Even people who are in great shape can still have areas of excess fat that they wish they could reduce. Unfortunately, exercise and a healthy diet may not be enough to reduce stubborn fat that clings to isolated areas due to genetics, age, or hormonal factors. Liposuction, which involves the selective surgical removal of subcutaneous fat from stubborn areas, is ideal for re-shaping the body and producing major aesthetic improvements to boost confidence. With that in mind, many patients who are having surgical body contouring procedures want to know: Does fat removed from liposuction come back? Our Palm Desert-based team at Cosmetic Surgery Institute knows that patients enjoy the transformative results they can achieve with this treatment—but also that they are frequently concerned about the potential lifespan of those results.
While liposuction is a highly popular cosmetic procedure, it is also one of the most misunderstood treatments. If you’re worried about fat returning, here’s what you should know:
The fat that is surgically removed during a liposuction procedure is indeed gone for good. Since the fat is literally taken out of the body and those fat cells can’t regenerate, there’s no need for patients to worry about the same fat coming back in the areas that were treated. This means that many patients will be able to enjoy the dramatic outcome from the procedure essentially forever.
However, it is important to remember that if a patient gains weight after liposuction, it’s likely that the results will look less impressive as remaining fat cells—in the surgery area as well as other areas—can become enlarged. If a very significant amount of weight is gained, new fat cells can be created even in treated areas.
Therefore, it’s important to maintain your post-liposuction weight to maximize results. Continue to eat well, exercise regularly, and be aware of your overall health.
Regardless of whether or not you gain weight, patients should know that there will still be comparatively fewer fat cells in treated areas than in untreated ones. Fat-reduction surgery alters a person’s distribution of fat, so volume or “bulk” may be stored in other body areas. This means that a new body shape will remain mostly the same and look better than it did if the patient hadn’t had liposuction.
Our Palm Desert-based Cosmetic Surgery Institute team can provide a more comprehensive answer to patient questions during a personalized consultation. Call us at (760) 837-0364 or submit a contact form to request an appointment with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss liposuction.