This blog discusses how fat cells react to liposuction, weight loss, and weight gain; what patients can expect from the liposuction process; and how to maintain liposuction results.
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How Does Liposuction Work?
Liposuction or lipoplasty is a cosmetic procedure that addresses excess fat throughout the body. While there are many different liposuction techniques, generally the procedure is as follows:
- The surgeon makes small incisions around the specific treatment area, such as the abdomen, thighs, or flanks.
- Through the incisions, they insert a small, thin tube called a cannula.
- The cannula is connected to a device that works like a vacuum, suctioning out the fat.
- Your surgeon slowly passes the cannula back and forth in an even motion, removing fat in layers.
- The incisions are closed with sutures when an adequate amount of fat is removed.
What Happens to Fat During Liposuction?
Adults maintain roughly a consistent number of fat cells throughout their lives, with a constant cycle of cell death and regeneration. When we gain or lose weight through diet and exercise, the cells do not disappear or grow in rapid succession. Rather, they shrink or expand.
So when we undergo liposuction, these fat cells are permanently removed from that area of the body. They do not grow back. While the remaining cells continue through their normal life cycle, the body does not produce another group of fat cells to replace the ones that were removed via liposuction.
What does happen, however, is that the remaining fat cells will continue to be affected by normal weight loss and gain. So, while you can see a slimmer result from liposuction, you still have to be mindful of your diet and activity levels if you want to maintain your results.
How to Maintain Your Liposuction Results
This is one of the reasons most cosmetic surgeons will warn liposuction patients that it is not a weight loss solution. For one, removing too much fat can be dangerous. Additionally, liposuction results are best when fat is removed in even, natural-looking layers. Your surgeon will recommend that you are close to your ideal weight, as this allows for the removal of excess fat pockets through liposuction.
In fact, ideal liposuction candidates already have a good diet and exercise regimen, and are struggling to lose those last few pounds. Many are postpartum moms who have localized fat around the belly or thighs. Even those who have reached recent age milestones may struggle to target stubborn fat pockets because it becomes harder as they age.
Maintaining your liposuction results is made easy with an established diet and exercise program prior to your surgery. While it’s not necessary to restrict or jump into crash diets, finding what works for you consistently is key and will be easy to maintain after your surgery.
What Areas Can Liposuction Treat?
One of the benefits of liposuction is the procedure’s versatility. Patients routinely receive liposuction throughout the body, especially in areas that are notoriously difficult to exercise.
Popular liposuction treatment areas include:
- Abdomen or belly
- Hips
- Thighs
- Buttocks
- Upper back/bra line
- Upper arms
- Knees
- Chin
- Neck
- Chest/Breast area
The procedure is often used alongside other cosmetic procedures, such as tummy tucks, acting as a “smoothing” procedure that makes the body look more naturally slim and cohesive after body contouring, where skin and fat are removed.
It’s also the first step of any fat grafting procedure, as the fat to be reinjected in areas of the body, such as the buttocks during a BBL, must first be removed with liposuction.
When performed by an experienced body contouring specialist, liposuction is a transformative procedure that can provide outstanding results, whether performed alone or in combination with another procedure.
Interested in Custom Liposuction in Orange County, CA?
Dr. Daniel Urias is an experienced body contouring artist and liposuction specialist who creates artistic contours for his male and female liposuction patients. If you want to learn more about your liposuction options, including awake liposuction, call Dr. Urias today at (714) 844-6334 or fill out the online contact form.