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If I Do a Crash Diet Before Lipo, Will Dr Be Able to Remove More Fat Cells?

asked 7 months ago by Gracey in USA
Latest answer by Robert L. Kraft, MD
Question viewed 133 times
Tags: diet

I am considering lipo of my midriff and abdomen. I have always heard that you have a certain number of fat cells and that the only thing that changes is how much fat they contain. I am thinking that if I lose 5-10 pounds before lipo that the Doctor will be able to remove more fat cells. Is this thinking correct? Thank you.

8 answers to If I Do a Crash Diet Before Lipo, Will Dr Be Able to Remove More Fat Cells?

+1

Dieting and liposuction

It's important to achieve a stable weight prior to undergoing liposuction. Losing weight will have no impact on the "number of fat cells" that your doctor can remove.
Robert L. Kraft, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction and Crash Diets

After your teenage years, you have a set # of fat cells in your body, but they are not evenly distributed. This gives your body its shape.When you gain weight, each fat cell gets bigger. When you lose weight, they get smaller. Dieting will not affect the number of cells removed but being in a stable weight that does not fluctuate more than 10 lbs up or down helps to make your results more long lasting.
Jeffrey S. Yager, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

No crash diet before liposuction

When you diet, the fat cells shrink but they don't go away (the number stays the same). Only liposuction reduces the number of fat cells. Ironically, if you are too thin, it gets harder for the surgeon to suction out the fat cells (we have to be careful to leave a cushion of fat between the skin and underlying muscle). So really there is no need to go on a crash diet, and these diets are notoriously unsuccessful (you are likely to put the weight back on in short order)... more
Eric Swanson MD

Leawood Plastic Surgeon

www.swansoncenter.com

+1

Crash diet.

You should strive to achieve a stable situation through diet and lifestyle changes to achieve maximal and sustainable results. If you lose a few pounds, it may mean some areas will require less attention, or none at all. The number of fat cells taken out is not particularily important, since the ones left behind have an almost limitless capacity to expand and store fat if you ingest excess calories.
Robert H. Schnarrs, MD

Norfolk Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction Not Dieting Removes Fat Cells

Your thinking is not correct on this issue. Dieting of any type will shrink the content of the existing fat cells but will not remove or destroy them. Liposuction will remove and destroy some fat cells as well as deplete some of their contents by disrupting their cell walls. It is also not a good idea to make yourself nutritionally weak prior to an invasive surgery. You want to be in optimum health so that your recovery will be as quick as possible. Think of surgery like training for an... more
Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD

Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com

+1

If I Do a Crash Diet Before Lipo, Will Dr Be Able to Remove More Fat Cells?

In my opinion it will not effect the result or # of fat cells removed if dieting prior to liposuction. Best to discuss with your surgeon.
Darryl J. Blinski, MD

Miami Plastic Surgeon
+1

A healthy diet and regular exercise before liposuciton is important but not a crash diet!

Many patients considering liposuction want to try everything to get the most results from their procedure. This is the right attitude but a crash diet is the wrong solution. Crash diets usually achieve weight loss by depriving the body of adequate nutrition to maintain a healthy state. Often water is depleted and protein is broken down to make up for the lack of calories ingested. Prior to any surgical procedure you should be in optimum health, not is a starvation mode. Often the extra... more
Mathew C. Mosher, MD

Vancouver Plastic Surgeon

www.drmosher.com

+1

Diet Before Liposuction?

Thank you for the question. Although I would not suggest a “crash diet”, I think it would be in your best interest to achieve a stable weight prior to the liposuction procedure. This will allow the surgeon to visualize and treat the adipose tissue that is truly “diet and exercise resistant”. Being at this stable weight will also minimize the chances of significant postsurgical weight changes that may change your results. I hope this helps. more
Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon

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