Some of the men and women who live in the La Jolla area tell me they feel frustrated after they have done their due diligence with diet and exercise and still have stubborn areas of fat that just won’t go away. These people are great candidates for liposuction – a plastic surgery procedure that can safely remove up to 6 liters of fat from areas such as the abdomen, back, buttocks, hips, thighs, upper arms and underneath the chin. But, what happens if you have liposuction performed and then gain weight? Here are some important considerations:
Liposuction is Not a Weight-Loss Procedure.
Before we talk about liposuction and weight gain, it’s important to recognize that liposuction is not a weight-loss procedure. After surgery patients will notice their results more in terms of inches lost rather than pounds lost. Clothes will be looser and fit better overall.
At my La Jolla practice, I recommend liposuction to my patients who are at or near their ideal weight, but have genetically programmed problem areas that are resistant to diet and exercise. If you have a significant amount of weight to lose, it is best for the long term success of your results if you are within ten pounds or so of your ideal weight before considering surgery.
Liposuction Results Should Be Permanent if You Don’t Gain Weight.
Many La Jolla men and women ask me if liposuction results are permanent. If, after surgery your weight is maintained, your liposuction results are likely to remain permanent. Once the excess fat cells are removed, there are less of them available to expand with weight gain.
If you have a significant amount of fat removed from liposuction, bear in mind that you will likely need to step up your exercise program and reduce your caloric intake to maintain your results. While this procedure can be quite transformative, I as the surgeon will do my part to the best of my abilities, but you as the patient must do your part as well. It is important for any prospective patient to understand that they have a role to play in the permanence of their results.
If You Gain Weight After Liposuction, It May Come Back to Your Treated Areas.
Every 7 to 8 years, your body regenerates fat cells. This means that if you do gain weight after liposuction, it is possible that you will regain some of the weight in the areas that were originally treated when fat cells regenerate. However, in my experience, liposuction patients will likely notice that any future weight gain is more proportionate than it would have been had they not undergone liposuction.
Liposuction in and of itself will not prevent you from weight gain but many of my patients tell me that their results greatly motivate them to keep up with an active lifestyle and healthy diet.
Patients Should Wait to Have Liposuction Until After Their Weight Has Stabilized.
To ensure that liposuction results are lasting, in addition to recommending that my patients be at or near their ideal weight, I also recommend that their weight has been stable for several months. Any necessary weight loss should be gradual and steady and crash dieting and diet pills should be avoided. This will maximize the likelihood that your liposuction results will remain permanent. Our office works closely with a dietician who can provide you with guidance if needed.
Learning More About Liposuction.
If you are a resident of La Jolla, and have more questions about how you can have an improved silhouette, we would be happy to discuss liposuction with you.
To discover more about this plastic surgery procedure, I encourage you to call us at Brucker Plastic Surgery at (858) 707-7384 to schedule a consultation.