Hi Dr. Henry, I have not asked any questions here before. I have been very active in dealing with my lipodystrophy for a number of years. I've had multiple facial injections (using Radiance, Radiesse, Artefill, Sculptra), have taken anabolic steroids to keep my legs and arms from getting any thinner, and work out, sometimes to the point of excess. I recently had major surgery to remove tissue that had developed on the side of my chest. I knew the scars would be big, but I just needed to get it all removed and liposuction and lipodissolve did not work. So, you can see that I've tried a lot of techniques and have spent a lot of money to look normal. Now, an area that is bothering me is my mid-section. I am not fat, but this area is larger than both my chest and my waist. I think it is visceral fat that is pushing my rib cage outward. I see this effect in other men. I think it looks like a frog's body. After I eat, I feel a lot of discomfort. Do these symptoms sound like those associated with visceral fat. Even though I am not obese, would a lap band help with the removal of visceral fat. I mean, my plastic surgeon can't just go in and cut it out. Thanks for your time.

An abdominal CT scan is a good test to get a handle on the amount and location of increased abdominal fat. Treatment options for increased visceral fat are frustratingly limited but include diet and exercise, switching off potentially contributing meds if possible, growth hormone or growth hormone releasing factor (latter two under study). KH