Abdominal lipo- Putting on weight before procedure?

Question

I'm  a 35 male, around 195 pounds without much effort in the gym or watching my diet, but I can go up to 220 when I get lazy and stop completely. Should I have the lipo done at a higher body weight of 220 so I have more of a cushion in the future when it comes to possible weight gain and new fat deposits? I just want a little help with the problem areas of love handles and lower belly. I plan to do the rest with diet and exercise, so I'm not looking at my results immediately after surgery as the final outcome.

William T. Stoeckel, MD · Answer

There is no benefit to gaining weight before liposuction. If anything, you will make it more likely that skin will not retract and that the end results will not be as good. Liposuction results are best when it is used to treat small trouble areas that still persist after patients have done all they can to get in the best shape possible. Gaining weight would be counterproductive.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

This all comes down to precision of surgery.  I think you should be at your lowest weight, but it is easier to liposuction if you have more fat.Liposuction results are highly surgeon dependent.  Find a board certified plastic    
surgeon who performs hundreds of liposuction and liposuction revision   
procedures each year.  Then look at the plastic surgeon's website before
 and after photo galleries to get a sense of who can deliver the    
results. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Generally speaking, the ideal patient for liposuction surgery is one who has achieved a long-term stable weight, is medically (psychologically and psychosocially) stable and presents with diet and exercise resistant adipose tissue of  specific areas, with good quality overlying skin elasticity. When the time is right, seek consultation with well experienced board-certified plastic surgeons who can provide you with good, specific, and ethical advice. Best wishes.

Jeremy Pyle, MD · Answer

Yours is a common thought so I appreciate your posting it. By the time you are 18, you have likely made all of the fat cells you are ever going to make. When we gain weight, we just make those fat cells bigger. Your genetic code tells your body where to distribute those fat cells. Liposuction can be used to even the playing field in your body and suck the extra fat cells out of the areas that you tend to store fat in. Because your weight gain will not add new fat cells, adding weight is literally the worst thing you could do before liposuction.  The same fat cells will be suctioned out either way, but your skin will be stretched and your results much less impressive. Liposuction on a person nearer their body weight can give absolutely great results by simply removing the problem area leaving the suctioned area looking in line with the rest of a healthy body.  Best of Luck,Dr. Pyle

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

I think that the best way to evaluate you is to be seen in person to be properly evaluated, but it does sound reasonable to lipo problem areas.

Abdominal lipo- Putting on weight before procedure?

Answers (7)