Can You Combine Fat Reduction and Skin Tightening Treatments?

Reducing stubborn pockets of fat can make a noticeable difference in your contours, but fat isn't always the only thing standing between you and the shape you'd like to see. Skin laxity can also contribute to areas that look less firm or defined, which is why combining nonsurgical fat reduction with skin tightening can be beneficial for some patients. At The Secret Orchid in Hillsborough Township, NJ, board-certified physician Carolyn DeLucia, M.D., FACOG, offers body contouring options including CoolSculpting® and EMSCULPT®, along with Accent Prime™ RF skin tightening, to address different aspects of a patient's concerns.

Depending on your anatomy and goals, pairing complementary body sculpting and tightening treatments may help reduce unwanted fat while creating a firmer, more contoured overall appearance. Read on to see how fat reduction and skin tightening can work together and when a combination approach may make sense.

What’s the difference between fat reduction vs. skin tightening?

Nonsurgical fat reduction and RF skin tightening target different components of your contours. CoolSculpting uses controlled cooling to reduce pockets of unwanted fat, while EMSCULPT uses electromagnetic energy to stimulate powerful muscle contractions, and can help reduce fat while building and defining muscle. Accent Prime RF skin tightening focuses on skin laxity instead, using radiofrequency (RF) energy to heat tissues and stimulate collagen remodeling for firmer-looking skin.

Because these treatments have different targets, choosing between them depends on what's contributing to the area you'd like to improve. When unwanted fat and loose skin occur together, combining approaches may provide a more complete solution.

Should I get fat reduction or skin tightening first?

There isn't one treatment order that's right for everyone. In many cases, it makes sense to address unwanted fat first and then evaluate how the skin looks as the body's contours change. For other patients, treatments may be incorporated into the same overall nonsurgical body contouring treatment plan on a schedule selected by Dr. DeLucia. The best sequence can depend on which technologies you're using, the area being treated, how much fat or laxity is present, and your goals. Your plan may also need to account for the time it takes for changes from nonsurgical fat reduction to develop before your new contours can be assessed.

What areas can be treated with combined nonsurgical body contouring?

Combination nonsurgical body contouring can be useful for areas where stubborn fat, reduced muscle definition, and skin laxity affect the overall shape. The exact areas that can be treated depend on the technology being used and whether you're an appropriate candidate for each procedure. Depending on your needs, treatment areas for nonsurgical body contouring may include:

• Abdomen
• Flanks
• Thighs
• Upper arms
• Back
• Under the chin

Rather than automatically using multiple treatments on every area, Dr. DeLucia can identify what is actually contributing to your concern and select the technology or combination that makes sense for that part of the body.

What results can you expect from combining fat reduction with skin tightening?

Combining EMSCULPT treatments or CoolSculpting and skin tightening treatments can help create smoother, firmer, better-defined contours when both excess fat and lax skin are present. Changes develop gradually as treated fat cells are cleared by the body, and collagen remodeling takes place, so results become more apparent over time rather than immediately after an appointment. Depending on the treatment plan, improved muscle tone from EMSCULPT may provide additional definition.

Nonsurgical body contouring is designed for targeted improvements rather than dramatic weight loss or removal of significant amounts of loose skin, so having realistic expectations about the degree of change is important. Still, many men and women achieve a striking transformation of more visible muscle definition, loss of inches, slimmer contours, and a firmer overall physique that leaves them looking and feeling better than ever.

Combine fat reduction and skin tightening for more comprehensive body contouring in Hillsborough Township, NJ

If stubborn fat or loose skin is keeping you from achieving the contours you want, addressing both concerns can create a more balanced result in a shorter timeframe. At The Secret Orchid, board-certified physician Dr. Carolyn DeLucia offers CoolSculpting, EMSCULPT, Accent Prime RF skin tightening, and personalized combination body contouring in Hillsborough Township, NJ. Contact our team to schedule a consultation and explore which nonsurgical body contouring treatments may best match your body and goals.