Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed in the United States. With lipo, you can have fat extracted from your belly and virtually everywhere else on your body. You can even have your ankles and cheeks lipo’d, if fat accumulates there. Many people, men and women alike, use liposuction to achieve their ideal body shape goals.
What isn’t well known is the permanence of a procedure such as liposuction. Does the belly fat stay gone forever, or will it return?
To better understand how long the fat stays gone, it helps to understand how liposuction targets and removes the fat from your body. The fact is, yes, liposuction is permanent, but that’s not the end of the story. Fat can return but the situation is not as clear cut as you may think. Here is the full “skinny” on lipo so that you can become a better informed consumer and patient.
How Does Liposuction Work Exactly to Remove Fat?
The goal of liposuction is to remove fat cells from targeted areas of the body. There are several liposuction techniques commonly used today. All of them use a combination of an aspirator and cannula. An aspirator is a suction device that extracts the fat while a cannula is a hollow tube that acts as the extraction instrument. Together, the tools of the cosmetic surgeon’s trade can make you thinner on your waist, flanks, chest, arms, legs, and even your butt.
How Can Fat Return After Liposuction?
Fat doesn’t “return” after lipo. Those fat cells you had extracted do stay gone forever. However, it is possible to grow new fat cells. That’s why it is important to try and maintain your post-lipo weight to avoid skewing your results.
A weight gain of even five to seven pounds could lead to less dramatic body contours. A boost in weight to that degree could easily happen over the holidays and could lead to new fat cells growing on the treatment areas.
A significant weight gain (10% of your body weight or more) could lead to even more skewed results. The good news is that the human body is designed to gain weight all over. That means that, even with a slight to significant weight gain, your treatment areas will still have less fat than non-treatment areas. That means that your body will still look “improved”, even as the scale climbs.
You can avoid any skewed results by maintaining your weight. If you can manage that, the fat will never return, and you’ll continue to look great, whether you’re in clothes or in your birthday suit.
How to Maintain Your Post-Lipo Weight
The best way to sustain your liposuction results over the long-term is to adopt the right habits. Here are six lifestyle changes to consider.
1- Eat to Live, Don’t Live to Eat
Food today tastes out of this world. Many of the foods we enjoy are also packed with calories, many of which our bodies don’t need. Consider tracking your food with a smartphone app. That way, you can determine how many calories you are eating for your body type and lifestyle. Even if you don’t record all your meals in an app, be cognizant of how many calories you take in. Be sure to adjust for your level of activity, whether you are athletic, moderately active, or sedentary.
2- Stay Properly Hydrated
Drinking water is the best way to keep your body running efficiently. Staying hydrated can also keep excess pounds at bay. Do your best to drink your weight or half of your weight in liquid ounces each day. A 150-pound woman would drink 150 ounces or 75 ounces of water. A 220-pound man would drink 220 ounces or 110 ounces, or somewhere in between. Carry water bottles with you whenever possible to remind yourself to always drink your H2O.
3- Break Your Meals into Smaller Options
Instead of eating three big meals, consider eating six smaller meals throughout the day. You can break your meals in half or plan smaller and healthier choices accordingly. Eating lighter and more frequently has been shown to give you more energy throughout the day. Anyone who has ever consumed a heavy meal in one sitting knows the lethargy that follows. You don’t get that when you eat a bit, wait, then eat a bit more, throughout the day. Making all of your meals ahead of time can ensure you have healthy choices to turn to whenever you need. Planning will also keep you from reaching for unhealthy foods whenever tempted.
4- Do Not Skip Meals
It may seem counterproductive to eat all day long when trying to maintain your weight. However, skipping meals can have the opposite effect. When you skip a meal, you may find yourself starving. That’s when you are likely to reach for a high-sugar and high-fat snack in a pinch. Once again, plan your meals. Choose a Sunday or another day out of the week and cook all of your healthy meals, storing them in Tupperware and other easy-serve containers. While you’re at it, get junk food out of your house so you can eat without feeling guilty.
5- Get Enough Exercise
You don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to maintain your weight. A walk for 20 to 30 minutes a day, a few times a week, is all it takes to maintain your fitness. That is, if you maintain a healthy diet. It’s said that abs are made in the kitchen and you can’t outrun a bad diet.
If you eat healthily, you can maintain your weight with moderate exercise. Try something fun – like a fitness class or an intramural sport – something that will get you excited about moving your body.
6- Follow Your Doctor’s Post-Lipo Instructions
Your cosmetic surgeon will likely give you tips for achieving the best results with your liposuction procedure. These include the right foods to eat and the best ways to exercise. These tips can be applied as you are healing and afterward, once your results are realized. Deviating from these instructions can lead to unfavorable results. Making your doctor’s advice part of your newly adopted habits is the best way to enjoy enviable liposuction results long into the future.
Schedule a Consultation for Liposuction to Remove Fat with World-Renowned Surgeon Dr. Babak Moein
Liposuction is permanent. Imagine looking in the mirror and seeing the flat tummy you have always wanted. Imagine walking down the beach with your slimmer arms and legs. These results can be yours. And you are more likely to achieve stellar results by working with the best cosmetic surgeon in the Los Angeles area. That surgeon is Dr. Babak Moeinolmolki (Dr. Moein for short).
Dr. Moein has an excellent track record for helping his patients reach their goals with lipo. Dr. Moein is also skilled and experienced at other liposuction procedures, such as VASER Hi-Def Lipo, which uses sound energy to extract fat for toned or “ripped” results.
Learn more by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Moein at Moein Surgical Arts. The process is easy. Simply call (310)694-4486.
