Visceral Fat Vs. Subcutaneous Fat: Will Lipo Help Either?

Stubborn belly fat is a body feature that is usually linked to a wide array of complaints. It's uncomfortable for most patients and can generally dent their self-esteem. 

While gaining belly fat is easy, getting rid of it is a different story. It requires much patience and dedication, especially when it comes to eating right and exercising. 

All fat isn't the same, though. The two main types of fat are subcutaneous and visceral fat; these two types of fat differ significantly in their location, composition, and impact on overall health. In addition, only the former can be treated with liposuction.

Read on more to understand the difference between the two and how to remove each kind of fat.

Subcutaneous Fat: Beneath The Skin

Subcutaneous fat is located under the skin and is the adipose tissue that is visible to others. It is what makes up a muffin top, causes the inner thighs to rub, or makes your arms droop. 

This is the fat you want to rid of for aesthetic purposes. Even though excess weight is linked to health problems, subcutaneous fat is less harmful to your overall well-being than visceral fat. 

Subcutaneous fat, often sarcastically referred to as fluffy fat, tends to accumulate more easily in women than men due to hormones and is typically located on the stomach, waist, arms, legs, and back. Those who look overweight or unfit appear so due to excess subcutaneous fat. Genetically speaking, its primary purpose is to protect your bones and muscles and insulate the body.

Visceral Or Deep Fat

Visceral fat is found deep within the body, wrapping the internal organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, and stomach. 

Visceral fat is necessary to protect your organs, but too much becomes a health risk, given its association with heart problems and diabetes.

Visceral fat can also contribute to the appearance of a beer belly, given that many organs are located within the stomach region. 

This tissue is much firmer than fluffy, pinchable subcutaneous fat, and no cosmetic surgery can remove the visceral layer. Therefore, the only way to target it effectively is with a comprehensive lifestyle approach.

In addition to diet and exercise that help maintain a caloric deficit, we also recommend monitoring the types of food you consume. Sugary drinks should be avoided for the most part, and when it comes to carbs, go with more complex types like cereals, potatoes, beans, quinoa, and oatmeal. Two additional factors that researchers have determined contribute to the development of visceral fat are an unhealthy sleep pattern or too much stress, which can lead to what many informally dub a "stress belly." 

Visceral Fat Vs. Subcutaneous Fat: Can Liposuction Treat Them?

When it comes to achieving your body goals with liposuction or comparable fat removal approaches, it is critical to understand the different types of fat and which can be targeted.

As Miami-based AirSculpt cosmetic surgeon Dr. Tabasum Mir details, subcutaneous fat lies just beneath the skin and is found almost anywhere throughout the body. Due to its softer, flabbier nature, it tends to be more impactful on your appearance.

Visceral fat, by contrast, is less impactful on your appearance. This fat helps protect the innermost organs like the stomach, liver, and intestines but also is more likely to pose serious medical issues.

Due to its location above the muscle, subcutaneous fat can be seamlessly targeted and removed, all in a single permanent treatment. Dr. Mir explains that visceral fat, on the other hand, cannot be removed with any procedure.

AirSculpt®: Better Than Any Liposuction For Subcutaneous Fat

Liposuction is a fat removal procedure designed only to remove subcutaneous fat; nevertheless, given that it's a traditional medical process, it only does so with minimal finesse and often requires weeks or even months of recovery. 

Patients seeking an effective and rapid solution to stubborn fat that doesn't come with weeks of downtime may be interested in AirSculpt®. This patented fat removal method offers more precise results thanks to its advanced technology.

This body contouring technique permanently removes subcutaneous fat from any area between the chin and ankles. AirSculpt plucks individual fat cells using a mechanical device, providing surgeons with unparalleled levels of finesse compared with traditional liposuction. You can return to work within a couple of days with just a freckle-sized mark on the entry point, healing without stitches, drains, or painful lymphatic massages.

AirSculpt® procedures use no scalpels, needles, stitches, or general anesthesia. Regarding recovery, most patients return to their daily routines in less than 48 hours with a marked reduction of nuisance subcutaneous fat. Such a seamless recovery process helps you instantly kick-start the healthier lifestyle needed to address subcutaneous fat in other areas, as well as visceral fat.

Traditional liposuction results become fully apparent after about six months, while AirSculpt® gives you them almost immediately, thanks to the reduced bruising and swelling this delicate technique enables. 

At each of our 27+ body sculpting offices worldwide, we take great pride in the permanent results delivered by this advanced fat removal process. While removing fat from your body is our specialty, we ultimately focus on boosting your self-confidence and improving your overall quality of life.

If you want to learn more or speak with a qualified plastic surgeon, begin a free consultation at AirSculpt today!