How to reduce Saddlebag Fat, Outer Thigh Fat

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Saddlebags often prevent your ability to maintain a slim, sculpted appearance on your thighs. Many men and women may wind up accumulating extra fat around their upper thighs.

If you have extra fat deposits on your outer thighs, we provide a selection of procedures to help reduce saddlebag fat.

What are saddlebags?

Saddlebags is a slang term given to excess fat that develops across the outer thighs where the hamstring and gluteal muscles meet. The name comes from the bulky saddlebags used when horse riding. They can cause the patient’s thighs to look out of shape and unbalanced.

Women naturally tend to accumulate fat in this area of their body so it is a very common area that we are asked about in clinic.

Saddlebag fat is notoriously hard to target and shift with diet and exercise alone. They are adipocyte fat cells which have low metabolic activity and can take a great deal of time to reduce.

What causes saddlebags?

Saddlebags are caused by excess fat, and they are more common in women as they have a larger pelvis. Often women with healthy lifestyles can still struggle with the appearance of saddlebags as women are predisposed to a greater accumulation of fat in this area.

Other key attributes include;

Muscle Atrophy – When your muscles are underused and underactive, this can cause them to lose their shape and sag resulting in the development of saddlebags.
Genetics – Genetics can play a big role in how our bodies are predisposed to store fat, it is likely that if other family members have saddlebags, then you are likely to have them too.
Hormonal Imbalance – Hormonal fluctuations and imbalances can increase the likelihood of developing saddlebags. Excess oestrogen/estrogen in particular can lead to weight gain in the bottom and thighs.

How to get rid of saddlebags

Reducing outer thigh fat can help to make you appear more in proportion to the rest of your body. Fat reduction of the thighs can also make finding clothing that fits well easier.

Whilst diet and exercise are a great way to reduce fat, to reduce saddlebag fat quickly, additional treatments such as fat freezing can help to achieve some amazing results.

CoolSculpting for Saddlebags

One of the most popular non-surgical methods for eliminating fat cells without surgery is CoolSculpting, also known as fat freezing.

A typical CoolSculpting treatment takes as little as 30 minutes to complete per cycle. It uses controlled cooling to break down fat cells and remove them from the body.

There is little to no downtime required from CoolSculpting treatment and patients are able to return to their usual activities, including exercise and work instantly.

Results from CoolSculpting can be seen within 8-12 weeks and the treated fat cells are permanently destroyed for long-lasting results.

Inner & Outer Thigh, 6 treatment cycles over 2 sessions.

Outer Thigh (one side treated), 1 treatment cycle

See more CoolSculpting treatment before and after photos

Saddlebag Liposuction

Liposuction is a very effective treatment for saddlebag fat. We offer a variety of liposuction techniques at The Private Clinic and in most cases, saddlebags can be efficiently treated with micro lipo or vaser liposuction.

Vaser and Micro Lipo are not as invasive as traditional liposuction and both procedures do not require general anaesthetic or an overnight stay.

The difference between Vaser Liposuction and Micro Liposuction is the size of the cannula that is used to remove the fat. For smaller areas, micro lipo is preferred and smaller cannulas are used but for slightly larger areas Vaser lipo may be recommended to ensure the best results.

Once the procedure is complete, bandaging will be applied to the incisions and compression clothing will be put on which patients are required to wear for 6 weeks.

Most patients can return to work and exercise within a week.

Results can be seen from 6 weeks but final results are best seen at 6-12 months post-procedure.

Vaser Liposuction, Inner & Outer Thighs, 8 weeks post-procedure

See more Vaser Liposuction before and after photos

Micro Lipo, Outer Thighs, 3 months post-procedure

See more Micro Lipo before and after photos

Maintaining your results

The ideal patient for saddlebag reduction treatment is someone who is already leading a fit and healthy lifestyle, they should have already seen some reduction of fat in this area but are looking for something to reduce it quicker.

Reducing your calorie intake is a long-term guarantee that you will maintain your results. It will help to regulate weight across all areas of your body, not just your outer thighs.

You should also combine calorie-burning cardiovascular activities like running to help burn through the calories. Body weight exercise and resistance training will also help to build gluteal and hamstring muscle mass which will help to tighten and sculpt the thighs.

Exercises like squats, lunges, hip extensions/raises, and fire hydrants are ideal, also pilates, yoga and HIIT training will help for overall body health.

Why choose The Private Clinic?

Selecting the best clinic for fat reduction, or body sculpting treatment, is an important choice that will affect the appearance of your body and your well-being. There are several reasons why The Private Clinic is unique among leaders in the industry.

Expert advice

The Private Clinic has been in the cosmetic surgery industry for over 40 years. We have leading surgeons and practitioners with decades of experience performing successful body contouring treatments and procedures. Our team of experts create individualised treatment plans with a profound awareness of anatomical and cosmetic details to produce exceptional outcomes that are customised just for you.

Outstanding care

All patients will receive a high level of dedicated care with their expert surgeon, technician and nursing team before, during and long after every procedure. Our aftercare promise means we are always contactable with a 24-hour helpline to ensure you are always in the best of hands.

Patient Satisfaction

We have one of the highest TrustPilot 5-star ratings due to our focus on patient care and quality results. 98% of our patients would recommend us to their friends and family.

Book a consultation

Get the results you want with our saddlebag fat reduction specialists, get in touch to find out more about how we can help by calling 0333 920 2471 or using our online contact form.