After Liposuction: Does the Fat Come Back?

Liposuction has been among the top five most popular cosmetic surgical procedures since 1992, with nearly 205,000 of the procedures performed in 2015.

Liposuction was introduced to North America three decades ago, and since that time there have been a number of improvements to the procedure.

One of the most-asked questions regarding liposuction is whether the fat will come back after a year or so.

A recent study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery concluded that fat cells don’t return to treated areas, nor are they simply redistributed to untreated areas, as is often reported.

This study offers a contradiction to a report published previously in Obesity magazine. That report concluded that, following liposuction, fat could return to untreated body areas, particularly the arms, shoulders and abdomen, within about a year following the liposuction treatment.

Study Finds No Return of Fat in Treated or Untreated Areas

In this later study, more than 300 patients who underwent liposuction were evaluated at three months post-op. Body dimensions were measured preoperatively and at three months, finding no evidence of the regrowth of fat in treated or untreated areas.

In fact, the upper body dimensions of those who had undergone liposuction were completely unchanged following the surgery, meaning there was no redistribution of the fat.

Among a subgroup of thirty-plus patients who gained five or more pounds following their liposuction procedure, the average reduction in hip measurements did not increase.

Body Proportions Remain Improved, Even After Weight Gain

It is important for those considering liposuction to remember that the procedure does not change the ability to gain or lose weight, rather the value in liposuction is permanent reduction of the number of fat cells in a particular area of the body.

In other words, barring an extreme weight gain, the proportions of those who undergo liposuction remain better.

Dr. Howard Sobel, a leading New York physician, follows the opinion of most surgeons by affirming that liposuction is about contouring rather than weight loss.

Sobel says that those bothered by a body part which is out of balance with the rest of the body will be improved with liposuction—even if the pounds return, the body will remain more symmetrical.

Significant Weight Gains Can Lead to the Development of New Fat Cells

Bottom line—liposuction removes fat cells permanently, and those fat cells will not return, however, if a patient gains a significant amount of weight, new fat cells can develop.

Even smaller weight gains can increase the size of existing fat cells, and the more weight a patient gains following liposuction, the less dramatic the results of the procedure will be.

Typically, patients should be at their normal weight prior to undergoing liposuction. If no weight is gained following a liposuction procedure, then the fat will not come back, either in the treated or untreated areas; although as a body ages, the size and location of fat deposits naturally change in a gradual manner.

Pregnancy will also not permanently alter the results of a liposuction procedure; if a woman has liposuction, becomes pregnant, and loses the excess weight following the birth, the original liposuction results will return.

How Much Weight is Lost During Liposuction?

For those who still want to know how much weight they can expect to lose, in fact, the actual weight loss following liposuction is no more than 2-3 pounds.

The maximum amount of fat which can be removed safely is about 6-8 pounds. When more fat is removed during any single procedure, the greater the risk of complications.

For patients who require more than 8 pounds of fat removal, the liposuction procedure will generally be split into at least two procedures which are 3-4 weeks apart.

Most patients who undergo liposuction will see about 90 percent of the ultimate results within one to three months following the procedure.

Post-op swelling will be present for several weeks following the liposuction procedure; ultrasonic assisted liposuction will generally result in swelling for longer periods of time.

Contact Our Pasadena Plastic Surgeons

If you are considering liposuction, it is important to choose a plastic surgeon carefully. Yet, with so many plastic surgeons in the San Gabriel Valley, how can you decide which one to choose?

There is a reason so many Pasadena women choose Dr. Kevin Ruhge to perform their liposuction surgeries. His personalized approach to cosmetic surgery means that his clients can contact him 24/7 after a surgical procedure.

If you would like to learn more about tummy tucks, liposuction, or any plastic surgery procedure, we invite you to meet with Dr. Ruhge for a private consultation at our office in Pasadena by calling 626.397.9095, or by scheduling an appointment online.