After a sculpsure treatment will fat come back in another area if I were to gain weight?

Question

I had liposuction on my flanks and lower abdomen when I was 22 then got pregnant when I was 30. I gained weight, but not in my flanks or lower abdomen so now my lower back and upper abdomen have fat pads that look unporportionate to the rest of my circumferential trunk.

Robert M. Lowen, MD · Answer

When you have SculpSure or liposuction, the fat cells are destroyed, and they can't come back. If you gain weight it has to go to the areas that have the normal amount of fat cells. Both the remaining fat cells in the areas of treatment with SculpSure or liposuction can store energy and enlarge, but nowhere as much as the areas that were not treated. That is why those areas, your upper abdomen, for example, not look larger. You should try to maintain a level weight after SculpeSure or liposuction, and you will not get bigger in other areas.

Anh-Tuan Truong, MD, FACS · Answer

SculpSure permanently destroys fat cells.  Fat cells won't regenerate in the areas that were treated.  However, the fat cells remaining and the ones in untreated areas can still enlarge as you gain weight.

Ross A. Clevens, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question. SculpSure actually eliminates fat cells, whereas diet and exercise will simply shrink existing fat cells. SculpSure is a technique to contour the body. Please consult with your board certified facial plastic surgeon about the newer fat in your lower back and upper abdomen to see if those fat areas are a good fit for removal via SculpSure. Best wishes,

Jaime S. Schwartz, MD, FACS · Answer

Sculpsure is a noninvasive 1060nm diode laser treatment that removes up to 25% of stubborn fat in the treated area in 25 minutes.It is FDA approved for the abdomen and flanks. It is safe if you get pregnant in the future.

The body contouring effects are seen in as quick as six weeks with final results at 12 weeks.

The results are permanent as long as you maintain your weight and health.

The laser targets and destroys the fat cells only which are then naturally removed from the body. Since the laser does not affect the skin or muscle it can be used on all skin colors and there has been no reported incidents of burns when treated by a properly trained physician. It is protective since it alternates heating and cooling.

It has four applicators that can be customized to treat the areas of stubborn fat.

If a second treatment is needed we wait at least six weeks and usually closer to 12.

If you notice lumps after (which I've never seen) I would recommend massage. You should also alert your surgeon.  No compression garment required.

There is no downtime and you can resume your normal activities right after the treatment. There may be some soreness in the area for a few days for which you can take ibuprofen or tylenol. A cold compress can also be used.

Sculpsure is not used for skin tightening however some of our patients have seen this. If more skin tightening is needed we have combined this with thermi or Ulthera for a complete treatment. Sculpsure is recommended for stubborn areas of fat that are not being lost by diet and exercise. It is not a weight loss treatment.  If you gain weight, you will gain it in all areas -- treated and untreated.

Since I have both a coolsculpting and sculpsure I am working on protocols of utilizing both of these depending upon what areas need to be treated and the response to the treatment.

I have used sculpsure on other areas other than the abdomen with very good results.

I also use a Vectra 3D imaging system to try and show people what their treatment areas could look like.

Since Sculpsure outcomes can be based on technique and experience, please see a board certified plastic surgeon that specializes body contouring to see if Sculpsure or other treatments are available to meet your goals.

Take care,

Dr Schwartz

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

coolsculpting/sculpsure do best when combined with vanquish RF along with diet and exercise.  If you gain weight, you can gain weight back in all areas -- treated or not.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Craig Schwartz, DO · Answer

There is a common misconception that after lipo or non-invasive body contouring procedures, that fat gets deposited more in other areas. This is not true. The fat cells that are removed or destroyed from these procedures are permanently gone, but there are still fat cells that remain, and these can enlarge or reduce over time depending on your diet, exercise and activity level. If one does not watch their diet, you can absolutely gain the weight back, but it will be deposited symmetrically through the body. It may just appear that more is going to other areas since they weren't previously treated.

Sean Doherty, MD, FACS · Answer

Sculpsure gets rid of the fat cells removed permanently. However, our remaining fat cells can grow or shrink depending on our weight. That's why it's always ideal to be at a maintainable goal weight before getting body contouring procedure. Hope this answers your question.

Tania Akers-White, MD · Answer

After the Sculpsure procedure, the fat cells in that area are permanently destroyed and never return.

Keith Denkler, MD · Answer

Weight gain after medical procedures for weight loss can change the distribution of fat.  SculpSure is an excellent treatment for new localized diet resistant fat pads such as the upper or lower abdomen.

Patricia Faraz, MD · Answer

Once the fat cells are destroyed they will not return. The fat cells in the area treated that remain can increase with weight gain. If you have a weight gain after being treated more then likely you will notice the gain in other untreated areas and existing fat cells.

Hope this helps! Dr Faraz

Hope this helps! Dr Faraz

After a sculpsure treatment will fat come back in another area if I were to gain weight?

Answers (18)

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