How Long Will The Results Of My Liposuction Last?

Liposuction is rapidly gaining in popularity in the United States. Partly this growth is due to several innovative new technologies such as SmartLipo, ProLipo, CoolLipo, LipoLite, and LipoTherme, which all help make liposuction easier and more painless than previously. Partly, too, it is because we live in a world of instant gratification, and liposuction--unlike dieting and exercise--produces fairly immediate results. By removing excess body fat through special tubes called cannulas, liposuction (also called suction lipectomy and lipoplasty) removes fat cells from specific target areas. After initial swelling goes down, the change to one's figure is immediately apparent.

However, many people have questions about how long the results of their procedure will last. Some people wonder if the results of their lipoplasty will leave as quickly as they appeared. People wonder whether the fat cells removed during suction lipectomy will regrow, leaving them with their pre-surgery figure and a liposuction sized hole in their bank account.

To a large extent, the length of time that a patient can enjoy his new-found good looks is up to the patient himself. Although liposuction permanently removes fat cells, if a patient isn't careful, he or she can put on weight again. Typically post-surgery weight gain will happen in areas other than the surgical site. This can mean both good and bad things. Sometimes if a woman gets a lipoplasty on her abdomen, and subsequently gains weight, the weight will go places that she would rather have it, such as the breasts. However, frequently the weight goes unwanted places, causing weight gain in the hips, thighs and around the face. Sometimes it can even sometimes cause new problem areas to appear, as weight gain occurs in places where the patient has never gained fat before.

Also, if a person gains more than 10% of his or her body weight in fat, the body will sometimes begin to develop new fat cells, and this can happen in the area of liposuction as well. Although the person will still tend to carry less fat in the area of liposuction than they might have otherwise, their results will still be less than ideal.

However, the good news is that if a patient can keep from gaining weight after a liposuction, the fat cells will not return to the target area. The patient should be able to keep the areas of their lipectomy trim and slim for years to come. Of course, the fat deposits of the body change with age, and the natural aging process will still happen. This aging process may lead to the increase of fat deposits, even where the surgery was performed. However, these fat deposits will still be much smaller than if a lipoplasty wasn't performed.

The best way for a patient to keep the effects of a liposuction is to live healthily. If patients exercise regularly and eat healthy, low fat diets, they will be much better able to keep unwanted weight off.