Why Liposuction Is about Contouring, Not Losing Weight

At first glance, liposuction might seem like the perfect weight loss solution—after all, it sucks out unwanted fat from practically anywhere on your body, right? Not exactly.

While liposuction can address isolated pockets of stubborn fat just about anywhere, there is a limit to how much fat it can remove. In fact, liposuction isn’t for weight loss at all, but rather is a tool for improving your body’s contours. In fact, all body contouring plastic surgery, including tummy tucks, thigh lifts, and even nonsurgical procedures, have the goal of body shaping, not weight reduction.

Lipo Isn’t about How Much Fat You Have—It’s Where You Store It

Everyone has a certain amount of fat cells throughout their bodies, which are determined in part by genetics. Those cells can be distributed throughout your body in different ways. For example, one person might have a hard time losing “love handle” weight, while another person’s trouble area might be their upper thighs.

Liposuction removes some of the fat cells in your trouble spots to help you achieve the smoother shape you want. For this reason, even very petite people can benefit from liposuction if they tend to store extra fat in specific problem areas.

You won’t lose many pounds with liposuction, but you should notice that your clothes fit better.

Not All Fat Is the Same

Another thing to consider is that there are actually two different types of fat, and liposuction can only treat one. The “pinchable” layer of subcutaneous fat that lies just beneath your skin is what liposuction is able to address. Deeper visceral fat can’t be removed through liposuction and will need good old-fashioned diet and exercise to get rid of.