Is it normal post lipo for you not lose weight but only inches?

Question

Weight, inches and Lipo. I am down 20 inches, 6 weeks post lipo, my pants are falling off but the scale only reflect 6 lbs loss. I am still swollen in spots but its apparent that I am smaller in the areas I had lipo.

David L. Kaufman, MD FACS · Answer

Congratulations on your procedure! What you’ve described—a change in body shape but not significant weight loss—represents the ideal results we hope to achieve through liposuction. This procedure is not a tool for substantial weight loss, but rather to help you achieve a slimmer and more toned contour. Thus, the result is often a loss of inches and clothes that fit much better, even if you only lose six pounds. Additionally, if you’re still experiencing swelling, you are not seeing your final results just yet.

Mitchel Goldman, MD · Answer

Congratulations on a very successful liposuction procedure! It sounds like you lost quite a significant amount of fat. You shouldn’t worry about how many pounds it is in total. Liposuction is not a weight-loss procedure, it’s a body-contouring procedure. You should always think of it in inches, rather than pounds. Also, swelling is a normal part of  liposuction. You should wear your compression garment, as directed by your board-certified dermatologist, and feel free to contact him or her to ask questions about your aftercare, if necessary.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Lipo can make dramatic changes to body contour, but you cannot lose any dramatic amount of weight with it.You will likely only lose a few pounds from the liposuction procedures. I know of no evidence in the literature that fat redistributes after liposuction in the absence of weight loss. Liposuction can reduce cell number and volume. Weight loss can reduce cell volume.

Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Nirmal Nathan, MD · Answer

Fat is not dense so it does not carry tremendous weight. It is common after liposuction to have dramatic visual results but not so dramatic results on the scale. Hope this helps!

Tania Medina de Garcia, MD · Answer

Hello dear!!It is very normal for liposuction patients not to loose much weight after the procedure, as its purpose is to contour the body.Liposuction allows your plastic surgeon to transform your entire shape, by redefining the localized fat deposits in your abdomen, flanks, upper and lower back.If you have any concerns, I suggest to do a follow up with your plastic surgeon.Good luck :)

Eric Desman, MD · Answer

Is it normal post lipo for you not lose weight but only inches?
It is absolutely normal after liposuction to lose minimal weight even while losing inches by measurement. One of the most fundamental principles of liposuction is that it is a body contouring procedure and not a weight loss procedure. This is because fat is not very dense and a large volume does not weigh very much on a relative scale.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Liposuction is used to contour the body addressing fatty pockets.  It is not a weight loss surgery and in general patients lose only minimal weight from surgery.  Liposuction does a great job though of helping patients redefine their shape and minimize areas of fat that seem resistant to diet and exercise.

Israel Manon, MD · Answer

helloyes, it is completely normal to lose inches because of the swelling going down.Regards
Dr. Israel Mañon
Certified Plastic Surgeon

Is it normal post lipo for you not lose weight but only inches?

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