you with extensive post-care instructions. Typically, our patients return to work after just a few days, and report feeling completely back to normal after about 1 week. After 2 weeks, you’ll be able to return to your exercise regimen! For such a potentially life-changing procedure, this recovery time is extremely impressive!

When will I start seeing results?

You won’t start seeing the final results from your SMARTLipo procedure right away, although you may notice some improvement immediately and in the first few weeks after surgery. Because the overlying skin has to shrink and smooth over the body’s new shape following your fat removal treatment, you can expect final results 6 to 9 months after the procedure.

Our nonsurgical pick: CoolSculpting

 

CoolSculpting is a great noninvasive alternative to reduce unwanted fat and contour your body. The treatment is a branded version of cryolipolysis, which is a technique that uses cold temperatures to freeze fat cells. Once those fat cells are gone, you never have to worry about them coming back! 

Your Guide to CoolSculpting in Southlake →

As a bonus, CoolSculpting can be performed almost anywhere, including your:

  • Chin
  • Bra fat
  • Love handles
  • Thighs
  • Muffin top
  • Belly fat
  • Men’s pectoral area
  • And more

How CoolSculpting works

Unlike other fat-reducing techniques like liposuction, CoolSculpting is an effective method that doesn’t require surgery or other invasive procedures.

Excess fat is sucked into a cooling device that freezes and kills fat cells. A built-in safety feature shuts down the device if the skin gets too cold, ensuring your safety throughout the treatment. The body processes and removes dead fat cells, meaning once they’re out, they’re gone for good!

Frequently asked questions

Does CoolSculpting actually work?

Yes, CoolSculpting does work! You may not notice results right away, but that’s because it takes time for the body to process the dead fat cells. Remember, the greatest things in life take time. You’ll slowly begin to notice gradual results three weeks following the procedure, and you’ll see more dramatic results three weeks after. 

Note: You may need to come in for multiple sessions to maximize your results, and results vary from person to person. 

Is CoolSculpting safe?

Of course CoolSculpting is safe, but you shouldn’t go to anyone who offers CoolSculpting. Southlake Plastic Surgery has an experienced team of certified medical professionals who are experts in performing safe and effective CoolSculpting procedures.

Does CoolSculpting hurt?

No, CoolSculpting doesn’t usually hurt. Initially, you may feel some intense cold, but that feeling usually goes away within 5 to 10 minutes as the area numbs. You may also notice some pulling, tugging, or mild tingling sensations. Either way, you won’t experience any kind of intolerable pain. 

What results can I expect from CoolSculpting?

Since CoolSculpting freezes fat cells, the biggest result you can expect is long-lasting, permanent body sculpting. As time passes, the treated area(s) will be more toned and noticeably slimmer than it was before. For more stubborn areas, you may need multiple sessions to get the results you want. 

Note: CoolSculpting may not be as beneficial for people with large amounts of excess fat. It works best for people who are close to their target weight and need help with stubborn fat. 

Is CoolSculpting permanent?

Yes, CoolSculpting is permanent! Once fat cells are destroyed, there’s no way for them to come back. Keep in mind that the fat cells that are left can still grow, so you always want to maintain a healthy diet and workout regime. 

Step Four: Schedule your fat reduction treatment with Southlake Plastic Surgery

For the best fat reduction treatment in Southlake, Southlake Plastic Surgery is your place to go. We are an award-winning facility that always puts the needs of our patients first, ensuring that you get the sculpted and toned body you’ve been wanting! 

Dr. Mason is one of the most experienced plastic surgeons in the area and is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. So with us, you’ll always get the gold standard of treatments. 

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