What is liposuction?

Liposuction is what its name is “lipo” meaning fat and “suction” is where we physically suck it out. To understand, think that you have pieces of jelly in a glass, you put in a straw and suck it out. That is exactly what we do in a liposuction. The jelly is your fat. The straw is what we call a cannula which is a metal straw with an opening at its end and the suction power is using a suction machine. That is liposuction 101. Of course there a few more technicalities to it.

Which are the areas where liposuction can be done?

Liposuction can be done in all areas where there is excess fat including the abdomen (tummy), arms, thighs, back, neck and lower face and even calves.

How much weight can be lost with liposuction?

Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. Think of liposuction more a shaping procedure. It will help you lose inches rather than kilos or pounds. To lose weight you will need to follow a healthy lifestyle or if you are too obese maybe look for bariatric surgery as a means to lose weight.

Are results with liposuction surgeries permanent?

Yes. We are born with a fixed number of fat cells. Cells are the building blocks of our body. The fat in our body is made up of fat cells. These fat cells don’t increase in numbers when we put of fat in a particular area but rather increase in size. During liposuction we suck these fat cells out. As result they cannot increase in size again. So the results with liposuction are permanent. However, you have to understand that we cannot remove all fat from everywhere. So if you are going to gain a lot of weight in the range of 25 kgs and above, the chances are you will lose some of the results. However you will not go back to where you were prior to the surgery. Another thing, once you have a result it is very rare to see someone not be motivated to maintain it. I have hardly seen a patient who has again gained a lot of weight after getting the desired result post liposuction.

Will I gain fat in another part of the body?

No. So this is a myth that has come up because of the precise reason that the results of liposuction are permanent. So when someone gains weight post liposuction the area where liposuction has been done does not show any regain in size however the other parts of the body still increase in size. So it appears that the fat has gone elsewhere. However, what is really happening is that you are putting on weight all over your body except the area where liposuction has been done and this needs to be avoided by following a healthy lifestyle.

Am I the right candidate to get liposuction done?

Unfortunately unlike a lot of the other plastic cosmetic surgeries, liposuction is not for everyone. The ideal candidates are the ones leading a healthy lifestyle, maintaining a good weight, not having other serious illnesses and motivated to maintain that healthy lifestyle. In such patients liposuction can really help lose those last parts of the stubborn fat that refuses to go with a healthy diet and exercise. If during the consultation I feel that you are not the right candidate I shall let you know. I will also help you understand the reasons why and how we can get you to the desired weight category so that you can start living a healthy lifestyle and when needed come back to us for liposuction if needed.