Other methods to reduce belly fat are more effective
A Tummy Tuck Belt is a device that's part of the Tummy Tuck Miracle Slimming System. It claims to give the same results as a tummy tuck surgery performed by a plastic surgeon if you wear it just 10 minutes a day. LED Beauty Mask
This article will go over what you should know about the Tummy Tuck Belt. You will learn about how the product is advertised and whether there is evidence to support the claims. You will also learn about the alternatives to the Tummy Tuck Belt.
Jana Hernette / PhotoAlto Agency RF Collections / Getty Images
The Tummy Tuck Miracle Slimming System is advertised as an alternative to a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty ).
Also known as the "10-Minute At-Home Tummy Tuck Method," the Tummy Tuck Belt is sold online and at retailers like Walmart.
The product sells for around $40, not including shipping, tax, or handling. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee (minus shipping and handling).
The Tummy Tuck Belt system starts with a "fat-burning" cream—a "Thermal Accelerator"—that you put on the skin of your belly.
Next, you strap on an elastic girdle and do two minutes of standing stomach contractions to trigger a "thermal fat-burning effect."
For the next eight minutes, you go about your normal routine while keeping the belt on. When time's up, you take the belt off.
The Tummy Tuck Belt routine is done twice a day, with or without making changes to your diet and exercising.
The company that makes the Tummy Tuck Belt claims that without changing any of your current habits you can lose 1/2 inch from your waist in the first week of using the system and 1 inch after 30 days.
However, the company also claims that if you choose to change your diet and exercise habits as well, the effect of the Tummy Tuck Belt system can be as much as four times greater.
On the Tummy Tuck Belt website, there are ultrasound images from one person who used the product that is meant to suggest the claims are backed up by evidence.
The images appear to show a reduction in the thickness of belly fat before and after treatment with the Tummy Tuck Belt. However, it is not known if the person used the belt alone or also made dietary changes and did an exercise program.
Heat vision photography of another user was also presented on the Tummy Tuck Belt website, with the intent to show how the temperature of the treated area stayed elevated for three hours after the product was used.
This image was meant to suggest that raising body temperature can help "melt away" fat.
The Tummy Tuck Miracle Slimming System does not have to be carefully looked at by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the way that medical devices have to be.
Over-the-counter products like the Tummy Tuck Belt are classified as low risk (Class I) by the FDA and do not require pre-market approval.
While there are limits to the claims Class I manufacturers can make about their products, the FDA does not usually take action unless there are clear violations or substantial complaints from consumers.
No scientific studies have been done to support the claims made by the "10-Minute At-Home Tummy Tuck Method."
To provide evidence, clinical studies would need to see if a person who uses the Tummy Tuck Belt has better results than a person who did not use the product under the same conditions.
The only "proof" that the Tummy Tuck Belt website has shown is some before-and-after images, but they are not the same as a controlled research study.
The claim that the heat generated by the product is enough to "melt away" fat has not been proven—and in fact, the company advises that "results can vary" from using it.
It's not surprising that people using the Tummy Tuck Belt system got better results when they made changes to their diet and exercise routines, as it's known that lifestyle factors can support weight loss. It's not clear if also wearing the Tummy Tuck Belt led to more improvement or not.
In 2017, a California court fined the manufacturers of the Tummy Tuck Miracle Slimming System more than $1 million for making misleading claims about their product.
There are a few alternatives to the Tummy Tuck Belt you might want to talk to your provider about, as they have more evidence to support their use. That said, they also come with their own limitations and risk, which you'll need to think about.
Diet and exercise support weight loss and maintenance but it will take time to see results—and many people want to see changes sooner. There are also circumstances like pregnancy and losing a lot of weight that can cause hanging or loose skin that won't be fixed by diet and exercise.
The Tummy Tuck Miracle Slimming System is an over-the-counter, at-home device that claims to reduce belly fat with a combination of a "fat-burning" cream and an elastic belt that you wear for 10 minutes twice daily.
Despite the claims, there is no evidence that the Tummy Tuck Belt works. There is more research to support using diet and exercise for weight goals, but there are also surgical options if you have loose or hanging skin after pregnancy or from weight loss.
The Tummy Tuck Miracle Slimming System or the 10-Minute At-Home Tummy Tuck Method is a non-medical device that claims to burn belly fat and rapidly reduce a person's waist size with the use of an "accelerator cream" and an elastic compression bandage.
The "accelerator cream" is made with emollients and ingredients commonly found in skincare products. The only possible active ingredient is caffeine, and there is no evidence that topical caffeine has "fat-burning" properties.
No studies have been conducted to confirm the manufacturer's claims about the Tummy Tuck Belt.
In 2017, the California-based manufacturers settled with the Santa Cruz district attorney, paying over $1 million in civil penalties for making medical claims that were not supported by reasonable or legitimate scientific evidence.
A small handful of studies suggest that radiofrequency therapy, low-level laser therapy, and high-frequency ultrasound therapy may help reduce the volume of abdominal fat.
However, the clinical benefits appear minimal to moderate, with no evidence that any of the devices can treat cellulite.
Some consumers who have reviewed the Tummy Tuck belt, as well as other slimming products like waist trainers, reported side effects—specifically, from using the cream.
Food and Drug Administration. Over-the-counter (OTC) medical devices: considerations for device manufacturers.
Patch. DA announces settlement against 'Tummy Tuck Belt' manufacturer.
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