Is There a Way to Lose Your Muffin Top?

Although muffin top may sound like a pastry dessert, it is a term typically used to describe the stubborn belly bulge that hangs over your waistband. It got its name because it resembles the top of a muffin rising beyond its tin or casing when you bake it. Muffin tops can be more visible when wearing tight-fitting, low-waisted pants. 

What you should know about muffin top

One thing that makes muffin top more frustrating is it just won’t back down despite doing lots of sit-ups. Hormonal changes (especially in menopausal women) play a big role in this, as the declining levels of estrogen cause the body to store more fat in the abdominal area. 

Other factors can contribute to the development of muffin top include:

• Poor diet and lack of sleep
• Prolonged stress (this can cause you to gain weight)
• Aging
• Genetics

What to try instead of spot reduction

Spot reduction or reducing fat in just one area of the body doesn’t work. If you want to get rid or at least reduce its fat layer thickness, you need to burn fat all over your body. You can do this by committing to a clean nutrition plan and a regular exercise regimen. You also need to manage your stress level and get plenty of exercise. 

There is specific exercise that can help you melt down your muffin top. There are, however, non-invasive treatments that can reduce your fat without cuts or needles. Here at Cutis Medical Laser Clinics, we have 3 nonsurgical procedures that you can also combine with your fat loss efforts to get the body you want.

1. CoolSculpting

Using Cryolipolysis or controlled cooling technology, CoolSculpting effectively targets, freezes, and kills fat cells in different areas of the body. It exposes the fat cells to cold temperatures, which causes them to die naturally and be cleared through the lymphatic system. This means that the crystallized fat cells are gone permanently. 

Why choose CoolSculpting: 

• Features applicators of varying sizes to target different problem areas (abdomen, flanks, back, arms, thigh, chin, and smaller fats)
• Can target fat without harming the skin or other tissues
• Has virtually no downtime
• Provides natural-looking body contours
• Results can last long (as long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle)

2. ZLipo

Just like CoolSculpting, ZLipo also targets fat deposit through controlled cooling or Cryolipolysis. Fat freezing causes the destruction of fat cells, which will then be naturally metabolized by the body over a period of 10 to 12 weeks. It begins with a pulsed vacuum suctioning to further break down fat cells before cooling them.

Why choose ZLipo: 

• Its two applicators can be used simultaneously (targeting two areas at the same time and reducing overall treatment time)
• Has a strong vacuum pressure (treating more fat cells in a single session)
• Has virtually no downtime
• Treatment areas include belly, hips, waist, chest, thighs, arms, buttock, and other smaller areas of fat

Zimmer Aesthetics, the company behind ZLipo, also has other devices that can help get the figure you want. Read our previous blog and find out how Z devices can improve your fitness goals.

3. Vanquish ME

Unlike the two procedures above, Vanquish ME uses heating or radiofrequency (RF) energy to melt and kill fat cells. Heat exposure triggers apoptosis or natural cell death, which then sculpts your body and reduces fat layer thickness. The heated fat cells will be cleared naturally and processed as waste in the liver.

Why choose Vanquish ME:

• Uses contactless heating; it can treat problem areas without touching the skin
• Ideal for fat in the abdomen, thighs, arms, and flanks, including muffin top and saddlebags
• Clinically proven safe and effective (can get rid of up to 59% of excess tummy fat after failure to respond to diet and exercise)
• Does not require a specific body mass index (BMI)
• Painless and has no downtime

Take note: While these three are effective for fat reduction, they are not a treatment for weight loss. They are also not a substitute for a balanced diet and regular exercise. Learning more about these procedures or talking to an aesthetic doctor can help manage your expectations. 

Schedule a consultation today

If your muffin top or other stubborn fat bulges bother you, consider these procedures. Contact Cutis Medical Laser Clinics in Singapore today and schedule a consultation with our Harvard-trained aesthetic doctor, Dr. Sylvia Ramirez, to find out which procedure or combination of treatments is right for you.