Posted: October 19, 2016
By Sacha Obaid
Liposuction is one of the most common plastic surgery procedures ever. In 2015 it was the second-most popular procedure in the U.S.; more than 222,000 people had it done! Despite liposuction being fairly common, there are still lots of myths and misinformation about this popular procedure. If you’re thinking about having liposuction, it’s important to get correct liposuction information. Read on to bust the major liposuction myths!
Myth #1: Liposuction is a good way to lose weight.
This is one of the most common liposuction myths, and it’s one that sounds good. Unfortunately, it’s not true. Liposuction isn’t a good way to shed pounds because the amount of fat a surgeon can remove won’t reduce your weight by much.
Someone who is very overweight is likely to have skin that has stretched. After fat removal, this skin will sag due to the loss of volume. There’s no guarantee that it will shrink over time, and liposuction doesn’t include skin removal or tightening.
Liposuction really shines when you have a few stubborn pockets of fat that don’t respond to diet and exercise. If you need contouring in one or more areas of your body, such as love handles, hips and thighs, buttocks, or back, liposuction can be a really good way to achieve this.
The ideal candidate for liposuction is someone who’s just a bit overweight and has good skin tone and elasticity. This ensures a safe procedure with realistic results, and no saggy skin afterward. Fortunately, removal and tightening of excess skin in the abdominal area can be achieved with a tummy tuck, and liposuction and tummy tucks are often performed together!
Myth #2: You can remove as much fat as desired with liposuction.
Many people think that removing more fat will give them better results, but this isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, if too much fat is removed, problem lumps and bumps can look even lumpier!
It’s safer to be conservative about fat removal and to remove as little as possible to achieve your desired results. Your plastic surgeon can speak with you about what’s good for your body in a consultation.
Myth #3: The fat comes back in another area after liposuction.
This is mostly a myth, but if you overeat regularly after liposuction, then your body will start to store more fat—and you’ll gain some weight.
The fat won’t come back in an odd location just because you had liposuction. Any weight gain is distributed all over your body, in areas where fat is already deposited. After liposuction, there are fewer fat cells in those parts of the body where fat was removed. As a result, even if you gain some weight after liposuction, your new body contours will remain.
For best results, of course, you should strive to maintain a stable weight afterward. But if you do gain a little, the results of your liposuction won’t be permanently ruined.
Myth #4: Liposuction can remove cellulite as well as fat.
Cellulite isn’t caused by being overweight, and losing weight or having liposuction won’t remove cellulite. In some cases, it can reduce the appearance of cellulite, but that’s not a guaranteed result.
Myth #5: Liposuction is a quick-and-easy, non-surgical fix.
Liposuction is definitely a less invasive procedure than, say, a tummy tuck or a thigh lift, but it does qualify as a surgical procedure.
It’s usually performed under a general anesthetic, and it does require recovery time. Every body is different, so some people recover faster from liposuction than others, but the typical recovery period usually lasts between 2 and 10 days, depending on how much fat was removed and from where.
Most people benefit from a few days off of work after liposuction because they experience some soreness and swelling for at least a few days. The recovery period is definitely shorter than it is for surgical procedures like tummy tucks, which can require a recovery period of several weeks. After liposuction you’ll likely be back to work after less than a week and can resume your normal activity level in two to four weeks.
Myth #6: Liposuction has the same effect as a tummy tuck.
Are you thinking about liposuction or a tummy tuck but aren’t sure which to choose? There’s quite a big difference between these two procedures and the results they produce.
A tummy tuck removes excess skin from around the midsection in order to smooth and flatten the tummy. With liposuction, fat is removed from the area, but excess skin isn’t removed. If you have liposuction in your abdominal area, you’ll have less fat there, but you might still have saggy skin.
This is why people who have tummy tucks often have liposuction at the same time. The two procedures have different but complementary results, so they work well together to trim, tighten, and flatten the tummy.
Myth #7: Only women have liposuction.
This used to be true, but it’s not anymore! These days, men are catching up when it comes to plastic surgeries, including liposuction.
In 2015, for example, 196,000 women had liposuction, compared to 25,000 men. Men make up only 12.7% of the people getting liposuction, but that’s an increase of 5% over the numbers for 2014. Men might be taking a while to catch up, but liposuction is definitely something that has experienced a recent surge in popularity among guys.
Myth #8: After a certain age, liposuction won’t work.
Not at all! As long as you’re in good physical health and meet the other requirements of successful liposuction, you can achieve great results no matter what your age. You are never too old to want to look your best, so don’t rule out liposuction just because you might be older than the average patient.
Myth #9: Liposuction is a simple procedure that any doctor can perform.
Technically, any doctor could perform liposuction, but that doesn’t mean they’ll do a good job. If you want good, reliable, lasting results, choose a surgeon who is certified with the American Board of Plastic Surgery and has a good track record of satisfied customers.
If you’re interested in having liposuction or in learning more by meeting with a plastic surgeon, call 877-537-7220 to schedule a consultation with board-certified surgeon Dr. Sacha Obaid.