Does fat return after liposuction within 1-2 years?

Question

Does fat return after liposuction within 1-2 years because the brain senses its shortage and tries to refill? Or the liposuction succeeds in tricking the brain? Brain monitors changes in the body, how it can be tricked in this case? There is a debate going on it. Please give a solid reason in your answer as to why or why not.

Jennifer Reichel, MD · Answer

If you do not gain weight, the fat will NOT return. In my opinion, the brain has little to do with it. I do believe, that, if you gain weight after liposuction, the areas of your body where you did not have the liposuction will likely increase in size over the areas that did have lipo. My best example of this, is in a patient who had lipo of her lower abdomen 15 years ago. I saw her as a patient, and she had a "tire" of fat in her upper abdomen, but her lower abdomen was flat. It wasn't pretty. That is why, if you are going to have lipo on your tummy, make sure that the entire area from under the breasts all the way down into the pubic area is treated.

Anureet K. Bajaj, MD, FACS · Answer

Once you have had liposuction of an area, the fat cells have been removed from that area and they cannot return to that area.  However, liposuction is not a weight loss procedure but rather a body contouring procedure.  So, if you gain weight or stop your diet and exercise regimen, your remaining fat cells in that same area or in other areas may and will likely enlarge.  If you are considering liposuction for a body contouring procedure, I would encourage you to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon; he or she will be able to answer all of your questions.

Hossein A. Najafi, MD · Answer

Brain has nothing to do with it. If you were to gain weight, areas of liposuction may get a little larger but rarely and very minutely as compared to areas that we're not suctioned

Scott R. Brundage, MD · Answer

The short answer is no. Once the fat is removed from a site it is gone. This does not mean that other areas of the body that still have fat cannot get "larger". When we gain weight we do not add fat cells, each adipocyte (fat cell) balloons and gets larger. So if you have liposuction of you saddle bags and gain weight you should not get larger here but can in other areas of your body. A study was done that proved this in that peoples arms got fatter after liposuction IF they gained weight. That is why it is so important to maintain your weight after body contouring.

Does fat return after liposuction within 1-2 years?

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Answer: Regaining Fat after Liposuction

Answer: Regaining Fat after Liposuction

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Does fat return after liposuction within 1-2 years?

Answers (4)

Answer: Regaining Fat after Liposuction

Answer: Regaining Fat after Liposuction

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Everything you need to know about Liposuction

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.