11 Feb 2026
A desire for a longer, leaner appearance to the mid-section is probably the number one reason why a patient comes in to see me to discuss body contouring. A problem for both men and women of all ages, excess pockets of fat in the abdomen can even be an issue for patients who are extremely fit. The thing about fat is that it doesn’t take a lot to cause a problem. A very small amount in the wrong place has the power to disrupt your ideal proportion. Surgical liposuction is the gold standard for eliminating fat. However, many patients want to know: “Are there non-surgical options for reducing belly fat?”. SculpSure® and Coolsculpting® are two such options. But for either to be effective, patient selection is critical. This is why my first piece of advice is that you schedule an in-person consultation with a BoardCertified Plastic Surgeon, such as myself, who specializes in all areas of body contouring.
Body Contouring Consultation in Boston
For a procedure to be effective, it must be the right one for your anatomy, needs and lifestyle. The internet has allowed patients to research various treatment options in the privacy of their own home. This has had a profound and mostly positive effect on my industry as a whole. The only downside is that oftentimes a patient believes that X procedure is going to get the job done when it actually won’t. This can be a particular problem when it comes to a non-surgical versus surgical option. It is human nature to want to avoid surgery. But just because a non-surgical option exists does not mean that you will get the same result as your favorite influencer.
During our meeting, I will listen to what bothers you about your body. We will discuss in detail your medical history, family history, lifestyle, prior procedures and how your body responded. I will then conduct a thorough physical exam to assess:
• Skin tone & texture
• Areas and degree of excess fat
• Muscle laxity, if any
• Amount of sagging skin
• Type of fat - visceral or subcutaneous
Visceral vs. Subcutaneous Fat
Most people, even those who’ve done their due diligence on social media, do not realize that there are two types of fat in the body. The first is visceral fat which is located deep in the tissues and wraps around your organs. This is the type of fat that can adversely affect your overall health. Furthermore, the only way to reduce visceral fat is with changes in your diet and exercise routine and not by way of surgical or non-surgical procedures. The second type of fat, subcutaneous fat, is the one that can be addressed with a body contouring procedure such as:
• Liposuction
• SculpSure®
• Coolsculpting®
Assuming that your problem fat is treatable with body contouring, the next question is whether or not a non-surgical approach will deliver what you desire.
Ideal Candidate for Non-Surgical Belly Fat Removal
The ideal candidate for a non-surgical fat reduction technique is any man or woman in good overall health who is within 10 pounds of a maintainable goal weight. Both SculpSure® and Coolsculpting® can reduce small pockets of stubborn fat. Neither is a weight loss technique. The best candidate should have good skin elasticity so that your skin and tissues can re-form over your new slimmer contour. In patients with a mild amount of skin laxity, I will typically combine your non-surgical fat reduction procedure with Renuvion® to help tighten the skin. Keep in mind, however, that a non-surgical approach cannot address loose abdominal muscles. Another factor to consider is that with any non-surgical fat reduction procedure, your end result is going to require multiple treatments, spaced about 8 weeks apart. This will not only require patience on your part, but the cost could wind up being the same as liposuction.
To find out more about SculpSure®, liposuction, or any other surgical or nonsurgical procedure with Dr. Sean Doherty or his team at his Boston or Chestnut Hills office, contact us today or call (617) 450-0070 to schedule a consultation.
