AirSculpt® Education
Exploring Subcutaneous Fat and Ways to Reduce It

Subcutaneous fat is the layer of pinchable fat that lies just below the skin. Responsible for storing energy and protecting the body, this fat is fine in moderate amounts, but too much can lead to or be a sign of health issues.
Understanding how to lose subcutaneous fat effectively requires a combination of science-backed strategies and lifestyle changes. These include a healthy diet, good sleep habits, and regular exercise.
In this article, we'll explore proven techniques for shedding those extra layers and improving your confidence and overall well-being.
What is Subcutaneous Fat?
The skin has three layers, with the subcutaneous layer the deepest one below the dermis and epidermis. It is also sometimes called fluffy fat because it can be easily pinched.
Subcutaneous fat is one of the body's two main types of fat, with the other being visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat's location just below the skin helps it serve several purposes; these include regulating body temperature, protecting interior organs from contact, and connecting the dermis, muscle, and bone structures.
The stomach, hips, thighs, and arms are the most common areas where people store this fat. The amount of subcutaneous fat you have depends on a combination of lifestyle factors like diet, stress levels, and exercise, along with less controllable factors like hormones and genetics.
What Causes Subcutaneous Fat?
A combination of factors affects how much you have. Everyone is born with subcutaneous fat, but genetics can cause someone to naturally accumulate a higher or lower amount than others at a similar body mass index (BMI).
Beyond genetics, lifestyle factors like an unhealthy diet and lack of activity can contribute to higher subcutaneous fat levels. If you constantly eat more calories than you burn daily and have a low muscle mass, you will be likelier to develop subcutaneous fat. Finally, medical conditions like diabetes or insulin resistance can cause greater amounts of subcutaneous fat.
5 Myths and Mistakes to Avoid When Losing Subcutaneous Fat
Before we discuss ways to lose subcutaneous fat, it is essential to highlight some common fat-loss misconceptions. Here are a few mistakes people often make.
Trying to Spot-Reduce Fat: Targeting fat in a particular region of the body, also known as spot reduction, is impossible. Arm workouts, for example, can help you grow muscles and tone the area, but they are not the most effective way to lose stubborn "batwing" flab. Similarly, cycling will not directly burn leg fat, although it is helpful for aerobic endurance and burning calories.
Instead of trying to lose fat in a specific area, the best way to lose subcutaneous fat is to enter a caloric deficit by eating consciously and actively burning calories. Once you maintain this deficit for enough time, fat will decrease throughout the body.
Going All-Out Instead of Being Consistent: When trying to enter a caloric deficit, exercises that burn the most calories in a given window should be favored. Cardio routines like HIIT, brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, rowing, and rucking are all great options. Traditional strength training is still essential in any workout routine, but on average, it will burn far fewer calories than cardio.
The key factor in cardio is consistency. An hour of high-intensity running will burn far more calories than cycling or light jogging. However, if the recovery demand from that interval session precludes you from training for three days, your fat-loss goals may suffer.
Those new to training are also more likely to get injured during vigorous cardio, which will also derail fat loss goals. Aim to keep most sessions easy so you can burn calories consistently without sacrificing your recovery.
Counting Calories, Not Steps: Entering and staying in a caloric deficit is the only way to lose subcutaneous fat naturally. However, not all deficits are created equal.
Eating healthy, generous portions and exercising regularly is far better than remaining sedentary while starving yourself. A 500-calorie deficit achieved by burning 3,000 calories and consuming 2,500 is far better than burning 2,000 but only eating 1,500. Exercising regularly and fueling your activity properly will also boost your metabolism and help you feel better overall. These factors can reinforce the lifestyle changes needed to shed subcutaneous fat.
Paying Little Attention to Nutrients: Besides the number of calories you consume, the type of food also matters. Although you can technically lose weight via a caloric deficit while eating unhealthy food, other aspects of your health may suffer.
Simple carbs and sugar can cause cravings that lead to excess eating while negatively affecting your body's metabolism. A diet balanced with protein, veggies, fruits, and complex carbs can boost metabolism, reduce stubborn fat, help you lose weight, and prevent other health issues.
Ignoring Rest Days, Mental Health, and Sleep: It is common for beginners to exert too much energy in the gym or ignore signs of over-exertion. Rest days are essential in any workout routine, especially for those who strength train routinely.
Chronic stress can cause the body to produce excessive amounts of cortisol, leading to weight gain and sugar cravings. Finally, insufficient sleep can also increase hunger and negatively affect overall health.
A Comprehensive Guide to Losing Subcutaneous Fat
Your key focus should be entering a caloric deficit with nutritious eating and regular activity. Healthy lifestyle choices and specific cosmetic fat removal procedures can help your fat-loss journey.
Diet
To achieve a caloric deficit, you must constantly monitor how much food you eat. Do not simply try to starve yourself with a crash diet. Instead, track your calories to maintain a steady deficit that still provides you enough energy to function daily.
Prioritize lean proteins, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, avocadoes, and macadamia nuts. By eating a balanced diet that also helps you enter a minor caloric deficit, you will enjoy the fat-loss benefits of exercise to the fullest extent while also improving your metabolism.
Make sure you aim to maintain a slight caloric deficit of around 200 to 400 calories per day instead, repeated for weeks, instead of trying to lose weight rapidly. Doing so will set you up for sustainable, long-term results and keep you healthier overall.
Stacking up consistent small wins is much more effective than trying to embark on a rapid fat-loss journey. One way to track and notice gradual body composition progress over time is by using a smart scale. Also, don't be afraid to take photos in the mirror to compare and validate your hard work visually.
Exercise
Any exercise that increases your heart rate and burns calories will help you lose fat. Aerobic activities, cardio, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) are efficient ways to burn calories quickly. However, as noted above, ensure you do not train in a manner that can get you injured or unsustainably increase recovery demand.
A recent study concluded that two to three hours of moderate aerobic activity are associated with clinically important reductions in waist circumference and measures of body fat. To avoid burnout or injury, keep about 80 percent of your activity at a lower intensity. This means doing steady-state cycling, jogging, easy rowing, or controlled swimming. Also, try to weave in one higher-intensity session weekly if physically possible.
Although it does not burn as many calories as cardio, strength training is a great way to build muscle while raising your heart rate. Increasing muscle mass with strength training can also improve your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which means your body will naturally burn more fat. Work with a professional trainer to determine the best workout plan for your body and specific fat-loss goals. Also, pay attention to hydration, which can reduce appetite and curb unnecessary snacking.
Lifestyle Choices
Sleeping for seven to eight hours reduces hunger and aids post-workout recovery, making it easier to maintain a calorie deficit. Sleeping well and reducing stress can also lower cortisol, which causes your body to store excess fat.
Cosmetic Fat Removal
Losing subcutaneous fat in a specific body part is impossible. Once in a caloric deficit, you will notice fat begins to subside throughout the body in ways determined by your genetics. Unfortunately, many people already have a healthy BMI and lifestyle habits yet still struggle to reduce stubborn fat in certain areas.
If you want to lose fat in a particular area, a cosmetic fat removal procedure like liposuction is likely the only treatment option.
How is Subcutaneous Fat Different From Visceral Fat?
Subcutaneous fat lies just beneath the skin, while visceral fat is located deep within the body and is less impactful on your appearance. This type of belly fat helps protect the innermost organs, like the stomach, liver, and intestines.
Having a high level of subcutaneous fat is often correlated with higher amounts of visceral fat, but this is not always the case. Weight loss can help reduce both types of fat.
Unlike visceral fat, which wraps around your organs and poses serious health risks, subcutaneous fat acts as a protective layer and energy reserve. While it's essential for bodily functions, an excess can lead to health issues and hinder your fitness goals.
Is Subcutaneous Fat Harder to Lose?
For those wondering how to get rid of subcutaneous fat, it unfortunately tends to be harder to lose. If you are just starting to lose weight, the body will prioritize metabolizing visceral fat. Its location near the abdominal cavity and other organs makes it more influenced by hormones.
Some people might feel discouraged by the lack of visible change when losing visceral fat. However, the health benefits are much greater than losing subcutaneous fat.
Furthermore, subcutaneous fat is less metabolically active, so it is slower to burn than visceral fat. Visceral fat can quickly develop due to acute triggers like the stress hormone cortisol or a sudden change to one's sleep schedule. On the other hand, subcutaneous fat is influenced by longer-term factors like diet and exercise.
As noted above, subcutaneous fat cannot be spot-targeted, meaning we cannot decide where fat will be lost during a particular exercise. This fact makes it harder to lose fat in specific areas of the body. However, hormones and genetics still play a big role.
Is Subcutaneous Fat Bad For You?
Subcutaneous fat serves many purposes, so its presence is not dangerous in itself. However, having too much of it can be a sign or result of severe medical conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, joint problems, and obesity.
What is a Healthy Amount of Subcutaneous Fat?
Because subcutaneous fat comprises most of anyone's body fat, it is not too useful to measure it alone. Instead, measuring your body fat percentage or determining if you are overweight are helpful steps to evaluate your overall health.
Body mass index (BMI) represents the ratio of your weight to your height and can be broken into three categories:
- Average weight: BMI of 18.5 to 24.9
- Overweight: BMI of 25 to 29.9
- Obese: BMI of 30 or higher
You can also measure your waist circumference to gauge your overall risk for health issues and excess subcutaneous fat. Women at a healthy weight usually have a waist size below 35 inches, and men below 40 inches.
Finally, your waist-to-height ratio, which measures your waist circumference divided by height, can provide insight into whether you have too much subcutaneous fat. A ratio below 0.5 is generally associated with a lower chance of health risks and weight-related issues.
The AirSculpt® Innovation For Removing Subcutaneous Fat
Fat removal treatments like liposuction can target subcutaneous fat in specific areas, but this option involves weeks of downtime and usually requires general anesthesia. Advanced, minimally invasive treatments like AirSculpt® also offer liposuction-like results without the full-on surgical elements. No needles, scalpels, stitches, or general anesthesia are used as fat cells are removed for good.
Patented AirSculpt® technology vibrates back and forth rapidly, enabling surgeons to physically pluck fat cells one by one with heightened precision. The entry points made are less than two millimeters wide, meaning patients avoid large liposuction scars. Whether it's a small pocket of diet-resistant underarm fat or the entire stomach and back region, subcutaneous fat can be targeted anywhere between the chin and ankles.
Downtime after AirSculpt lasts 24 to 48 hours on average, and because fat cells do not regenerate, results are permanent. Patients commonly feel motivated to start new exercise routines and maintain a healthy weight right away after AirSculpt®.
We should note that the treated area can expand if you gain weight after any fat removal procedure. Still, new proportions will tend to be preserved as untreated areas grow more quickly than treated ones.
If you're interested in learning more about this innovative approach to subcutaneous fat removal, contact the AirSculpt® office closest to you to conveniently book a free consultation with a dedicated surgeon.
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