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Body Contouring

Stubborn Fat & Body Contouring in Burnaby

Target the pocket diet and exercise miss.

Stubborn fat is a localized pocket, often on the belly, flanks or thighs, that stays even when weight is stable. Genetics, hormones and age shape where fat sits. At Skin Art MD in Burnaby, BC, CoolSculpting fat freezing or ONDA PRO microwave contouring can reduce a pocket and EMSculpt tones muscle; none of them is weight loss, and a physician assesses first.

Spot Treatment
Targets a pinchable pocket, not total weight
2–3 Mo
Typical time to the fuller fat-freezing change
Same Day
Most people resume normal activities
Self-Check

Is This Your Struggle?

Stubborn fat isn't about willpower—it's often genetic. Check if these sound familiar:

If you recognize two or more of these and are close to a comfortable weight, you may be a candidate for non-surgical fat reduction. An assessment will confirm.

The Science

Why Does Stubborn Fat Stay Put?

Not all body fat behaves the same way. Where it sits and how it responds to diet depends on genetics, hormones and age.

1

Genetic Fat Distribution

Your genes help decide where fat is stored. Some people carry it on the belly, others on the hips and thighs, and exercise does not change that pattern much.

2

Fat Cells Shrink, Not Vanish

With diet, existing fat cells get smaller but the number stays largely the same in adults, which is why a pocket can persist at a stable weight.

3

Muscle and Skin Matter Too

How a body looks also depends on the muscle beneath and the skin over it. Reducing fat on loose skin may leave laxity, which is why tightening is sometimes added.

4

Hormones

Hormones such as estrogen and cortisol influence where fat accumulates, and changes with age, stress or menopause can shift fat toward the abdomen.

Our Solutions

How Is Stubborn Fat Treated at Skin Art MD?

Physician-led, non-surgical options that reduce a fat pocket, tone the muscle beneath it, or tighten skin afterwards.

Three questions: how much fat, how strong is the muscle, and how elastic is the skin? The plan follows from the answers.

1Fat Reduction Technologies

CoolSculpting® Elite

Controlled Fat Freezing

Fat freezing

Controlled cooling damages fat cells in the treated pocket, and the body clears them over the following weeks to months. It is not a weight-loss treatment.

For:Pinchable fat on abdomen, flanks, thighs, arms, back.
Learn More

EMSculpt®

Muscle Toning

Muscle toning

High-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) energy causes strong, repeated muscle contractions while you lie still, which can strengthen and tone the muscle under the treated area. It tones muscle; it is not a fat-freezing or weight-loss treatment.

For:People who want to tone muscle and improve definition.
Learn More

2Complementary Treatments

Emsella®

Electromagnetic stimulation of the pelvic floor muscles. Sometimes combined with Emsculpt as part of a core and body plan.

Learn More

Thermage® Body

Radiofrequency skin tightening that may help when skin looks loose after fat reduction.

Learn More
Why Us

How We Approach Body Contouring

MD
Physician-led
3
Languages: EN · 中文 · 粤语
Metrotown
Burnaby clinic
1

Treatment Planning

Applicator placement and the number of sessions are planned around your fat distribution, rather than using a fixed package.

2

Realistic Expectations

We are honest about what non-surgical fat reduction can and cannot do. It is body contouring for people already near their goal weight, not a weight-loss treatment.

3

Customized Protocols

A physician designs multi-treatment plans around your anatomy, lifestyle and goals.

4

Anatomy-Guided Planning

We adjust treatment sequencing to your body shape for a natural, balanced result.

Stubborn Fat FAQ

Common Questions

Liposuction is surgery that removes fat. CoolSculpting is non-invasive: controlled cooling damages fat cells in a pocket and the body clears them over weeks to months. Changes are more gradual and modest than surgery, with little recovery time.
No. These are not weight-loss treatments, and the scale may barely move; what changes is the shape of a treated area. People close to a comfortable weight are the usual candidates. If losing weight is your main goal, start with your family doctor, because the cause and options depend on your health.
Fat cells cleared by treatment are generally not replaced in that spot, but remaining fat cells can still grow if you gain weight, and fat can appear elsewhere. A stable weight and healthy habits help protect results.
Fat freezing involves strong cold and suction at first, which fades as the area goes numb, and some tenderness or numbness can follow. EMSculpt feels like intense muscle contractions. Most people find both tolerable.
Fat-freezing changes appear gradually: first changes may show from about 3–4 weeks, and the fuller change is usually seen around 2–3 months. Many people plan 1–2 sessions per area. EMSculpt is usually a course of 4 sessions of about 30 minutes, a few days apart. Your plan depends on the area and your goals.
Fat freezing is not suitable with certain cold-related conditions, such as cryoglobulinemia, cold agglutinin disease or paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, or during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and it is not for weight loss. A hernia in the area also matters. EMSculpt is not used with a pacemaker or metal implants near the area. We review your history first.
Temporary redness, swelling, bruising, numbness or tenderness are common and usually settle on their own. A rare side effect of fat freezing, paradoxical adipose hyperplasia, makes the treated fat gradually larger and firmer instead of smaller, and may need surgery to correct. A physician goes through the risks before treatment.
Many people wait until their family is complete, because pregnancy changes abdominal muscles and fat distribution and may affect results. Talk it through at consultation.
It depends on what shapes the area. CoolSculpting suits a soft, pinchable pocket of fat. ONDA PRO uses microwave heat on fat and the fibrous tissue linked to cellulite, with a handpiece that moves over the skin. EMSculpt tones the muscle underneath rather than targeting fat, and loose skin may call for tightening instead. The physician recommends an option for each area at assessment.
Not usually when skin tone is good, because the change is gradual and modest. If the skin in an area is already loose, removing fat may make the looseness more noticeable, which is why significant laxity is a reason to plan differently. Skin tightening, such as Thermage Body, may be combined with fat reduction or suggested instead.
Each cooling cycle lasts about 35–60 minutes, and the area usually feels numb within 5–10 minutes. The total visit depends on how many areas are planned. You can read, use your phone or rest during the cycle, and most people return to normal activities straight after.
No special diet is required, but your usual eating and activity habits matter. Treated fat cells are removed by the body over the following weeks and months, and the result tends to hold while your weight stays stable. Weight gain lets remaining fat cells grow, both in the treated area and elsewhere. Staying hydrated and active supports recovery.

Ready to Contour Your Silhouette?

Book a body assessment with our team to review your fat pockets, muscle tone and skin, and plan treatment.

Book Body Consultation+1 (604) 639-2581

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