Skinny Women Who Get Liposuction

I saw this story about botched surgery for a thin woman (http://www.realself.com/review/smart-lipo-thin-surgery-sacramento) who says never to do lipo when your're only needing small contouring improvements. Do you agree that exercise and diet is a better path? Was her outcome the fault of the procedure or the doctor, I suppose is the question.

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9 Doctor Answers | Asked by anon

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Liposuction in thin patients

The best candidates for liposuction are women who are on the thin side and have genetically and gender determined areas excess fat. Think of a long distance runner with saddle bags. Nothing short of starvation or surgical removal (meaning liposuction because it is surgery) will rid her of these fat deposits. With all patients and especially thin patients, it's important to be conservative because it's a lot easier to go back and removel a little more fat than it... more

Ideal liposuction candidate

Thin people are ideal candidates for liposuction if there are focal areas of fat bulges that don't go away with exercise and diet. However, I doubt someone has focal areas if they describe as many areas of having liposuction as in this case. Furthermore, there is mention of cellulite preoperatively and this is not a condition known to improve with liposuction. Cellulite may improve but it may worsen in appearance after liposuction or not change.

Liposuction for thin women

Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. Many of my patients are thin but they have areas of excess fat. I have even performed liposuction on competitive bodybuilders. The technique and experience of the plastic surgeon is critical.

Michael Law, MD

17 reviews

Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon

michaellawmd.com

Skinny Women Who Get Liposuction

In general, liposuction is an extremely effective contouring procedure that is virtually DESIGNED for people who are at or near their ideal body weight; it is not a weight loss procedure. Also in general, the final results depend on what you looked like before, the surgery that is performed and the way that your body heals (the way your skin contracts) into its new contour. When lipo was first described it was said that it was not for patients over the age of 40 - but I often find... more

Liposuction is for contouring localized fat not overall fat reduction

Regardless of technique, whether laser lipo such as Smart Lipo, VASER, or other techniques, liposuction is for removal of localized areas of fat that are resistant to change with diet and exercise. If the fat goes away with diet and exercise then liposuction would be inappropriate, whether you are skinny or have a more average body. Judging from the pictures posted and the description, my guess is that the patient was expecting skin tightening which does not occur to a significant... more

Liposuction is for "problems" skinny or heavy

The procedure of liposuction was developed to deal with "problem areas" or "privileged areas". By this I mean areas which do not respond well to diet and exercise. Overall body liposuction for over weight is dangerous and inappropriate. When liposuction is focused in a few specific problem areas it can provide dramatic and very safe results. When doing very small areas the surgeon needs to switch to very tiny cannulas and be very cautious. more

Skinny women and liposuction

Exercise and a healthy diet are certainly important and a great place to start. Stubborn areas, that are resistant to diet and exercise can often be improved by contouring with liposuction surgery. Having a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon will help determine if you are a candidate. Remember, any surgery has potential risks. Discuss these with your physician.

George John Alexander, MD

3 reviews

Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction key points

Liposuction is not for weight loss, is inappropriate in the obese patient, requires good skin elasticity for a good result (laser lipo doesn't substitute for this!), is best after all diet and exercise has been tried, and works best when you can point to a few specific high points, not generalized fat deposits. It is real surgery, not just a little "procedure," and unfortunately many folks not trained in plastic surgery do it so you need to be very careful where you go... more

The appropriate patient for liposuction

In a perfect world, one would hope that diet and exercise alone would totally eliminate the contour irregularities that we have but as the cliche goes, we don't live in (or have) a perfect world. There are certain specific areas of fat that respond much less to weight loss than our body fat in general - thus the need for liposuction. By the same token, liposuction is ideally performed in an individual that is close to or at their ideal body weight - like the woman that you described.... more