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Is Liposuction Dangerous for Athletes?

I am worried about having laser liposuction after reading about bumps and possible larger weight gain after the procedure. I am a thin distance runner but I would like to lose excess weight on my butt and inner thighs. Is this procedure dangerous for athletes? Also, what are the side effects for thinner people in general?

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22 Doctor Answers | Asked by Jules553 in Boone, NC

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Liposuction is not dangerous of Athletes

Liposuction is not dangerous for Athletes, but laser liposcution generaly carries higher complication rate than tumescent liposuction, and in a relatively thin person such as you, laser lipo is of no added benefit.

Athletes often good candidates for spot contouring with lipo

Your question gets at the core reason for doing body contouring with lipo: even in very fit people, there can be pockets of fat that are too stubborn to go away. Liposuction removes these areas and so the body can't really put excess fat there. Weight gain after lipo is not related to the procedure, but occurs when poeple erroneously assume that they don't have to diet and exercise as much. It's a body shaping procedure, not for weight loss. Don't be swayed by the... more

Athletes can be ideal for liposuction

The ideal person for liposuction is someone who is relatively young and healthy who is at or near their ideal body weight with firm, elastic skin and isolated pockets of fat. Athletes are usually closer to the ideal patient for liposuction than anyone. There is no reason why an athlete would have any greater risk for liposuction than a non athlete.

Liposuction is not dangerous for atheletes

Liposuction is not dangerous for atheletes. In gneeral, you should not have liposuction if you plan on considerable weight fluctuations as it may cause an alteration in the result.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction is fine for atheletes

Liposuction ideally treats focal, localized areas of fat which are resistant to diet and exercise. Therefore athletes should be the ideal candidates. There is no greater risk for athletes vs normal people. As well trained athletes should only have small areas which need treating, use of a small, thin cannula would be prudent, as minimal amounts of fat would need to be removed and a thin cannula would be best used to "sculpt" the areas and avoid contour... more

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD

18 reviews

Boston Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction in athletes is no different than in non-athletes

Whether one is thin and athletic or not, the liposuction procedure is the same including most of the risks and potential complications. The only difference is that in a thin person the procedure is better described as 'liposculpture' as the amount of fat to be removed is less. This makes the result more likely to be 'better' in that the canvas one is working with is thinner and better defined from the beginning. Because the fat volume removed is so much less than in... more

Laser Liposuction in Athletes: Results and Safety

Laser liposuction is a new technology that utilizes a laser probe introduced through a small incision under the skin and then pulsed to heat water in the fat cells. The technology is truly in its primitive stages, yet it is marketed heavily and has catchy names. After the laser part of the liposuction, the area is treated with standard suction assisted liposuction which likely contributes heavily to the end results. Unfortunately, the technology is being utilized frequently by... more

Athletic individuals are ideal liposuction candidates

Athletic individuals are ideal liposuction candidates. People with lower overall body fat and small areas of localized fat accumulations usually get the best results. Laser liposuction, however, comes with additional side effects and no particular benefits over manual liposuction so I cannot recommend that approach. see link below.

Athletes and Liposuction

Being a marathon runner, I can understand your concerns. Most thinner athletes are ideal candidates for liposuction. You should be careful to choose a surgeon who is experienced with both traditional lipoplasty and laser assisted lipoplasty. It is likely that laser assisted lipoplasty will not be needed, unless you have been very heavy in the past. Obviously, I can't give a definitive answer about your individual situation without a formal consultation.

Be wary of laser liposuction

The risks of anesthetic complications from should be significantly reduced in a well trained athlete. I would advise you to be wary of laser liposuction. There are numerous studies that have shown that laser liposuction has a high complication rate that standard liposuction. This study also found that the cosmetic results of laser liposuction were inferior to that of standard liposuction. Laser liposuction is more of a marketing gimmick that a true advance in... more

Laser liposuction is safe AND your best option.

Laser liposuction is safe AND may be your best option. The best liposuction candidates are those that are thin but have small areas of concern that they want addressed. Those that have offered opinions that laser liposuction is not safe are from individuals that don't offer that technology and don't use it safely. Yes, it can create burns if used improperly, just the same as ultrasound assisted liposuction can cause burns. The real issue is find someone that... more

Liposuction of thin patients

First, an exam is in order, and I do not believe that a thin patient with some problem areas is potentially at more risk of problems than a heavier patient. Expectations may be different. I would avoid liposuction of the buttocks in most cases because it can prematurely age the region if not done properly.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction for thin waist and muscular frame

Complications with liposuction are few. Atheletes do well as they have good pulmonary and cardiac function and have good ability to heal. I would advise you to seriously consider liposuction.

Liposuction is ideal in athletic individuals

Liposuction is very safe in thin athletic individuals. There has to be enough fat, though, to remove and leave some behind as a cushion for general function and aesthetic appearance of the skin. It has to be done by an experienced physician with small-sized cannulae to minimize the chance of indentations. If smart lipo is done, then the surgeon must ensure there is enough local anesthetic in the tissue, and that the temperature is checked to prevent a burn. Be cautious especially since the... more

Liposuction on thin athletic patients.

Thin athletic patients are ideal for liposuction. A well trained Board Certified Plastic Surgeon should be able to do the surgery without leaving bumps though this could happen any time that lipo is done.

Liposuction Dangerous for Athletes

Not an issue but you need to be confident that you will be satisfied with the results. Seek opinions from boarded surgeons. From MIAMI DR. Darryl J. Blinski, 305 598 0091

If you play with fire you might get...

I too would be worried about laser liposuction as there certainly is a possibility of getting burned. You raised a number of issues in your question and overall you are likely an excellent candidate for liposuction. The "perfect candidate" for liposuction is normal body weight, has good skin quality and small troublesome areas of fat. In general, 10 to 15 pounds of weight gain or loss does not create issues with spot contouring as the weight gain typically disperses fairly... more

Liposuction in fit athletes

People like you who have only localized areas of fat to remove are the ones for whom Liposuction was designed. Thin athletes like you, however, present the greatest challenge. Removing a small amount from a thin person can definitely lead to lumps or depressions if not done very carefully by someone with significant experience. In someone small, I would not use true tumescent anesthesia, but one of the methods using less injectable solution. This gives a better view of what is being done. I... more

Liposuction is NOT Dangerous in Athletes

Regarding: "Is Liposuction Dangerous for Athletes? I am worried about having laser liposuction after reading about bumps and possible larger weight gain after the procedure. I am a thin distance runner but I would like to lose excess weight on my butt and inner thighs. Is this procedure dangerous for athletes? Also, what are the side effects for thinner people in general?" Like sculpture, the final statue depends on the skill and training of the sculptor AND the quality of... more

You should be ideal for liposuction.

Dear Jules Liposuction should only be about body sculpting. Wanting focal sculpting is exactly what liposuction is best for. Be aware that small liposuctions require better sculpting skills than large liposuctions. Find an experienced liposuction surgeon in your area who offers tumescent liposuction with microcannulas. It is not accurate that liposuction is a very safe procedure when performed by a board-certified PLASTIC surgeon. Dermatologists perform as... more

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD

8 reviews

Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

Liposuction is safe for athletes.

Hi. 1) Thin people who just need a little bulge removed can be the happiest patients. 2) Bumps are only caused by bad technique, and liposuction does not cause weight gain. 3) I would avoid laser liposuction, which I think is mostly a marketing idea. We think tumescent liposuction is safest.

Liposuction isn't just for couch potatoes

Liposuction is a very safe procedure when performed by a board-certified PLASTIC surgeon for the proper patient. Thin people with just small "problem areas" are the best candidates for liposuction, so an athletic person like you should be just fine. Particular finesse is needed to treat the inner thighs in a thin person, as they are more prone to some contour deformities (dents or divots). Talk to your plastic surgeon about whether this is a specific issue for you... more