Is Liposuction Dangerous for Athletes?

Liposuction is not dangerous for Athletes, but laser liposcution generaly carries higher complication rate than tumescent liposuction, and in a relatively thin person such as you, laser lipo is of no added benefit.

Thanks for the question. Of course not. After a week your surgery area is totally healed and yes you can do sports and also do other activities. I wish you all the best.

Liposuction is not dangerous for atheletes. In gneeral, you should not have liposuction if you plan on considerable weight fluctuations as it may cause an alteration in the result.

Liposuction ideally treats focal, localized areas of fat which are resistant to diet and exercise.  Therefore athletes should be the ideal candidates.   There is no greater risk for athletes vs normal people.  As well trained athletes should only have small areas which need treating,  use of a small, thin cannula would be prudent, as minimal amounts of fat would need to be removed and a thin cannula would be best used to "sculpt" the areas and avoid contour defects. Any on-line search for "Liposuction" will turn up a variety of different types being done, Laser, Laser assisted, Ultrasonic, Tumescent, etc, etc.  I know of no study which proves the superiority or benefit of any type over standard liposuction, in spite of heavy marketing by the companies suggesting otherwise.

Laser liposuction is a new technology that utilizes a laser probe introduced through a small incision under the skin and then pulsed to heat water in the fat cells. The technology is truly in its primitive stages, yet it is marketed heavily and has catchy names. After the laser part of the liposuction, the area is treated with standard suction assisted liposuction which likely contributes heavily to the end results. Unfortunately, the technology is being utilized frequently by non-plastic surgeons who have limited to no training in body contouring which can lead to compromised results and safety. Liposuction, no matter what technology is considered safe if applied in the proper area, under the right conditions and in the right patients. Typically in thin patients, ie athletes, this would be safe if applied to focal areas of fat accumulation, however thin patients are very unforgiving in that if not performed carefully, liposuction could lead to contour irregularities such as depressions. If you do have focal fat deposits that you would like contoured, consider consulting with a board certified plastic surgeon and maybe consider utilizing ultrasound assisted liposuction. Laser liposuction is just not the right medium to deliver results. 

Laser liposuction is safe AND may be your best option.  The best liposuction candidates are those that are thin but have small areas of concern that they want addressed.

Those that have offered opinions that laser liposuction is not safe are from individuals that don't offer that technology and don't use it safely.  Yes, it can create burns if used improperly, just the same as ultrasound assisted liposuction can cause burns.  The real issue is find someone that is well trained with a good reputation that offers ALL of the options so that you can be given an honest answer about what the best procedure for you will be.

One of the last patients I performed laser liposculpture on was an ironman triathlete (2-3 races per year) that needed some areas addressed.  He is going to LOVE his result.  So, yes, even athletes can be excellent candidates for liposuction.

Complications with liposuction are few.  Atheletes do well as they have good pulmonary and cardiac function and have good ability to heal.  I would advise you to seriously consider liposuction.

Liposuction is very safe in thin athletic individuals. There has to be enough fat, though, to remove and leave some behind as a cushion for general function and aesthetic appearance of the skin. It has to be done by an experienced physician with small-sized cannulae to minimize the chance of indentations. If smart lipo is done, then the surgeon must ensure there is enough local anesthetic in the tissue, and that the temperature is checked to prevent a burn. Be cautious especially since the inner thigh can result in sagging and indentations more than other body sites and the buttock should not approached conservatively as you do not want it to sag or drop, especially if the posterior upper thigh near the buttock is treated.

I too would be worried about laser liposuction as there certainly is a possibility of getting burned. You raised a number of issues in your question and overall you are likely an excellent candidate for liposuction. The "perfect candidate" for liposuction is normal body weight, has good skin quality and small troublesome areas of fat.

In general, 10 to 15 pounds of weight gain or loss does not create issues with spot contouring as the weight gain typically disperses fairly evenly throughout the body.

In Colorado, I see a lot of fit patients for body contouring that have the same body type and concerns that are very similar to your's. Liposuction in a thinner patient is a more demanding procedure. My belief is that superficial liposuction requires the utmost skill and perhaps carries more risk of contour problems. Add to this that when we use energy such as laser or ultrasonic liposuction there is no getting away from some possibility of burning the skin.

My own technique for "skinny liposuction" patients, in part for this reason, does not include using laser or ultrasonic liposuction techniques (such as Smart Lipo or Vaser Liposuction). To simply describe the technique I use, I typically gradually subtract fat cell from the area of concern and then an even out the fat cells' placement to allow the skin to naturally contract to provide a natural contour that reduces the likelihood of bumps or on evenness.

In the right hands with the right skills liposuction can create natural contours, but when we use energy assisted liposuction there is always going to be the possibility of getting burned.

Hope this helps.

Dr. Nick

Dear Jules

Liposuction should only be about body sculpting.  Wanting focal sculpting is exactly what liposuction is best for.  Be aware that small liposuctions require better sculpting skills than large liposuctions.  Find an experienced liposuction surgeon in your area who offers tumescent liposuction with microcannulas.  It is not accurate that liposuction is a very safe procedure when performed by a board-certified PLASTIC surgeon.  Dermatologists perform as much liposuction and actually have a better track record of safety because they avoid generally anesthesia.  However, I do agree with everything stated by Dr. Beraka, as usual his comments are right on track.