Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure that removes fat cells from your body to improve your tone and shape. If you’ve struggled to lose weight in areas such as your stomach or love handles despite a healthy diet and regular exercise, liposuction may be able to help you meet your goals.
While liposuction is an ideal solution for those looking to target excess weight in specific areas of their bodies, it is not a weight loss solution. It is a surgical procedure that must be performed under general anesthesia. Because of this, sometimes our patients question if the risk is worth the reward. The Centre for Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery is here to help you determine if liposuction is right for you.
Understanding Liposuction
Liposuction contours your body by sucking away your fat using a hollow tool called a cannula, along with a suction device called an aspirator. Unlike weight loss surgery, a highly-invasive procedure that reduces the size of your stomach, liposuction removes unwanted fat from your body from stubborn areas. This makes it best for treating bulges in your:
- Hips
- Belly
- Thighs
- Butt
- Back
- Arms
- Chin
While liposuction can significantly improve your physical form, it’s not an ideal procedure for someone who is obese or looking for a weight loss method. Liposuction is best for someone who is already at a healthy weight but has difficulty sculpting targeted areas of their body.
If Weight Gain Happens
Liposuction can help you achieve your ideal silhouette by removing fat cells from your body. When the fat cells are removed, they’re gone for good. This means that if you gain weight after your procedure, the weight will be added to your existing fat cells, leaving the newly-toned sections of your body untouched. And if you gain back ten percent or more of your body weight — the rate at which new fat cells will start to grow — new fat cells will accumulate more in the untreated areas of your body.
While areas treated by liposuction will be less prone to weight gain, new weight could be unevenly distributed and therefore detract from your slimmer figure. This encourages our Providence patients to maintain a healthy lifestyle after liposuction, but they also find comfort knowing their trouble spots will continue to be less affected by weight gain.
Maintaining Liposuction Results
A minimal amount of weight gain isn’t likely to affect your liposuction results. To maintain your figure following liposuction, Dr. Andrea Doyle recommends:
- Following all post-op instructions
- Staying hydrated
- Maintaining a regular exercise routine
- Monitoring your calorie intake
- Eating a balanced diet
After surgery, your body will need foods rich in vitamins and minerals to heal properly, which makes monitoring your diet all the more important. Lean protein, whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, and foods high in fiber are good options for optimal recovery and lifetime body maintenance.
Schedule Your Liposuction Consultation in Providence
Call The Centre for Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery at 401-336-3770 to learn how liposuction can help give you the body and confidence you desire. Our board-certified plastic surgeon serves patients in Providence and nearby areas of Rhode Island.
