The rise (and fall) of the muffin top

The rise

They might not admit it exactly, but Aussies brought the rest of the world the “muffin top." The Oz sitcom "Kath and Kim" is cited as the source of the term that now refers to the roll of fat that overflows out of the top of low-cut or too-tight jeans (and recently, shoe overflow!)

Many years later, muffin top is climbing the charts for Google trends, with oddly, Boston named the leading city for “muffin top” searches.

Just about every celebrity gossip blog has poked fun at a celebrity muffin top, regardless of gender (here they claim a Zac Efron roll, but we don’t see it) and even when the star looks stunning (like J. Lo at the Golden Globes.)

The fall

The cute-quotient of the name “muffin top” has done little to comfort millions of women who have one. Just as quickly as we giggled about it, we fell out of love with the idea of driving around life with what the male half might call a spare tire.

When diet and exercise fail to conquer the waistline bulge, some turn to cosmetic surgery. Common muffy treatments discussed in the RealSelf.com community are liposuction, tummy tuck, and SmartLipo. 

These procedures tend to be expensive, and aren't always worth it. On RealSelf a member named Morena liked her $3,000 liposuction results as did Amadel, who declared her $13,000 tummy tuck a solution to a post-pregnancy muffin top.  But complications can happen during surgery, including this botched smartlipo which turned into a "nightmare". 

Surgical alternatives are not necessarily the path to fewer complications and higher satisfaction.  Dozens of women have complained loudly about their lipodissolve nonsurgical "fat-melting" treatments that led to unexpected side effects and poor results. The takeaway: For the safety of your health (and wallet), stay away from anyone promising a lunchtime lipo or an easy way to melt fat. 

Tummy tuck, or liposuction?

If considering plastic surgery, the decision between tummy tuck or lipo is usually based upon the relative laxity of your skin. Women who've had pregnancies and C-sections often experience weakening of the abdominal wall. It the problem is related to loose skin, a plastic surgeon isn't likely to recommend liposuction. Instead, they could suggest an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).  A tummy tuck strengthens your abdominal wall and allows for removal of loose skin.

More on RealSelf

• Thermage melts a muffin top on The Doctors
• Bra-llelujah keeps back fat hidden
• Hot Yoga after lipo on "muffin top"?
• Muffin top before and afters: back lipo, tummy lipo, 8 lbs removed by lipo, body contouring 

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