Should Patients Lose Weight Before Liposuction Surgery?

Liposuction can be a great way to slim down trouble spots on your body where the fat doesn't respond to diet and exercise. But liposuction is not technically a weight loss surgery, even though many patients lose fat. This leads patients to wonder if they need to lose weight before getting the procedure.

At Mizuguchi Plastic Surgery, dual board-certified aesthetic and plastic surgeon Dr. Nana Mizuguchi helps patients in Louisville, KY decide if liposuction is the way to achieve their aesthetic goals.

Keep reading to find out how to know if liposuction is right for you and whether you may need to lose weight before getting the procedure.

What is liposuction?

Liposwuction involves a small incision in the area to be treated and the insertion of a cannula. The fat beneath your skin (the "flabby" subcutaneous fat) is then vacuumed out via this cannula. In some cases, liposuction surgery is assisted by a laser to loosen fat.

Some liposuction procedures can remove up to 11 pounds of fat. That's because when we're overweight, some of our fat is visceral fat, which is attached to our organs. Liposuction cannot remove visceral fat without damaging our organs and tissues. Instead, it removes the fat cells that make up the stubborn fat that keeps us from looking slim and toned around the abdomen, thighs, hips, upper arms, and upper back.

Who is a good candidate for liposuction?

If you're in good health and have already tried to remove those excess pounds via diet and exercise, you may be a great candidate for liposuction. Fat accumulation is sometimes linked to genetics or environmental factors that are hard for us to control.

Patients who undergo liposuction should be close to their goal weight, usually within 15 pounds or less. They should be at a stable weight and committed to maintaining that weight after the surgery. For example, it may not be ideal to have liposuction on your abdomen if you plan to get pregnant in the near future.

Do I need to lose weight before liposuction?

It may be necessary to lose weight before liposuction since the ideal candidates for this surgery are already close to their goal weight. However, drastic weight loss before surgery is not ideal since it may not lead you to a sustainable weight.

Dr. Mizuguchi will discuss how your body might look after liposuction if you experience dramatic weight gain or loss after your surgery. In these cases, you may not have a satisfying outcome in areas where weight is gained back or lost unevenly.

Fat cells do not grow back in the areas where you've had liposuction. That means weight gain or loss can have a more drastic effect on areas that haven't been treated. So even mild weight gain, for example, may result in some areas growing larger than they would have without the surgery.

Blast your stubborn fat with liposuction in Louisville, KY

At Mizuguchi Plastic Surgery Louisville, KY, dual board-certified aesthetic and plastic surgeon Dr. Nana Mizuguchi is committed to giving patients the best aesthetic outcomes and ensuring safe procedures. At times, that may involve advising patients to wait to have liposuction or choose a different procedure.

If you're ready to find out if liposuction is right for you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Mizuguchi to discuss your goals, medical history, and weight loss journey.