Are you concerned about weight gain after liposuction? Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the United States, and it’s no wonder why. It is a permanent removal of fat cells from certain areas of the body, often resulting in weight loss.
However, liposuction doesn’t prevent you from gaining weight for the rest of your life. Even though your plastic surgeon will remove fat cells from certain parts of your body, fat cells in other parts of your body can grow larger. Your body can also generate new fat cells.
In this post, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Forrest Wall will answer some of your questions about weight gain after liposuction. We’ll talk about the importance of a thorough evaluation and consultation before liposuction, and how to get the best results from your liposuction experience.
What is Liposuction?
Before we talk about weight gain after liposuction, it’s important to understand exactly what liposuction is and what it does.
First of all, liposuction is a cosmetic procedure. It improves and enhances the appearance of a certain part of your body. Liposuction isn’t a treatment for obesity, and it does not remove cellulite, dimples, or stretch marks.
Most people who get liposuction are at a stable weight, and only want to improve the appearance of a certain area of their body. It can achieve results in areas that have been resistant to diet and exercise.
Now let’s talk about exactly how liposuction works.
When you gain weight, each fat cell increases in size and volume. Liposuction uses suction technology to permanently remove fat cells from problem areas of your body.
However, the amount of fat your surgeon can remove is limited.
There are pros and cons to liposuction. It is important to discuss these with Dr. Wall and his team to determine if liposuction is the best option for you.
What are the Benefits of Liposuction?
Liposuction has many benefits, as well as a few drawbacks. It isn’t the right procedure for everyone. We’ll talk more about the drawbacks later.
Some of the benefits of liposuction are an enhanced appearance in certain areas of the body. Liposuction is most beneficial in areas with good skin elasticity and good skin appearance; again, it won’t get rid of things like dimples and stretch marks.
The following body parts are usually good areas for liposuction:
- Abdomen
- Back
- Buttocks
- Chest
- Inner knees
- Hips
- Flanks (love handles)
- The neckline and the area under the chin
- Thighs
- Upper arms
There are also several medical conditions that liposuction can treat. Some conditions that liposuction can treat include:
- Lymphedema. This is a condition where fluid collects in tissues and causes swelling.
- Gynecomastia. This is when fat accumulates under a man’s breasts.
- Lipodystrophy syndrome. In this condition, fat will move from one part of the body to another.
- Extreme weight loss after obesity. A person who loses at least 40 percent of their BMI, may need treatment to remove excess skin and other abnormalities.
- Lipomas. These are fatty, benign tumors that develop under the skin.
Will I Experience Weight Gain After Liposuction?
The short answer is: possibly.
The long answer is that your body will definitely store fat differently after liposuction. Liposuction will not stop you from gaining or losing weight. It only means that there are fewer fat cells in certain areas of the body. However, fat cells in other parts of your body can still grow larger. So if you lead an unhealthy lifestyle after the procedure, it is entirely possible to experience weight gain after liposuction.
Fat will not return if a patient maintains their post-lipo weight. Even if a patient has minimal weight gain after liposuction recovery, the liposuction will still be effective.
For instance, if you weigh 130 pounds after liposuction and maintain your weight at around 124 pounds, you will see dramatic results from your liposuction.
If a patient gains five pounds, their remaining fat cells will increase in size. The results of their liposuction will not be as dramatic. However, the results will still be noticeable, despite the weight gain after liposuction.
In cases of considerable weight gain after liposuction, new fat cells can develop in all areas of the body. This includes treatment areas. However, because fat cells do generate in an even manner across the body, there will usually be less fat in treatment areas than in untreated areas.
In short, it is possible to experience weight gain after liposuction. However, it will be different from weight gain before liposuction.
Is Liposuction Permanent?
If you are a good candidate for liposuction, there are very few drawbacks. If you maintain your “post-lipo weight”, you will see dramatic and excellent results after liposuction.
But if you do not follow your surgeon’s post-op instructions, you may experience weight gain after liposuction among other issues.
If you experience weight gain after liposuction, you may see:
- Excessive dimpling in treatment areas
- Increased skin abnormalities
- Cellulite
We mentioned earlier that liposuction is not a treatment for obesity. If you do not maintain a healthy lifestyle after liposuction, you will not see many benefits after the procedure.
This is another reason it is so important to have a thorough evaluation and consultation before getting liposuction. During your evaluation and consultation, Dr. Wall can advise you on whether or not liposuction will work for you.
What Happens if I Gained Weight After Lipo Surgery?
The best way to maintain the results of your liposuction is to maintain your ideal weight. This includes eating healthy and exercising regularly.
Here are some other tips to adopt following your procedure that will help you avoid weight gain after liposuction:
- Follow all post-procedure instructions provided by the surgeon
- Reduce caloric intake while eating a healthy diet focused on protein and healthy carbohydrates
- Stay properly hydrated
- Try eating several smaller meals throughout the day
- Never skip meals
- Exercise regularly
Contact the Plastic Surgery Center
If you have any questions about liposuction or gaining weight after liposuction, call the Plastic Surgery Center in Shreveport at 318-221-1629. You can also leave us a message directly on our website.
