Although it’s not a weight loss tool, liposuction from our Palm Desert Cosmetic Surgery Institute allows you to do something that exercise, and dieting can’t accomplish: remove targeted pockets of fat from isolated spots. Understanding the basics of fat loss—and why it’s so difficult to “spot reduce” unwanted bulk in certain areas—can help anyone wondering why their daily exercise routines and low-carb lunches aren’t touching a pesky double chin or love handles.

Unfortunately, although your overall body fat percentage may be lower after weeks or months of working out and reducing your calorie intake, you may be frustrated when you notice that the areas you want to lose weight from don’t seem to ever grow any slimmer. Additionally, many people get to a point where exercise isn’t enough for them to get to the point where they have achieved their body contouring goals.

A balanced diet and getting enough routine physical activity certainly keep you healthy. However, if you’ve reached a weight-loss plateau—meaning you’re still following your exercise and diet closely, but are temporarily unable to lose any more weight—cosmetic procedures may be the best option for helping you attain the shape you want.

Body fat or adipose is a connective tissue that has many important health benefits, including temperature regulation, balancing hormone levels, improving reproductive health, and serving as an energy reserve to use for fueling our activities.

You may notice that whenever you gain weight, it usually goes to one or two areas. For some people, it’s the belly. For others, it’s the thighs and buttocks. Ideally, we could simply do exercises that focused on specific areas to make them thinner. For example, wouldn’t it be great if running and squats would automatically give someone smaller thighs? Sadly, fat doesn’t work that way.

The way that our bodies distribute fat and the “order” in which it is lost is mostly determined by genetics, gender, metabolism, and body shape. Women typically store more fat in their hips and thighs because it is essential for childbearing, so these may be the last areas to reduce in volume. Men tend to have more at in the abdominal area.

Also, the most recent area where you gained weight is likely where you lose it from first.

Generally, you’re likely to retain your same basic body shape—but in a smaller size—after weight loss. Liposuction, however, can help with all of these challenges by targeting specific pockets of fat no matter when they first appeared, as well as improving proportions after you’ve reached a stable weight. Think of it as customizable body contouring.

Interested in having liposuction in Palm Desert? To request a consultation with Cosmetic Surgery Institute, give us a call at (760) 837-0364 or fill out a contact form.