Like BOTOX and breast implants, practically everyone has heard of liposuction. And in the common imagination, it’s often thought of as a great way to remove flab and leave a gorgeous body behind. Plenty of people might think, “Nothing that a little lipo can’t fix.”
The truth is, however, liposuction is a very targeted procedure that is focused only on fat removal, and has its limits. We see many patients who have loose skin and flab on their arms, around their abdomen, or on their thighs. And many of those patients think all they need is liposuction to achieve the look they want. Some are wrong.
The main limitation with liposuction is that it is not able to correct loose skin. For instance, if you have sagging skin and some fatty tissue on your upper arms, liposuction alone won’t be a good fix. You’ll likely need an arm lift, which trims and tightens the skin while also removing excess fat. Similarly, liposuction alone is unlikely to give most people a tight, toned abdomen. In most cases, a tummy tuck will be the most appropriate option, allowing your plastic surgeon to retighten stretched muscles while removing excess skin and fat to create a flatter, smooth midsection.
You will see the best body contouring results if you reach your target weight before your procedure.
Liposuction alone may be an option if you are just looking for fat removal in a targeted area and are overall close to a healthy weight. For folks who have achieved significant weight loss, liposuction can be part of your plastic surgery plan, but likely won’t be enough on its own.
If you are planning to lose a significant amount of weight, the best approach is to achieve your weight loss goal first and then consult with a plastic surgeon. Chances are, you will need more extensive procedures to remove excess skin and tissue, so that you can fully show off the results of all your hard work. Several post-weight loss body contouring procedures such as arm lifts, tummy tucks and thigh lifts are designed to achieve what liposuction on its own generally can’t.
To schedule a consultation and discuss your goals in more detail, please contact us online or call our Sacramento office at 916-983-9895.
