Can Fat Return After Liposuction?

After undergoing liposuction, many individuals are worried that their fat will come back. The fat cells removed using liposuction will not return, but your body can still manufacture new fat cells in the treated area. So, it is possible for you to regain weight. However, if you remain dedicated and maintain your target weight, you do not have to worry about losing the contouring achieved through liposuction.

Dr. Omar Ahmed is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgical specialist who treats patients in the Pasadena, CA area. If you are interested in undergoing body contouring treatments using liposuction, contact Omar Ahmed, M.D. to learn more. He can offer a blended treatment plan that targets multiple areas of fat in the thighs, abdomen, buttocks, hips, and abdomen to create a more contoured silhouette.

Who is the best candidate for liposuction?

Have you recently reached your ideal weight, but you still have areas of bulge that no amount of dieting or exercise can eradicate? If so, liposuction might be the ideal solution for your problems. Patients who wish to undergo liposuction should have acceptable skin laxity because liposuction will not treat sagging or loose skin on the body. Remember, liposuction is not a treatment for weight loss. It is just a body contouring aid. If you are female and wish to undergo liposuction, you should make sure that you have completed your childbearing years before undergoing the body contouring treatment.

Understanding liposuction

Dr. Ahmed performs surgical liposuction as an outpatient procedure. You’ll be put under general anesthesia, and a small incision is made to effectively insert the cannula. A cannula is a thin tube that loosens the fat cells for removal. The cells are then suctioned out, and the incision is closed. Liposuction can take from 1 – 3 hours, depending on the number of treated areas. Following the procedure, you’ll be moved to a separate recovery area until you are discharged to return home.

Care after liposuction

Following liposuction surgery, you will need to take from 1 – 3 weeks to recover. Usually, you’ll experience some degree of swelling and bruising for 1 – 2 weeks following treatment. Dr. Ahmed will remove the sutures from the incision site around 7 – 10 days following surgery. Take short walks to gradually build up your strength. It will typically take from 6 – 10 months for your new body contour to start emerging. Prior to beginning a regular exercise regimen, you should consult with Dr. Ahmed to get the green light.

Liposuction is not a weight loss treatment. It should only be carried out when you have reached your target weight to remove stubborn pockets of fat that resist exercise and dieting. Body contouring liposuction can give you the curves you have been dreaming about, but you’ll need to continue with a healthy diet and exercise program to maintain your target weight and prevent new fat cells from forming in the treated areas. Although the fat cells in the region treated with liposuction have been effectively removed, remember that your body can still develop new fat cells, and you can quickly lose the results you have achieved through working out, dieting and liposuction if you do not focus on a healthy lifestyle.

Contact us for a body contouring consultation

Contact us to schedule a consultation at Omar Ahmed, M.D. to learn more about how liposuction can give you the body contours you are dreaming about. You’ll meet with board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgical specialist Dr. Omar Ahmed in Pasadena, CA to discuss how we can help you achieve your body contouring goals.