3 Ways to Target Stubborn Fat: From Enzyme Treatments to Medical Weight Management

Why does some fat seem to stay put—even when your diet and exercise routine are on track?

Stubborn fat is not always simply a matter of eating too much or exercising too little. Genetics, hormones, age, body composition and where an individual naturally stores fat can all influence body shape. This is why someone can be generally fit while still having small pockets of fat around the abdomen, thighs, arms, flanks or under the chin.

Today, body contouring and medical weight-management options range from targeted injectable treatments to technology-based treatments and prescription medications. However, these approaches work in very different ways—and understanding the difference is important when deciding what may be appropriate.

Here are three approaches worth knowing about.

1. PB Serum: An Enzyme-Based Approach to Localised Fat (Fat Dissolver)

For people dealing with small, localised areas of stubborn fat, enzyme-based treatments such as PB Serum take a targeted approach. PB Serum is an injectable aesthetic treatment based on recombinant enzymes. Its formulations contain different combinations and concentrations of enzymes such as lipase, collagenase and lyase, allowing the treatment to be selected according to the tissue concern being addressed. For fat-focused protocols, lipase is particularly relevant because it acts on triglycerides within adipose tissue. Other enzymes in the formulation have different roles related to tissue remodelling and the extracellular environment.

How does it work?

Rather than affecting appetite or overall body weight, PB Serum is designed to work locally in the treated area.

A doctor can assess the amount and character of the localised fat, along with factors such as skin laxity and fibrosis, before determining the appropriate formulation and treatment plan. PB Serum is therefore more suited to the concept of spot contouring than general weight loss.

This distinction is important: someone may have a healthy overall body weight but still have a small pocket of fat that they would like to address.

Where might it be considered?

Depending on the formulation and clinical assessment, PB Serum protocols may be used for concerns involving areas such as:

• Double chin and jawline fullness

• Upper arms

• Bra Fat

• Back fat

• Abdomen

• Flanks or love handles

• Thighs

• Localised areas affected by cellulite or fibrotic tissue

A clinical assessment by your doctor is important to determine whether the concern is actually caused by localised fat and whether an enzyme-based approach is suitable.

2. Semaglutide: Addressing Weight From the Metabolic Side

Unlike a localised fat treatment, semaglutide works systemically.

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that acts on pathways involved in appetite and food intake. GLP-1 receptor activation can increase feelings of fullness and reduce appetite, while also slowing gastric emptying. This makes semaglutide fundamentally different from an injectable treatment that is placed directly into a specific area of fat.

In Singapore, Wegovy (semaglutide) is registered for weight management as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for adults with obesity, or adults who are overweight with at least one weight-related comorbidity.

What does that mean for stubborn fat?

Rather than specifically targeting abdominal fat, thigh fat or another individual area, semaglutide works by helping eligible patients reduce overall body weight.

As overall weight decreases, body fat generally decreases as well. However, where fat is lost first—and where it remains longest—varies considerably between individuals.

This is why semaglutide should not be thought of as a “spot fat remover.” It is a medical weight-management tool that may be considered for appropriate patients following medical assessment.

Why medical supervision matters

Semaglutide is a prescription medication, and it is not appropriate for everyone. Treatment requires consideration of a person's medical history, current medications, weight-management goals and potential adverse effects.

It is also important to distinguish medically supervised semaglutide treatment from the growing number of unverified or compounded weight-loss products promoted online.

For someone who has excess body weight rather than one isolated pocket of fat, a doctor may consider whether a medication-based approach is more appropriate than a purely localised body-contouring treatment.

3. Machine-Based Treatments: Cryolipolysis, Radiofrequency & Muscle Stimulation

If the goal is non-invasive body contouring, technology-based treatments offer another category of options. Different machines work through different physical mechanisms, so “fat reduction machine” is actually a very broad term.

Fat Freeze / Cryolipolysis

Cryolipolysis uses controlled cooling to target subcutaneous fat cells while leaving other cells unharmed. Clients can see a reduction of up to 25% - 40% depending on the type of Fat Freeze machine used.

Over time, the treated fat layer can become thinner as the affected adipose tissue is cleared by the body's natural processes.

Radiofrequency

Radiofrequency (RF) treatments use electromagnetic energy to deliver heat into tissue. Depending on the technology and treatment parameters, RF-based body treatments may be used to address skin tightening, tissue remodelling and aspects of body contouring.

RF is therefore not necessarily a direct equivalent of cryolipolysis. Its effects depend on the specific device, energy delivery and treatment protocol.

This is particularly relevant when someone is concerned about both body contour and skin laxity, rather than fat volume alone.

EMShape with Electromagnetic Muscle Stimulation

Muscle-stimulation technologies take yet another approach.

Instead of primarily cooling or heating fat, electromagnetic treatments generate repeated muscle contractions. This can be used to support muscle definition and body contouring. 1 session of Emshape is equivalent to 30 000 crunches / squats in just 30 mintures.

So Which Approach Is Right for Stubborn Fat?

The answer depends on what “stubborn fat” actually means for you.

These categories are not interchangeable.

Someone with a small pocket of abdominal fat but otherwise healthy body weight may be approaching the problem very differently from someone with obesity who is looking for sustainable overall weight reduction. Likewise, someone who has lost significant weight but is left with skin laxity may have a different treatment priority altogether.

The Bottom Line

There is no single “fat-loss treatment” that works in exactly the same way for everyone.

The most appropriate option depends on factors including body composition, the location and amount of fat, skin quality, muscle mass, medical history and individual goals.

And perhaps most importantly, body contouring treatments should be viewed as tools for specific concerns—not replacements for nutrition, physical activity or appropriate medical weight management.