Belly Breakup

Technologies that can Help you Kiss your Love Handles Goodbye

By Christi Blevins

“Love handles” is a sweet term for the excess fat around your midsection. It sounds much better than calling them “fat pockets,” “flanks,” or even the adorable “muffin top.” Unfortunately, having a poetic moniker doesn’t make them any more desirable for most people.

Your love handles may be holding on for dear life, but your life (and health) may improve by taking action and parting ways with them.

Heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, liver disease, sleep apnea, and certain types of cancer are just a few of the unwelcome guests your love handles could introduce into your life.

Diet and exercise are essential, but they may not be enough to rid yourself of stubborn love handles that won’t take “Go!” for an answer. Send them packing with the latest fat reducing treatments.

Cool, It!

CoolSculpting targets fat cells by blasting them with cold temperatures. This FDA approved procedure only targets fat cells, leaving your healthy skin unharmed. The science behind this procedure even has a cool, sci-fi sounding name — cryolipolysis. That’s an impressive way of saying, “fat freezing.”

During the procedure, your doctor will place a gel pad on the area designated for fat removal. When the CoolSculpting applicator adheres to the pad, you may feel some slight discomfort, though most patients can read or surf the web during treatment. Once the applicator is removed, you will receive a short massage on the area to break up the treated fat cells. Plan on setting aside one hour for the treatment. There is no downtime, though you might experience some soreness and bruising. While you could see a reduction of your love handles in a couple of weeks, it can take up to three months to see full results.

Just Heat It!

If chilling out isn’t your thing, you might want to melt your love handles away instead. Sculpsure is an FDA approved method of reducing fat through the use of a warm laser. As with CoolSculpting, the process is non-invasive, and there is no downtime.

With Sculpsure, fat cells are destroyed. This is important because we are all born with a predisposition to hang onto fat in certain areas. When you gain weight, those areas are the first spots to add fat, and when you lose weight, they’re the last to retreat. It’s not called the battle of the bulge for nothing.

Multiple treatments may be recommended for optimal results. It takes about 12 weeks for your body’s lymphatic system to eliminate the dead fat cells. But, once they’re gone, they can be gone for good.

Catch a Wave!

Another FDA-approved option to over come your love handles is Exilis Elite. This procedure works by radiating radio energy frequency on the fat cells. The electromagnetic waves permeate the fat layer while leaving the skin unharmed and helping your body produce more collagen. It has been compared to the sensation of a hot stone massage. This relaxing procedure is also used to tighten the skin.

Arrive at your appointment well hydrated to see the greatest effect. Most patients require four sessions for optimal results.

There are a variety of other lower-level laser therapies that work by shrinking fat cells. While the fat cells remain, you can more easily keep your love handles at bay through diet and exercise, helping you to say goodbye to them for good.

can expect some redness and swelling, but the pain from injections is minimal. Most plastic and cosmetic surgery practices offer a topical anesthetic applied before the procedure, which can help reduce pain from the injections.