TikTok fads and other quick “fixes” to get a flat stomach

Chances are you’ve caught yourself in a mirror lately and wondered when the tummy showed up. While a smaller waist and flat stomach are considered by many to be the Holy Grail of fitness and photo ops, it can take years of workouts to achieve. But there is an easier, permanent solution.

Dr Ivan Puah, Medical Director of Amaris B. Clinic, says he is sensitive towards women’s love-hate relationship with their tummies. The cradle where children were created also leaves physical signs of the experience behind – excess belly fat. We might love our bodies unconditionally, but we also want to feel uplifted and confident looking in a mirror, and that’s hard when the muffin top is staring back at us.

A flat stomach may be what women aspire to, yet the road is long and tricked out with all fads.

There’s shapewear and waist trainers, for starters – this new take on the corset or girdle was a supposed waist trainer that some of us believed would whip us into shape. Others have fallen for home fat-burning tights or fat-burning machines, or we’ve googled “how to get a flat tummy” and found fat freezing and gone down many other rabbit holes.

But let’s unpack some home truths. Shapewear was great for that cocktail dress you were dying to plaster on, but it doesn’t let you breathe, and the experience can be punishing. In fact, long-term use of waist trainers and corsets can cause organ and bone damage and weaken core muscles. The Kardashians’ waists are a lie!

Yes, the fat-burner tights you see on TikTok make you sweat. However, they won’t help you lose inches or squeeze out a fat tummy.

Fat-burning machines haven’t shown any scientifically-proven results and can eat up lots of dollars in multiple sessions.

Some people who have tried non-surgical fat removal, such as fat freezing or cryolipolysis, may see some fat reduction results. However, it can also have the opposite effect and result in the development of paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH) – or the stick-of-butter effect. PAH is a condition where the area that has undergone fat freezing does not reduce in size; instead, the treated area hardens into a lump that continues to swell and enlarge, causing pain and soreness. Once PAH develops, the effect is permanent, and it will require corrective surgery to remove it.

A scientific and permanent way to get rid of belly fat and tighten loose skin

Vaser Liposuction is a more scientific and proven method to eliminate belly fat successfully. It is advanced ultrasonic-assisted liposuction and is less invasive than traditional liposuction. Dr Puah, an accredited liposuction doctor and Chairman of the Lipo Peer Review Committee Singapore with over 15 years of liposuction experience, has encountered many new mummies who have trouble losing postpartum fat on the tummy and waist.

“Many mums are extremely concerned with the excess abdomen fat and love handles, loose skin and caesarean scars,” he says. “In such cases, I will assess the degree of skin laxity, the amount of fat present, and the scar condition. I will then propose a tailored body contouring approach for them.”

To successfully and effectively treat the abdomen and waist, Dr Puah will perform a comprehensive 360-degree fat removal and sculpting on these troubled zones with his proprietary approach, the MDC-Lipo Sculpt technique.

He first utilises ultrasound wave energy to break down the stubborn fat tissues and carry out “fat-melting.” Next, he uses his customised body-contouring cannulas and MDC Lipo Sculpt technique to remove the liquefied fat, followed by precise sculpting to create a natural and shapely contour while tightening loose skin and correcting pre-existing caesarean scarring issues.

Post-surgery, Dr Puah and his team will closely monitor and keep track of your progress. You must wear a compression garment for four to six weeks to assist with post-surgery swelling and skin retraction.

To further optimise your results, Amaris B. has curated a bespoke aftercare program designed to help you with the healing process. This includes treatments such as manual lymphatic drainage massages, skin firming, and many others.