Liposuction - is the Fat Removal Permanent?

Thank you for the commonly asked question.

Fat cells that are gone (for example removed with liposuction surgery) are gone forever.  However, if a patient gains weight the fat cells that remain in the area treated with liposuction and in areas that were not treated will grow.  Do your best to maintain a healthy weight  after your procedure.

I hope this helps.

Yes, the fat that is removed after liposuction will not return, but remember, liposuction is not the answer for weight reduction, it's a method for body contouring. It's intended use is to remove and treat localized areas of fat deposition which differ from male to female. Men tend to deposit fat centrally along the abdomen and chest, where women tend to distribute fat at the hips and below.

If you should gain a large amount of weight after liposuction, say 20 lbs., then the fat will redistribute to other sites of your body. No one can predict where the redistribution will take place, so it is always important to eat right and get regular exercise.

Recovery from liposuction can vary, but for the most part patient can return to regular work and daily activities in a week. I usually restrict exercise for 3 weeks.

Complete knowledge of fat metabolism is still unavailable but it appears that the number of fat cells taken into adult life is fixed.  Therefore, since liposuction removes many of these fat cells, the results should be permanent.  The fat cells that remain can get bigger or smaller but it doesn't appear that they reproduce.