Is It True That Fat Cells Will Migrate to Other Parts of Body After Lipo Even if the Person Does Not Gain Any Weight?

     Liposuction in one area depletes fat cells in that area.  As a result, if a patient gains weight the fat will be stored in other areas of the body preferentially. 

The situation you are describing is not true.  Liposuction permanently removes fat from the areas that are treated.  If you do not gain weight, you will not see an increase in fat elsewhere.  This is not a lost cause and if you have a problem area or two that you just can't seem to get rid of, liposuction is a great tool for improving your figure.  Good luck.

Fat cells can't migrate.

However, if you ask the question "Can you gain volume in another area after liposuction, even if you don't gain any weight?", the answer is that it is possible. For most patients, this slight gain in volume in another area of the body will not be noticeable.

There have been studies looking at breast enlargement after liposuction of the abdomen (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2007 April 15;119(5):1584-9). They DID show that a certain number of women gained volume in their breasts (about 40%). I don't know of any studies looking at other areas of the body - ie thigh enlargement after lipo of the abdomen. So, if you are worried about volume gain in your breasts, you should ask your doctor at the consultation. I wouldn't worry about gaining volume in other areas.

Thanks for your post. Fat cells do not migrate or replicate. We can move fat cell s around using fat transfer techniques, but the cells can't do that on their own. Best wishes, Dr. Aldo.

Fat cells do not migrate through the body. After liposuction, you will not store new fat anywhere else in the body unless you gain weight. If you gain weight, the fat will be deposited into fat cells you currently have, wherever they may be.

The key to understanding what happens to fat cells after liposuction is that not all fat cells are the same; some are genetically programmed to hold on to fat, while others release it more easily in response to diet and exercise. The resistant cells tend to distribute in specific patterns, depending on the individual's genetics. For example, the "apple" body carries excess fat around the middle and the upper inner thigh; the "pear" body has a narrow waist and excess fat on the outer thighs. So if all of the problem areas are reduced with liposuction, fat has to be distributed more evenly since the "favorite" spots have reduced capacity to gain. If you skip one, for instance the inner thigh with an apple body, that will be an even bigger problem.

I do not believe that fat will migrate to other areas of the body if you don't gain weight, and I have not seen it do so after having performed liposuction for decades. However, with increasing age and hormonal changes, fat does redistribute whether or not you have had a liposuction. 

The best plant is to have a lipo, if you want and need one, and stay in good health, by eating healthfully and exercising. Also make an attempt to maintain normal hormone levels (bioidentical hormones) for someone about 35 years old. This will help you maintain muscle size, which burns calories even when you are asleep. Bone mass will also be preserved. 

We can't stop the aging process, but we can make every effort to slow it down, and that will help prevent excess accumulation of fat.

As others have said, the answer is "no- fat cells do not migrate". This is the reason that it is so important to stay "in shape" and not gain weight after your body contouring procedure. If you do, the fat that could have gone to the previous areas that were liposuctioned will seek out another location. This has now been shown in studies. We do not get extra fat cell in life but only when we are growing in our younger years. That is another reason why childhood obesity is such a problem today for these individuals will have greater struggles all their life. 

This is the most common topic plastic surgeons are asked about liposuction.  Patients will say things like "I hear that when you get liposuction and you gain weight it goes to other areas."  This is without a doubt NOT TRUE!  People gain weight where they are genetically predetermined.  If you get liposuction of your flanks but you normally gain weight in your legs then that is where the fat will go after liposuction.  Fat cells don't migrate.  It may look like you gain weight in other areas because the area that was treated is smaller. 

Thank you for the question; it is a common one.
Liposuction surgery removes fat cells; the fat cells that are removed are permanently removed.  From this standpoint therefore, the results are permanent. However, if the patient gains weight the fat cells that remain in the area will grow.  Obviously, there may be relatively more fat cells present on other anatomic parts (these parts may grow relatively more when patients gain weight after the liposuction procedure).
I hope this helps.