A large portion of your body consists of water. When you retain this water, you can appear swollen and as if you weigh more than you actually do. To combat this, consider a body wrap for your abdomen that can help you to appear slimmer.
Function
Body wraps involve wrapping elastic cloths tightly around the skin, according to the Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery. These cloths may be soaked in a special moisturizing solution or one that encourages the release of toxins. Having the wrap compress the skin encourages sweating, which helps to body to rid itself of excess fluid. You may be wrapped in a warm blanket or lie on a heated bed in order to increase the amount of heat and water loss experienced.
Time Frame
Body wraps may prove a short-term weight loss solution because they help the body to lose water, which does have some weight. If you were to weigh yourself before and after a body wrap, it's likely you will have lost some weight. However, this weight loss is most often temporary, according to the Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery. The fluid in your skin tends to re-accumulate. For this reason, frequent body wraps may be needed to maintain weight loss and a trim abdomen.
Expert Insight
While body wraps have many soothing and moisturizing benefits, body wraps used for weight loss may not always be healthy, according to one skincare expert. "While I think there is a place for them [body wraps] as a feel-good treatment in a massage or aesthetician-applied situation, the use of body wraps as weight loss is clearly more hocus-pocus than anything," says Dr. Joel Schlessinger, the president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery, in an interview in the "Seattle Times."
Warning
Body wraps should be used carefully to encourage safe abdominal weight loss. Dr. Schlessinger's chief objections include concerns for reduced circulation, dehydration and overheating, according to "The Seattle Times." If at any time during your body wrap, your stomach feels excessively compressed or you feel faint or nauseous, notify your physician, who can loosen or remove the body wraps.
At-Home Wraps
Body wraps for the abdomen can be applied at home or at an aesthetician's or dermatologist's office. When performing an at-home wrap, WrapYourselfSlim.com recommends a few key ingredients. These include 1 cup of seaweed clay, 1/4 cup of sea salt, 2 tbsp. of olive oil and 2 cups of water. Begin by boiling the water and mixing the ingredients together in the water. This should create a paste. Apply a cooled version of the mixture to your body, then wrap body wrapping cloths around the body, similar to wrapping an ankle with a long bandage. Wrap tightly, but not so tightly that you lose circulation. Leave on for 45 minutes, then remove wraps and shower to remove the body wrap solution.
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