Weight Management Key to Long-Lasting Liposuction Benefit

By C. Andrew Salzberg, MD, New York Group for Plastic Surgery

Liposuction is highly effective for removing fat from specific areas to improve body contour, but patients who maintain results through diet and exercise have the best chance of long-term benefit versus those who proceed to gain excessive weight.

Liposuction is in-office procedure that uses a suction device to remove fat cells from targeted areas of the body, such as the abdomen, buttocks, hips or thighs. Liposuction is very effective at removing deposits of stubborn fat a person can’t shed despite consistent efforts with dieting and exercise.

Liposuction removes many actual fat cells, which don’t grow back or regenerate. However, extra fat taken in as calories has to go somewhere and will settle in areas that may not have had excess fat before, such as the upper arms or legs. But barring extreme weight gain, or even with just a few pounds gained, the body typically retains the improved, more balanced proportions. 

The type of liposuction used depends on each patient’s body type and the body area targeted for fat removal, but may include:

·      SmartLipo MPX™, which uses a laser to heat fat and make it easier to suction out. The laser also facilitates skin tightening around the contoured areas. Smart lipo is very useful for upper arms, neck and inner thigh, where skin is thin.

·      Aqualipo® Liposuction (Body Jet) System, which uses a fine spray to gently loosen fat as it is removed with high-powered suction. This results in less bruising, and helps prevent damage to collected fat when it’s being transferred to enhance areas like the breasts or buttocks with a procedure such as NaturalFill™.

Liposuction is best viewed as an initial phase of body contouring that should be kept up or enhanced by maintaining or losing weight and exercising to hone body tone and musculature. Many patients find a new motivation to staying in better shape – and better health – after their procedure.

Dr. C. Andrew Salzberg, a board certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, is Associate Professor at NY Medical College and Chief of Plastic Surgery at Westchester Medical Center and St. John's Riverside Hospital at Dobbs Ferry Pavilion. He also operates at the Institute for Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery within the Hudson Valley Hospital Center and at The Mt. Sinai Hospital Center in New York City. He is a partner with the New York Group for Plastic Surgery. http://www.nygplasticsurgery.com