Is it true that after liposuction, your body just replaces the removed fat in another area?

Thanks for the important question. It is a very common question all plastic surgeons get.As far as I am aware of, there are no studies that prove the phenomenon you are talking about. However, most plastic surgeons have probably heard that complaint from some of their patients.The fact is that if you maintain your weight with diet and exercise, your results can last forever.If you gain weight, especially more than 10lbs, your liposuction results will probably be gone. You may gain the weight in the same areas you had liposuction or gain weight in other areas.Liposuction is not a weight reduction surgery. It is a surgery that helps give a contour to areas that don't respond well to diet and exercise. If you gain too much weight, the liposuction results won't last.So the good news is that you will maintain your liposuction results if you maintain your weight.Good Luck.

Dear juliejustjulie,no, removed fat will not appear somewhere else.  If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

No, as long as you maintain a healthy/stable weight, you'll keep your results. However, if you gain weight, you may gain in untreated areas first. You may have swelling, which can last 3-6 months after your procedure. I recommend adding hyperbaric oxygen and lymphatic massage along with your compression to help decrease swelling. To improve your final results, I also recommend adding vanquish for further fat removal, exilis/venus legacy for skin tightening, cellutone/z wave to make the skin smooth, remove scar tissue, and improve the skin’s appearance. See an expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Thank you for your question. Fat removed from areas that are liposuctioned do not move to other areas. There are a set amount of fat cells in different areas of the body. When liposuction is performed to a certain area, new fat cells do not appear. Ones that are left behind may grow but there will always be less in the area. With that being said other areas that were not liposuctioned still have the same amount of fat cells. When a patient gains weight, and the cells get larger in both areas, the area that did not have cells removed may appear larger due to the fact that all the existing fat cells remain, vs the area that was suctioned where they do not (and the area does not grow). This may give the appearance that the fat "moved" to the other area of the body when really that area has the same amount of fat cells, the liposuctioned area just does not therefore is smaller. Hopefully this information helps ease your mind a bit. It sounds like you are disciplined in diet and exercise and if that's the case this shouldn't be an area of concern. Good luck and best wishes!

Thank you for your question.  The answer is no the fat doesn't just go somewhere else, if you maintain your weight and diet/exercise routine.  If you gain weight or have extra calories that need stored the fat will go to other place since the "storage" area is less in the previous liposuction areas.  Best Wishes!

Thank you for your question. The number of fat cells we have in our body is determined in adolescence. Those fat cells will increase or decrease in size as we gain and lose weight. Liposuction removes fat cells from the area that is being addressed. These results are long lasting provided that you maintain your weight and you continue to diet and exercise. Best of luck.

The easiest way of thinking of liposuction is that it removes shelves in fat stores and the contents.
If you put weight on it will be stored on whatever shelves are left and so the fat distribution will change.
If you keep your weight steady, there will be no changes in the fat stores.
Liposuction will change your contours.  It does not control your weight.