Can liposuction and breast reduction help me lose 25lbs?

Liposuction will not really help you lose a great deal of weight.  I
would search for the board certified plastic surgeon who you feel is
most likely to give you the best results and who performs hundreds of
these procedures each year. I would look at patient reviews as well as
before and after photos on that surgeon's website.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Thank you for your question about liposuction, liposhaping.Neither breast reduction nor liposuction are designed to be weight loss procedures.That doesn't mean that you wouldn't enjoy the benefits of each of these two procedures.To be sure what is right for you, see two or more experienced, board-certified Plastic Surgeons for a complete evaluation to make sure you are a good candidate and that it is safe for you to have surgery.I hope this helps.

I suggest posting photos and seeing a body contouring specialist for evaluation of your concerns.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Typically, there is very little weight change from a liposuction procedure or a breast reduction. At times up to 4-5 pounds of tissue can be removed with a very large breast reduction, but your weight is distributed throughout your body, not just your breasts. Liposuction is done mostly for contouring and shaping. It can be risky to do it for weight loss. Diet and exercise is the best remedy for this, although the limitations of movement due to your arthritis can make this difficult. Also, the medications you are taking may be a cause for your weight gain and the inability to lose it. Discuss this with your doctor to see if there are other alternatives.

Liposuction and a breast reduction aren't really a means to lose weight. You would be surprised but even very large amounts of liposuction or a breast reduction on very large breasts does not really lead to significant weight loss...usually just a few pounds. If the size of your breasts are causing pain symptoms then a reduction will likely help you with that (ex. neck pain or back pain), but it will not make your knees feel better. 

These are not weight loss procedures.Breast reductions can remove one to three pounds per side. Breast reductions have very high patient satisfaction and have been proven to help most women with neck and back pain and increase quality of life. They are usually covered by medical insurance.Liposuction has the potential of removing one to eight pounds, but we do not typically discuss the procedure in terms of weight but rather with visual results.You need to see a plastic surgeon who is versed in not only liposuction but also breast reductions so you can have all options offered and explained.Best of luck,Mats Hagstrom, M.D.

Dear snoopers,

In
general, liposuction is best used for body contouring and shrinking inches
rather than pounds. Many patients who
are within 20 to 25 pounds of their preferred or ideal body weight will have of
that weight prior to liposuction. If you
are within 10 pounds of your ideal body weight, procedures with significant
multi-zone body contouring and fat removal together with the breast reduction
would remove several pounds of fat and would contribute to weight loss
goals. However, the ultimate goal of
liposuction surgery is to refine contour, shave inches and enhance shape, not
lose weight.Certainly weight loss after
liposuction of any significance can contribute to loose skin, so you want to
achieve most of your weight loss prior to the procedure.

Weight
maintenance after liposuction is important so you protect your investment and
do not allow fat to accumulate in non-liposuction areas, which can also compromise
your figure, shape and form.

Breast
reduction surgery can be an excellent
option for macromastia or enlarged hypertrophic breasts. Symptom reductions as well as aesthetic
improvements can be achieved as long as the incisions heal well and the scars
are aesthetically acceptable.

Mood
stabilization and a note from your treating physician for your bipolar
affective disorder would be very important prior to even entertaining the
concept of any cosmetic surgery, as recovering from surgery is difficult
without a compromised mental health status and a healthy psychological reserve
that is required to heal from the stress of an procedure, especially cosmetic.

I
have been a cosmetic plastic surgeon for over 20 years. Energy-assisted liposuction, such as
SmartLipo™, BodyTite™ and VASER® Lipo have become a very important part of my
practice in achieving ideal body contours.

For
more information, please review the link below.

I
hope this information has been of some assistance and best of luck.

Sincerely,

R.
Stephen Mulholland, M.D.

Certified
Plastic Surgeon

Yorkville,
Toronto