Could a Doctor Prescribe Liposuction ~ Based on New Health Report

Question

I read this {Time Magazine} article today and I am wanting to know if this would mean a doctor could prescribe, legitimately, lipo procedures as a medical need rather than as elective. Love to hear thoughts as this would be interesting to know.

Earl Stephenson, Jr., MD, DDS, MBA · Answer

Thoughts:

	People with excess BMI would require Large volume liposuction (> 5,000 cc) which presents its own risks/complication that are managed effectively in the hospital after surgery but the volumes needed to impact obesity would be dangerous.

	Insurance companies would not jump to cover more expensive, and unproven methods to reduce the burden of fat vs more standard and time-tested methods (diet and exercise)

	Liposuction does little to impact the lifestyle changes to effect long-term maintenance of weight loss

	Liposuction is and should be a contouring procedure only.

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

Liposuction has not been proven to reduce any cardiac risk factors as the fat responsible for those concerns is contained behind the abdominal muscle wall and liposuction can not reach this fat.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Liposuction is not the treatment for overweight patients. There have been studies that suggest with high volume liposuction some blood parameters may improve, but the risks for some patients to undergo this procedure may be too high.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

You mis interpreted the article written in Newsweek! Read again so you can fully understand what the author was saying. Liposuction is an elective COSMETIC operation. RARELY will any insurance company cover this as a needed operation. From MIAMI Dr. B

Kamran Khoobehi, MD · Answer

The article's main point was the proper way to obtain smaller waist is exercise and diet,not liposuction.

	Good try

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD · Answer

Liposuction is merely a technique to remove fat. The usual application is in body-contouring as an elective cosmetic procedure. However, the technology of liiposuctioning can be applied to other situations such as breast reduction, contouring of flaps including those for breast reconstruction, and debulking fatty tumors. Whether or not applications in these possibly medically-indicated situation would be covered by insurance is variable.

Marcus L. Peterson, MD · Answer

Liposuction is an elective cosmetic procedure.  At this time there is no legitimate medical problem that is treated by liposuction.  Liposuction is best used to improve fat contours that are persistent after proper conditioning and weight loss.

	Best Wishes

	Dr. Peterson

Peter A. Aldea, MD · Answer

If you read the article carefully you would have seen that they differentiate "fat around the gut" (visceral fat) which causes the major complications of obesity from fat under the skin. While Liposuction targets the fat under the skin, it cannot reach or remove visceral fat.

	The only way to lose visceral fat is through burning more calories than we take in. This can be aided by exercise, diet or bariatric surgery (which may be covered by medical insurance). Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery procedure which will not be paid for by insurance.

	Dr. Aldea

Robert T. Buchanan, MD (retired) · Answer

Dr. Aldea was quite correct. The fat that causes problems is that around the gut, under the abdominal muscle. This is what the article stated. This fat is not reachable by liposuction or any external methods. Only diet and exercise or stomach stapling or bypass can achieve reduction of this fat. The fat external to the muscle has a very poor blood supply, whereas, the fat around the gut has a high, active blood supply. This is what differentiates the two and makes the fat around the gut dangerous.

Could a Doctor Prescribe Liposuction ~ Based on New Health Report

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