Dr. Park Ji-Youn: Are Korean slimming treatments long term solutions?

Koreans are widely thought of to be slim and fit, thanks to the advent of picture-perfect K-pop celebs like BTS, Exo, Jun Ji-Hyun, BLACKPINK, and countless others. The truth of this general notion has caused many of my clients to curiously ask me, “Is there a secret Korean weight loss diet I should know about?”

After all, it’s not just glammed up idols who are slim and svelte: Statistics¹ show that among the top 10 slimmest countries in the world, Japan and South Korea, which rank at #7 and #9 respectively, are the only two developed nations on that list. Additionally, less than 5% of the South Korean and Japanese population are overweight. 

In my opinion, the simple secret to weight loss is a calorie-deficit diet, and sufficient exercise. The science is simple: Weight loss is all about whether you burn more calories than you take in.

But sometimes, even with the most disciplined of regimens, some of my clients find it near impossible to shed impossibly stubborn fat - think those nagging love handles and double chins. This is where slimming treatments come in—but as a complementary remedy, and not as a be-all and end-all solution.

What are the best fat removal treatments in Singapore?

With the endless myriad of slimming treatment options available today, which one would work best on you? Let’s look at a few of them:

At Ozhean Zoey, our top pick is FreezeMax. Here’s why.

FreezeMax is our proprietary slimming program designed to help our clients achieve maximal fat loss.

How so?

Well, fat loss is firstly a time consuming process that requires trial and error; it takes some experimenting to find out what really works for you. We’ve eliminated this tedious process by narrowing down 4 treatments (Cristal Pro, Radiofrequency, Agnes Melt, Kybella Injections) that’s been clinically proven to work. They each come with their unique selling points, but work synergistically to produce the best results. For example, with Cristal Pro you can reduce up to 30% of fat cells - but sometimes fat loss results in saggy skin so that’s where the skin tightening effects of radiofrequency comes in. 

Second, at Ozhean, we prioritise patient safety over anything else. 

There are many slimming centres out there that claim to yield immediate results - this is not only dangerous but highly unrealistic. As a doctor, I can assure you that any immediate results are usually due to water loss and not actual fat loss. You should always make sure the procedure is clinically backed with a high success rate and safety profile. 

After years of research with my team at Ozhean, I’m proud to say that our FreezeMax program: 

• Is painless
• Carries no risks of infection
• Permanently flushes damaged fat cells out of your body
• Does not affect your blood vessels, nerves, and muscles
• Can treat multiple parts of the body in one session
• Is suitable for clients of all ages

If you would like to have a more informative chat about our slimming program with one of the friendly professionals in our team, feel free to contact us.

What can I do at home to supplement my slimming treatments?

As mentioned earlier, slimming treatments should complement your fat loss efforts. The ideal patient is someone who already has a sound diet and exercise regime. 

Here are some scientifically-backed tips my patients in Korea and Singapore have found to help them accelerate and/or maintain results: 

• Consistently track your diet and exercise. If you want to lose weight, you need to be tracking what you eat, and logging down your physical activities. A study² confirms that health tracking is associated with weight loss.
• Mindful eating. Eating mindfully is proven³ to help break highly ingrained patterns, decrease emotional reactivity, increase distress tolerance, and build self-acceptance in individuals. 
• Cut back on sugar and refined carbohydrates. Consuming food and drink with high levels of sugar is famously linked to obesity. Choose fibre-rich foods instead.
• Get good rest at night. Quality sleep positively affects the regulation of hormones in your body that help control your appetite. Consistently getting less than 5-6 hours of sleep at night is linked to increased risk of obesity⁴. 
• Manage your stress, or stress will manage you. Stress triggers hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which initially decreases your appetite. However, in constant stress, cortisol ends up remaining in the bloodstream for much longer, and could lead to an eventual increase in appetite.

If you would like to explore a proven and effective way of dealing with stubborn fat, feel free to visit our clinic or book an appointment. Our team would be honoured to help you on your journey toward achieving your dream body.

About Dr. Park Ji Youn

Dr. Park Ji Youn is the founder and managing director of the Ozhean group. As a board certified dermatologist, she has published more than 30 scientific papers on dermatology, and is the creator of Ozhean’s SKIN FIT program, which was conceived in 2015, and continues to successfully retain 80% of its original customers.

References

1. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/which-are-the-thinnest-countries-in-the-world.html
2. Pourzanjani, A., Quisel, T., & Foschini, L. (2016). Adherent Use of Digital Health Trackers Is Associated with Weight Loss. PloS one, 11(4), e0152504. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0152504
3. Mason, A. E., Epel, E. S., Aschbacher, K., Lustig, R. H., Acree, M., Kristeller, J., Cohn, M., Dallman, M., Moran, P. J., Bacchetti, P., Laraia, B., Hecht, F. M., & Daubenmier, J. (2016). Reduced reward-driven eating accounts for the impact of a mindfulness-based diet and exercise intervention on weight loss: Data from the SHINE randomized controlled trial. Appetite, 100, 86–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2016.02.009
4. Xiao, Q., Arem, H., Moore, S. C., Hollenbeck, A. R., & Matthews, C. E. (2013). A large prospective investigation of sleep duration, weight change, and obesity in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study cohort. American journal of epidemiology, 178(11), 1600–1610. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwt180