“Does it completely remove all fat cells?” – Liposuction Q & A

Question from Sophie Traikos via Facebook: “I am interested in liposuction, does it completely remove all fat cells and will the fat come back in other areas and what kind of maintenance needs to be done afterwards? Thanks.”

“Hi Sophie, our Doctors remove as much or as little as is required to achieve the desired result of a slimmer, more youthful-looking, smoothly contoured silhouette in the area/s of concern. It is never as much as 100% and of course, health-wise, there is a limit to how much fat (as a percentage of total body weight) can be safely removed in any liposuction session.
With regards to maintenance of results post liposuction, it is up to the patient to maintain a healthy lifestyle in terms of diet and exercise to ensure that they do not put the weight back on. The results are permanent if your weight is maintained. Most people are genetically pre-disposed to having fatty deposits in certain areas ie, saddle bags (hips), muffin top (stomach & lower back) so if a liposuction patient goes back to a sedentary lifestyle or gives in to dietary excesses post-surgery, the weight will come back on. Sometimes, weight gain post-surgery can become concentrated in other preferential fat pad areas, as new fat cells tend to congregate in areas where there are already existing fat deposits. If in the event weight gain occurs post-surgery in the treated area, the fat cells will not increase in size at the rate it would have prior to the procedure. Weight gain can thus be manageable post-surgery. It is important when considering liposuction to factor in timing eg. current weight, planned weight loss, and pregnancies as this will greatly affect the integrity of your results. If someone undergoes liposuction then puts the weight back on after surgery, it is possible to have further liposuction, but as they say, prevention is the best cure! Please call 8850 0655 if you would like to book in to see one of our Doctors for a professional consult.”

Thanks for the terrific question Sophie, if you have any questions feel free to submit them via our Facebook page