Do You Lose Weight When You Have Liposuction?

Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the United States. Many people turn to liposuction to eliminate stubborn pockets of fat that don’t respond well to diet and exercise.

Before you consider liposuction, it’s essential to understand what liposuction can and cannot do. Please continue reading to learn more.

What Is Liposuction For?

Liposuction isn’t a weight loss procedure, as some may think. Instead, it’s a body contouring surgery that enhances the appearance of your body by sucking out fat cells from the abdomen, love handles, hips, legs, etc. The best way to think of liposuction is as a procedure to improve and sculpt your body’s contours after you have done everything you can with diet and exercise to shape your body.

You should not choose liposuction to lose weight. After all, the most that the surgeon can remove in one procedure usually isn’t more than four or five pounds of fat and fluid. This amount of tissue and fluid usually isn’t enough to change your weight on the scale. Instead, liposuction will shape and contour areas of your body that wouldn’t slim down with diet and exercise.

Your board-certified plastic surgeon will talk to you during your consultation about your liposuction goals and how you view the procedure. They will want to be sure that you have a realistic point of view about liposuction and aren’t intending it as a way to lose weight.

Most surgeons will not perform liposuction on someone who isn’t close to their goal weight. If you are still significantly overweight, it’s a smart idea to lose weight before you consider liposuction.

In a few cases, the fat that can be removed from the body may be as much as eight pounds, but the more tissue removed, the higher the risk of complications. You will reduce your risk if you go into your liposuction procedure at a healthy weight, and this will ensure that you have excellent long-term results.

You Can Gain Weight After Liposuction

Some patients mistakenly believe that they cannot gain weight after this procedure. However, while the removed fat cells are gone forever, patients who overeat will gain weight in other parts of the body that were not treated. Also, the surgeon will leave a certain amount of fat in the treated area, and those fat cells can still expand if you overeat or don’t exercise.

It’s critical to maintain a healthy diet and active lifestyle after liposuction so you can enjoy long-term results. The good news is if you eat right and exercise, your liposuction procedure can be effectively permanent.

It’s essential to consume a diet rich in lean protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and fruits and vegetables. In addition, now is the time to eliminate sugar, processed foods, and starches. Doing so will ensure that you have the best results.

How To Maintain Liposuction Results

After the procedure, you will have a significant amount of swelling in the treated area, leading to short-term weight gain. But this is temporary and should resolve on its own after several weeks. You can ensure the best results by wearing the compression garment that your surgeon gives you. This garment should be worn at all times on the treated area for several weeks, except when you bathe or shower.

The compression garment will ensure that your skin adheres to your slimmer contours. If you don’t wear the garment, you could have loose and sagging skin. It also is essential to stay active after your procedure. Take it easy for a day or so, but it helps to go for a daily walk to keep your blood moving and speed up the healing process. However, you shouldn’t engage in vigorous workouts for at least two or three weeks.

Many plastic surgeons also stress the importance of drinking plenty of water; studies show that adults can lose up to 30% more weight when drinking a lot of cold water every day. In addition, doing so after you have liposuction can ensure that you keep the weight off.

Last, scientists note that many people gain weight over time because of stress. So after liposuction, you should try to do things that reduce stress. Too much stress in your life can increase your cortisol levels, which makes us crave unhealthy foods.

The last thing you want to do after your liposuction procedure is eating foods that will make you gain weight.

Outlook

Liposuction is a popular and effective procedure to remove stubborn fat pockets from the body that don’t respond to diet and exercise. But liposuction isn’t a substitute for weight loss, so please talk to your board-certified plastic surgeon today to decide if liposuction is a good fit for aesthetic goals.

References:

Liposuction Overview. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/liposuction/about/pac-20384586#

What Are The Benefits And Risks Of Liposuction? (2018). Accessed at https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/180450

About Liposuction. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/liposuction

Liposuction Procedure by Hill Country Plastic Surgery. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.hillcountryplasticsurgery.com/procedures/body/liposuction/