Motherhood is a gift, but it comes with plenty of ups and downs. After years of putting your children and their needs first, your fitness routine has probably fallen on your list of priorities.
With aging and its associated hormonal changes, many women see shifts in fat distribution, muscle mass, and skin laxity. So even if you’re one of the lucky few moms who have still been able to prioritize putting in hours at the gym, you might not see the definition you’ve been working toward.
Noninvasive body sculpting treatments like Emsculpt NEO and EvolveX can provide just the push you need to cross the finish line and achieve your desired silhouette.
Dr. Bass and the expert aestheticians at Shea Aesthetic Clinic offer Emsculpt NEO near Knoxville to help busy moms prioritize their body goals and see lasting results.
Keep reading to learn how a body sculpting plan can reduce fat and strengthen muscle for enhanced tone and definition on your schedule. If you’re ready to start your transformation, book a consultation with the Shea Aesthetic Clinic team today.
What Causes Excess Skin and Body Fat?
Our bodies are always changing. Your clothing sizes might fluctuate, and your skin might not snap back like it used to. For some women, it’s challenging to recognize this new version of themselves in the mirror—or understand why these changes are happening at all.
Shifts in our skin laxity and body fat distribution are the natural result of factors like our genetics, hormones, and lifestyles.
Genetics
Genetics predispose many people to store additional subcutaneous fat and carry it in certain areas of the body, such as the midsection. This type of tissue sits right under the skin, forming visible cellulite or fat pockets you can pinch between your fingers.
Genetics is one of the determinants of stubborn body fat that resists any workout or weight loss efforts.
Every human needs some fat to protect the muscles, organs, and bones, and women need a higher percentage of body fat than men.
Age
Skin laxity, or loose skin, is also a natural effect of time on the body.
Proteins like collagen and elastin form the building blocks that keep our skin strong and pliable. As we get older, these fibers break down, and our bodies produce less of them. With reduced cellular renewal, skin becomes thinner and less elastic, prone to wrinkling or hanging loosely around the body rather than hugging the figure.
We also naturally produce less hyaluronic acid with age. Hyaluronic acid (HA) keeps the skin hydrated and flexible; with less available, the skin might appear drier, falling into unwanted folds.
Our muscle mass and body fat distribution also shift with age, as our metabolic rates decline and our hormones start to shift.
Many women in their 30s and 40s see new fatty tissue gather around the waistline, despite exercise and diet.
Hormones
Women experience significant hormonal changes in their 20s all the way through their 40s, a phenomenon many call “second puberty.”
In the time after menstruation and before menopause, the body has reached adulthood. During “second puberty,” your levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone can vary greatly, creating imbalances.
Fluctuating hormones affect your:
- Skin health
- Metabolism
- Body fat distribution
- Muscle mass
- Energy and mood
Some women also begin to experience the effects of perimenopause in their 30s and 40s. During perimenopause, your rising and falling estrogen and progesterone levels cause hot flashes, insomnia, mood changes, weight gain, changing cholesterol levels, and more.
Your changing hormone levels can further contribute to stubborn cellulite, unwanted loose skin, and lost muscle mass.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, your body naturally adapts to support the new life growing inside of you. Breasts swell, new fat forms to cushion your body, and the skin of the stomach stretches over the developing fetus.
After childbirth, you likely expect to return to your pre-pregnancy body. However, once the skin has stretched, it often loses its elasticity. As a result, many mothers experience excess loose skin around the abdomen and breasts, as well as lingering fat along the lower belly.
Lifestyle
External factors like UV exposure and smoking can also factor into weight gain and loose skin. Sunlight damages the collagen and elastin proteins, breaking down essential structures that keep the skin looking full and moving flexibly.
A smoking habit will accelerate the skin’s aging process, slowing its natural collagen production and drying it out. Dry, lax skin is prone to creasing, making wrinkles more pronounced.
Contrary to popular belief, smoking is not an effective method of weight management. Though nicotine can speed up metabolism, it also triggers a hormonal stress response (increased cortisol) in the body. When the body creates extra cortisol, a stress hormone, our systems hold onto the stored body fat rather than burning it.
As a result, many smokers have increased levels of visceral abdominal fat, or fat surrounding the organs.
Why Choose Nonsurgical Body Contouring?
With nonsurgical body contouring, you can combat the natural signs of aging and pregnancy. For on-the-go moms looking to reduce loose skin and fat deposits, your Shea provider might recommend an EvolveX treatment or Emsculpt NEO near Knoxville.
Our medical aestheticians can use Emsculpt NEO or EvolveX technology to help you put the finishing touches on your postpartum body and boost your fitness journey when you’re not seeing results.
Emsculpt NEO and EvolveX noninvasively shape the body and retrain the muscles without any downtime. Many women prefer this noninvasive treatment to surgery, as it requires no incisions or anesthesia.
Peer-reviewed clinical studies and publications confirm Emsculpt NEO’s efficacy in reducing fat and building muscle, with many patients seeing a 30% reduction in fat and 25% growth in muscle mass in the treatment area after the last session.
As such, this treatment style suits patients who can squeeze in multiple treatment sessions and commit to a healthy lifestyle to maintain their results.
What Does Emsculpt NEO Look Like at Shea Aesthetic Clinic?
We know that staying in shape is a challenge, even without the added responsibilities of motherhood. Our experienced providers often recommend Emsculpt NEO for patients looking to reduce body fat and further define their muscles through convenient, noninvasive treatments.
Often, a woman can receive Emsculpt NEO therapy on her abdomen 4 to 6 weeks after a cesarean section, and 6 to 12 weeks after a vaginal delivery.
If you are interested in refining your fitness results postpartum, the first step is a one-on-one consultation.
Consultation
Prior to booking you for a session of Emsculpt NEO near Knoxville, our expert Shea practitioners will schedule an initial consultation to better understand your body goals, health concerns, and any potential contraindications. Your providers will discuss potential treatment areas with you, as well as your desired results and medical history.
Treatment Areas
Using Emsculpt NEO near Knoxville, your Shea provider can target unwanted fat and lost muscle tone on areas like the:
- Abdomen
- Thighs
- Buttocks
We recommend scheduling 6 Emsculpt sessions per treatment area for optimal results. Each session takes 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the targeted area of the body. You might feel a little sore the next day, like after a good workout, but that’s all!
Emsculpt NEO Technology
The Emsculpt NEO device uses paddles to send targeted radiofrequency (RF) energy and high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) stimulation into the treatment area.
The thermal RF energy uses controlled heat to damage excess fat cells and cause them to die. The body naturally flushes these dead cells out and does not replace them.
At the same time, the HIFEM energy stimulates contractions in the underlying muscles, replicating the equivalent of thousands of crunches or squats in a single session. This tightens and tones the muscles for a more sculpted physique.
For mothers experiencing diastasis recti, or postpartum abdominal wall separation, this intense muscle activity can help strengthen the abdominal muscles and heal the damaged connective tissues.
Results
After months or years of not seeing your hard work reflected in the mirror, non-invasive treatments like Emsculpt NEO near Knoxville can bring results.
Unlike fad diets or intense workout regimens that drop weight in fast—but unsafe—ways, our Shea providers are invested in your steady progress and lasting outcomes.
Emsculpt NEO makes an excellent supplement to your fitness journey, helping to tone and firm your muscles and reduce unwanted body fat.
How Can EvolveX Empower My Weight Loss Results?
Much like Emsculpt NEO, the EvolveX Transform applicator contours the body using thermal RF energy and electrical muscle stimulation (EMS).
The RF energy heats and damages your unwanted fat cells, so they gradually dissipate. The EMS induces micro-contractions of the targeted muscles, much like those you’d experience during a traditional workout.
EvolveX Transform helps build muscle and reduce fat, addressing stubborn cellulite for a smoother appearance.
However, EvolveX differs from Emsculpt NEO, capable of treating any muscle group thanks to smaller, more targeted applicator paddles. While Emsculpt NEO can only treat large muscle groups, EvolveX can tone the biceps, love handles, thighs, calves, and more.
Support Your Lasting Wellness and Confidence
We understand it’s hard to put yourself first. But when you book Emsculpt NEO near Knoxville, you should view each session as a moment of self-care.
When you choose yourself and seek treatment with Shea, you aren’t just contouring your figure; you’re strengthening your self-confidence.
With higher muscle mass and less body fat, you can get back to doing more of what you love, like playing with your little ones, hitting the pickleball court, or walking the Greenway.
Shape Your Body Contouring Plan With Shea
It’s never too late to reclaim your body and start a new chapter with Shea Aesthetic Clinic. Embrace your body in motherhood with Emsculpt NEO near Knoxville.
Learn about additional body contouring options here in Knoxville, or add custom facial contouring treatments to complement your Emsculpt NEO sessions.
