Losing Weight after Lipo?

You are more likely to gain weight in areas untreated by liposuction if you do not diet and exercise. The best way to maintain optimal results is to maintain a diet and exercise program.   Or get a hi definition sculpting procedure that treats all areas in a single treatment. Best, Dr. Emer

Please be aware that my comments here are general and can’t be taken as specific medical advice. Fat removed during liposuction won't return, so if you lose (or gain) weight in the future, it's more likely to be in different areas of the body. I ask my patients to be within 10 or so pounds of their ideal body weight before they get liposuction, instead of trying to lose weight after the procedure. The best way to maintain a healthy weight is really the same whether you get liposuction or not: establish a regular exercise routine and eat a nutritious diet, rich in fruits and vegetables.

Thank you for your question.  If you gain weight after liposuction you will notice it more in the areas that you did not have the liposuction done as there are more fat cells there.  It is not that the fat has traveled there it is because you did not have fat removed from that area.  You have less fat cells in the areas in which you had the fat removed so you will not notice weight gain as much in the areas that you had liposuction done.  You will however notice weight gain in the areas you had the liposuction done if you gain a significant amount of weight.  Try to have a healthy diet and exercise and you should be fine. Best of luck,Dr. Hisham Seify

Hello dear, thanks for your question and provided information as well.. This is the surgical procedure that revolutionized cosmetic surgery becoming one of the most performed cosmetic procedures. Subcutaneous tissue or fat is removed in order to contour the body in a way that is harmonious and pleasing to the senses. It can be performed in almost all regions of the body such as the neck, chin, abdomen, back, buttocks, thighs, arms and ankles. Usually done through a small incision in the skin through which a cannula connected to a vacuum is applied, it can be performed alone or in combination with other procedures. After liposuction your body is going to be really swollen for at least 2 to 4 months after your surgery. It is important for you to wear your compression garment for at least 6 months, the first 3 months 24/7 and then the last 3 months at least 12 hours per day for your body get use to not having the faja for so many time. When you remove it, your body can get swollen and also you can have pain. Remember to also compress your body to prevent a seroma which is an accumulation of liquid that has to be drained, it is hard to touch and also really painful. Bruises are completely normal for almost 3 months from surgery, that’s why is better for you to use a bruising cream and apply it all over your body 3 times a day. To prevent bad circulation and swollen legs, use compression socks. Brazilian butt lift can be performed with the same procedure and for a month it will be swollen and it will drop a little bit without losing it’s shape if you use your garment.. If you’re going to perform liposuction on your inner, outer, anterior, lateral, postetior thighs, be careful and consult with your surgeon what’s best for you, sometimes we have more extra skin than fat, that can cause severe sagginess on our legs, which can be only be reversed performing a thigh lift!

Resultsliposuction simply gives a new fat distribution.Results from this procedure are you generally enhanced with weight loss.With weight gain or weight loss patients will maintain their new fat distribution, shape or proportions for the most part.Think of weight gain or weight loss as simply have bigger or smaller version of results with a new fat distribution.Another way to look at this as thinking of areas treated with liposuction as behaving like parts of the body when there is less body fat. For example peoples forearm do not fluctuate very much with weight loss while hips thighs and abdomens fluctuate substantially.Areas treated with  liposuction have less fat cells so they tend to fluctuate less with weight change.Best,Mats Hagstrom M.D.

Areas treated by liposuction have had most but not all of their fat cells removed.  Future weight gain and weight loss will have minimal effect on those treated areas.  On the other hand the remaining fat cells in other parts of your body will respond to weight gain and weight loss by either shrinking or expanding.  Once your swelling has gone down from the procedure your surgeon should be able to give you an estimate of how much lighter you should be to maximize the results.

Avoiding diet pills with a healthy diet and a reasonable exercise regimen is probably your best combination to achieve a healthy and maintainable weight.  Do the best you can but do not obsess over your weight as long as you have a healthy lifestyle.  Best wishes.

Jon A Perlman M.D., FACSDiplomate, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)Beverly Hills, California