Love Handles: What are They and How to Lose Them

If you ask people what body part they are most conscious of, many would probably say their stomach or midsection. This is especially true for those who also have love handles, which can make it a bit of a struggle to fit into pants or jeans. These pinchable fat bulges, which usually hang over the top of pants, are stubborn to lose. 

What are love handles?

Love handles refer to the extra fat bulges on both sides of your stomach or above the hips. They are sometimes referred to as muffin top, which is another term used to describe the excess fat that extends or hangs over the waistband. It got its name because it looks like the top of the muffin rising beyond its casing. 

Why do love handles occur? 

Love handles occur due to fat accumulation or retention around the waist. Consuming more calories than we burn causes the body to store excess energy (from our food) as fat. Fat can be stored in any part of the body, but it is common for both men and women to accumulate fat in the abdominal areas, hips, and waist. 

A number of factors may also affect body fat distribution and fat accumulation, which can contribute to the occurrence/development of love handles. These include:

• Hormones
• Stress and sleep deprivation
• Lack of physical activity
• Certain medical conditions (like hypothyroidism)
• High glycemic diet (rich in sugars and refined carbohydrates)

Love handles can be visible when you wear a type of clothing that is tight on the waist. This is because it pushes the excess fat over the edge or top of your waistband. 

What can help reduce love handles? 

Spot reduction isn’t possible, so there is no specific routine that can help you get rid of your love handles. Exercise, however, is still beneficial in reducing your total body fat, as well as strengthening some of your muscles, particularly around the waist. This can be a bit of a challenge and takes consistency and dedication.    

Positive lifestyle changes, along with regular exercise, can also be beneficial in minimizing your love handles. Some of the things that may help include: 

• Fill your diet with whole grains and dark leafy greens.
• Choose lean sources of protein, including fish, eggs, and white-meat poultry.
• Drink lots of water. This can help ease digestion and avoid dehydration (which may lead to fluid retention that can worsen the appearance of love handles).
• Avoid sugary foods and alcohol. Both may result in weight gain, as well as love handles. Increase your fiber and protein intake to feel fuller quickly. 
• Reduce stress to sleep better or avoid falling back into unhealthy habits. Regular exercise, yoga, mindfulness, and meditation can help ease stress. 
• Wear clothes or pants that fit your waist. Avoid those that constrict or pinch the waist, as they can only accentuate your love handles.

Are there treatments for love handles?

Here at Cutis, we have non-surgical body shaping and contouring procedures that can help reduce fat around your midsection. Do take note, however, that these are not treatments for weight loss and obesity. These procedures are suitable if you are near or within your ideal weight, but have excess fat that won’t seem to go away despite diet and exercise. 

Vanquish ME – This uses contactless heating through radiofrequency energy to melt and kill fat cells. Heat exposure triggers natural cell death, which reduces fat layer thickness and sculpts the body. Vanquish ME can get rid of up to 59% of excess belly fat after failure to respond to diet and exercise. 

The procedure is US FDA-approved for circumference reduction in the abdominal area. Vanquish can treat other areas such as the arms, thighs, love handles, and saddlebags. It is also safe, painless, and has no downtime. Learn more about this treatment and the 5 reasons to try Vanquish ME fat reduction. 

CoolSculpting – This uses Cryolipolysis or controlled cooling temperatures to target, freeze, and kill fat cells. Exposure to cold also causes the fat cells to die naturally and be cleared through the lymphatic system. CoolSculpting also has applicators of different sizes to treat different areas of the body. 

It can help reduce fat in the abdomen, flanks, back, arms, thighs, chin, and other smaller areas. CoolSculpting permanently kills fat cells, which only means that the treated fat cells won’t grow back or migrate to other areas of the body. Your lifestyle, however, still plays a major role in maintaining the results.

ZLipo – Just like CoolSculpting, ZLipo also uses Cryolipolysis to target and kill fat cells. It has 360° applicators, which are available in three different sizes (small, medium, and mini). These applicators offer an enlarged treatment area that targets more fat cells and reduces overall treatment time.

ZLipo can treat different areas, such as the abdomen, hips, waists, thighs, buttocks, arms, and chin. The natural removal of fat takes about 10 to 12 weeks, with the crystallized fat cells gone permanently and naturally removed from the body. Healthy lifestyle habits are needed to maintain the results.

ZField Dual – This isn’t exactly a fat reduction procedure. ZField Dual is a non-invasive body shaping device that uses electromagnetic pulses to help stimulate muscle contraction. It can also burn fat and stimulate two opposing sections of the muscle simultaneously. 

ZField Dual can tone the abdomen and buttocks, as well as other areas such as the arms, back, and thighs. It can help you achieve visible abs, as well as lift and firm your buttocks non-invasively. You can use it along with fat freezing or Cryolipolysis for enhanced body contouring, especially in the abdominal areas.

Schedule a consultation today

Struggling to fit in your favorite jeans or clothes because of love handles? Make positive lifestyle changes and consider non-invasive fat reduction procedures. Contact Cutis Medical Laser Clinics in Singapore today and schedule a consultation and body assessment with our aesthetic doctor to find out how we can help.