Liposuction for Weight Loss? A lot has been written and said about liposuction in the recent past, that it has now become quite challenging to tell the difference between fact and fiction. Otherwise known as lipoplasty or liposculpture, this technique has often led to huge misconceptions, one of them being that you can use it to lose weight whereas the actual truth is that liposuction is not for weight loss.
Thus, to set the record straight on what is and what is not true about liposuction, read on below.
Myth: You can use liposuction for weight loss
Fact: The idea that you can use liposuction for weight loss is very false as it is actually a body shaping procedure.
Those who are obese tend to think that the best way to shed that extra weight is to undergo liposuction but taking the easy way out is not advisable. Rather than go through liposuction, you should try to diet and exercise until you are close to about 5 kg of your recommended weight and then go for liposuction to shape your body and remove the stubborn fat. However, you should be aware that liposuction is not a substitute to weight loss and there are inherent limitations. Only when you use it correctly can you achieve the perfect body you desire.
Myth: Only women can undergo liposuction
Fact: Though the number of women who undergo the process of liposculpture is significantly more as compared to men, it is not true that it is reserved for women only as both are free to use it for body shaping and not weight loss.
Unlike what is presumably thought, men too have problems with fatty deposits in their body especially on their chest — a condition referred to as gynaecomastia — that exercises at times fails to resolve. This is why men are starting to open up to this idea of fat removal and body shaping to have a better look. Thus, in as much as this procedure is mostly associated to women, it is also starting to gain popularity in men.
Myth: Liposuction will cure cellulite
Fact: Actually, undergoing liposuction will worsen the appearance of your cellulite.
If at any point, your excess weight leads to the development of cellulite and your doctor advises you to undergo liposculpture to remove it, change the doctor. This is because it can actually make it worse and is not advisable.
Generally, when the connective tissues underneath your skin, which are tasked with the responsibility of shaping fat, begin to contract and harden, those areas of your body will start to be held down while others will bulge out. This is what brings about cellulite in the body and creates those cottage/bumpy cheese appearances.
This is why removing the excess fat doesn’t make sense as the connective tissues which cause this problem will still remain as they are. Rather than undergo this procedure, it is better to tone the muscles underneath the skin as well as exercise, which will lead to your overall appearance improving. This is because the exercise will stretch these areas out across stronger tissues beneath your skin.
Myth: Liposuction will improve your health
Fact: We do not know yet. More research are needed.
According to a study published in the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) of 2011, Dr. Eric Swanson, a plastic surgeon in Leawood, Kansas, presented a study on 322 individuals, who had liposuction. This research had the following recommendations.
Though we cannot use liposuction for weight loss, we can still use it to eliminate those stubborn fat pockets around the waist and problematic areas such as arms, back, chest, thighs and other areas. By undergoing this process, we will be eliminating excess fat and cholesterol, which can lead to heart complications and other problems. This is particularly beneficial in those who has weight buildup around the waist, because those persons are more predisposed to heart diseases.
More so, research has shown that people who have undergone liposuction have had their overall health significantly improve post-op.
Thus, if you have been considering liposuction for the weight loss problems you are dealing with, it might be best to first be aware of what the goal of this procedure actually is — which is to shape the body by removing some excess fat. Thereafter, you can be able to identify what you need to do to undergo it to remove your excess fat as described above in the first myth. It is only when you aware what liposuction is can you begin to make a proper informed decision if you need it.
