Nonsurgical fat loss treatments come in many forms. There’s fat-melting, fat-freezing and fat-dissolving modalities that can help you spot-treat small, stubborn pockets of fat that are hard to reduce with regular diet and exercise. Although these treatments can be game changers for those with a small amount of fat to treat, there are a few things you can do ensure your body contouring treatments give you the noticeable results you’re after.
Increase Your Water Intake
According to New York dermatologist, Doris Day, MD, before, during and after your treatments are the best times to double down on your efforts at home. “The first thing you’re going to want to do is to be really well hydrated,” she explains. “The way these treatments work is that they destroy the fat cells which are then expelled through the body naturally. So, being well hydrated does help it clear better.”
Stack Treatments
West Palm Beach, FL dermatologist Ken Beer, MD says that for many of his patients, the best results occur when they use multiple modalities to target a stubborn area. “Not every treatment is going to do everything. There is no one size fits all, so there are many instances when I recommend combining two different modalities to treat both the superficial and deeper fat. Sometimes it’s combining CoolSculpting with Kybella, or Accent, a radio-frequency treatment. It really depends on the individual, but that’s one way we maximize results.”
“Although they’re not meant for fat reduction, muscle-building treatments like EmSculpt work great with CoolSculpting and we strongly recommend them together,” adds Spokane, WA dermatologist Wm. Philip Werschler, MD. “I always like to discuss the 3D nature of body shaping because we all tend to look at ourselves in the mirror or in photographs which is really 2D. When patients initially present with concerns over body shaping it’s important to show them all areas that may benefit and then target highest priority areas first. Then work down the list.”
Amp Up Your Exercise Routine
Dr. Day says she tells her patients to double down on their workouts during their treatment periods to get the most of out the time and financial investment they are making on themselves. “I tell patients whatever workout routine you’re doing, step it up a bit. Up your workout routine, up your crunches. Use this opportunity to really contour your body and build your muscles. You don’t need to isolate and say, I’m only going to do one thing at a time. Life is too short for that. Do everything at once in a reasonable way and everything will have a synergistic outcome, from your workout to your diet, and even how you sleep.”
Use This Fat-Loss Booster
If there is one product all our experts recommend investing in, it’s Alastin’s TransFORM Body Treatment ($195), which has been shown to enhance fat reduction results. “Use it twice a day, starting two weeks before your treatment and continue using it all the way through it and after,” says Dr. Day. “They have solid data that shows that it has a synergistic effect in both healthy fat reduction by accelerating the body’s natural removal process of broken-down fat cells.”
Wear Shapewear
Although shapewear garments are often used after surgical body procedures like liposuction and tummy tucks, Dr. Day say they serve a similar purpose after nonsurgical treatments as well. “I recommend wearing shapewear after your treatment so that you’re helping your body not only expel the fat, but it’s going to give you that hourglass curve and help shape your form.”
Don’t Skip Follow Ups
Returning to your doctor for scheduled follow-ups will also help ensure your results last longer says Dr. Beer. “Even if you get rid of the fat cell, there will always be some residual fat left over. We like our patients to come in for enhancements every six to nine months and it’s something most people don’t really think about,” he notes. “If you come back and keep up with your treatments, you can really get the most out of your body sculpting treatments for many years to come.”
