If you're struggling to lose weight, you may notice that your belly stayed soft and round even after you reached your target weight. For many men and women, liposuction can help smooth out that stubborn belly fat. But why don't exercise and diet seem to work? What is it that makes belly fat so hard to get rid of for good?

The Two Fats

The body stores two different kinds of fat: subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous fat lives just below the skin; this is the type of fat that's removed through liposuction. Visceral fat develops far deeper down, around the organs of the body. When it comes to a round belly, visceral fat is often to blame.

The only way to help reduce visceral fat deposits is through good old-fashioned diet and exercise, making sure to burn off more calories than you consume. Yet, although this can make a major difference in your appearance, you may notice that even exercises that are specifically targeted to slim down the belly only work up to a point.

Belly Building Blocks

There are other forces at work for building up belly fat besides your lack of an exercise routine. What you're eating, not just how much of it, is also a contributor to belly fat. "Beer belly" isn't just a catchphrase; there's some truth to the fact that alcohol particularly contributes to belly fat. Alcohol is high in sugar content, so it goes straight to the waistline. The body needs to process alcohol before it burns off other fat, so when a lot of alcohol is consumed, belly fat deposits build up pretty quickly. Cutting back on drinks before dinner and evenings at the bar can make a big difference in slimming down your tummy.

Age and hormonal changes are also major contributors to a thicker waistline. In both men and women, muscle tone becomes harder to maintain with age, so even your regular exercise regimen starts burning fewer calories, leading to increased weight gain around the midsection. Changing testosterone levels in men and estrogen levels in women, both a common component of aging, can also manifest in weight gain around the abdomen.

How Lipo Helps

Through liposuction, men and women in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area can achieve the body sculpting results that frustrating belly fat has prevented for so long. Although liposuction is not an alternative for weight loss, this procedure can be used to tone the waist and abdomen by permanently removing subcutaneous fat cells in the belly and love handles.

First, tiny incisions are made near the target area. Next, the fat cells are broken apart using either an injection of saline fluid (tumescent liposuction) or by using ultrasound energy (ultrasonic-assisted liposuction). Then, a tiny hollow tube known as a cannula is used to remove the fat from the body permanently.

In some cases, a prominent belly paunch may be caused by lax abdominal muscles. This can occur as a result of pregnancy, major weight gain, or just as a result of the natural changes that happen as the body ages. A tummy tuck will restructure the abdominal muscles, providing a firm, taut framework for your belly; liposuction can be included for additional fine-tuning.

If diet and exercise alone haven't been able to deliver the body you want, it might be time to consider cosmetic surgery. Those fat deposits that simply aren't melting away despite all your efforts can finally be eliminated through liposuction, while a tummy tuck can correct any structural issues that may be contributing to a belly that's a little bigger than you'd like.