If you are just beginning to learn about the benefits of liposuction, you may think that it is a form of weight loss treatment. However, liposuction is not intended to be a form weight loss. It is actually meant to be a form of body shaping, giving you the figure that you desire once you are already near your target weight through diet and exercise. Understanding this basic concept regarding liposuction can help you form more realistic expectations about how the procedure will go for you and what results you can obtain through it, making you a better candidate for the procedure. Below are five things that you should understand about weight and liposuction before scheduling an appointment with a liposuction surgeon.
You Should Be Near Your Target Weight Before You Have the Procedure Done
During liposuction, small deposits of fat are removed from specific areas of your body. This allows you and your surgeon to work together to decide what shape you would like your body to be in. For example, removing a small amount of fat from the waistline can minimize your waist while emphasizing your hips and breasts. For most individuals, very little fat is removed during the procedure. In order to get a good idea of what your final shape will be, you should be at or near your target weight before you go in for consultations.
You Should Be Able to Maintain Your Current Weight Before You Opt for Liposuction
Some patients make the mistake of getting near their target weight and then immediately undergoing liposuction. However, it can be difficult to maintain your weight, especially if you used extreme dieting or gastric bands to help achieve your desired weight. You should make sure your weight is stable for a few months before your procedure. You can ask your surgeon exactly how long you should have a stable weight before you should undergo liposuction. It will likely depend on how much weight you have lost recently and how many times in your life you have lost and gained extreme amounts of weight.
During the Procedure You May Lose Minimal Amounts of Weight
Although liposuction is not a weight loss method, you will still lose minimal amounts of weight from the procedure, simply because fat is being removed from your body. Immediately after the procedure, you may weigh slightly more than normal due to water retention and swelling, but within a few days, your weight may drop by a pound or two.
If You Gain a Moderate Amount of Weight After the Procedure, You Will Likely Keep Your New Shape
When you gain a small to moderate amount of weight, your body does not produce new fat cells. Instead, the fat cells that are currently in your body expand. Because of this, if you gain a moderate amount of weight, you will likely keep your new shape, but it will be slightly more emphasized than before. For example, if you had fat removed from your thighs or stomach, you may find that your buttocks or breast become larger but the spots where you had fat removed stay the same size.
If You Gain a Large Amount of Weight After the Procedure, You Will Likely Lose Your New Shape
However, if you gain a large amount of weight, your body will begin to produce new fat cells, which may be located where the old fat cells were removed. This will make you lose your new shape and you will likely not be able to get it back through diet and exercise. Instead, you would need a second round of liposuction once you reach your desired weight again.
I have worked in a supportive role in the medical industry for over 20 years, and I have been amazed at the advances in medicine that have been made. While it is always great to hear about a new medication that helps cure a disease or a new surgical procedure that can help someone live a normal life again after an injury, I have been especially amazed at the research that has shown just how much our physical and mental health are connected. Since I keep on top of all of the amazing medical studies being performed and I know others are too busy to hunt them down themselves, I decided to start a blog to share my favorite health tips for keeping both your mind and body healthy.