Does Liposuction Permanently Remove Fat?

Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic treatments in the US, with upwards of 265,000 patients getting the procedure every year. The reason for liposuction’s popularity is clear—it produces impressive results in a short period, ridding the patient of stubborn fat from highly-targeted parts of the body. Liposuction helps patients achieve a perfect silhouette and welcome contours, and tackles fatty pockets that are unresponsive to even exercise and diets.

One of the common concerns people have about liposuctions is its longevity. As in, Does liposuction permanently remove fat?”

Yes, liposuction permanently removes fat

Our bodies contain a specific number of fat cells. When we gain or lose weight, we don’t gain or lose fat cells; instead, the existing fat cells grow larger or smaller. Liposuction is one of the few surgical procedures that removes fat cells from targeted parts of the body—a hollow tube called a cannula vacuums the unwanted fat cells from your body. Once the stubborn fat cells are removed, they can’t come back. Thus, yes, liposuction permanently removes fat cells. The results of the treatment itself last indefinitely.

But, you can still gain weight in that and other parts of the body

Fat cells, once extracted, can’t return. Yet the remaining fat cells in your body can continue growing or shrinking in response to your weight changes. Even though you won’t gain those specific fat cells back, you can still gain weight in other parts of the body. To prevent gaining weight, you should maintain your post-liposuction weight.

If you weigh 126 pounds after liposuction, strive to stay at or below that weight, within reason. If you gain several pounds, the fat cells in other parts of your body will grow slightly, diminishing the dramatic treatment results. However, if you go through a significant weight gain, your body may develop new fat cells all over the body, including the treatment area.

To put it simply, once liposuction removes fat cells from targeted parts of your body, those specific areas will always look better and more contoured. But you can still gain weight in other parts of the body, and excessive weight gain may also lead to new fat cells. As such, if you want to maintain your post-liposuction figure, you must observe a healthy lifestyle with balanced meals and regular exercise.

For another resource for liposuction in San Diego visit Dr. Tirgari’s liposuction site here.