Debunking Common Myths About Liposuction

Liposuction has been around for a long time and continues to be one of the most popular procedures chosen by plastic surgery patients.

With that popularity comes all sorts of rumors, misconceptions, and myths about how the procedure is performed and what it actually does for people. To help clarify things for you, we’re debunking a few of the most common myths surrounding liposuction.

Myth: Liposuction Is for Your Middle

Fact: Liposuction can be used to contour any portion of your body from your chin to your thighs. Excess fat pockets can be present anywhere on your body, but tend to hang out in places where gravity exerts the greatest influence (i.e. chin, upper arms, hips, etc). Liposuction is used to break up and remove the extra fat to make your body look better toned and defined.

Myth: Liposuction Helps You Lose Weight

Fact: Technically, this is true, but not in the way that most people think. Liposuction is not designed to help you lose weight by shrinking your body. It’s more of a tool to boost your figure when it’s already within normal body size ranges. While removing the excess fat will drop a few pounds for you, it won’t be of much use to you if you are way outside your normal body weight. Generally speaking, an ideal candidate for liposuction is within 30 percent of their ideal body weight.

Myth: Liposuction Will Also Get Rid of Cellulite

Fact: Cellulite is different from the excess fat that rests deep inside your skin. It’s a different kind of fat that sits inside the connective tissue that keeps your skin firm and taut. When cellulite fat is pushed against the connective tissue, the surface of the skin looks bumpy and puckered. Deep tissue fat, on the other hand, is located beneath the connective tissue to provide insulation and a source of energy to the rest of your body. People can have areas of cellulite without being overweight.

Liposuction goes after the fat located in the deeper tissues and doesn’t interact with the cellulite fat at all. The procedure may improve the way that skin with cellulite appears, but it won’t get rid of the actual fat cells.

Myth: Liposuction Is a Violent and Painful Procedure

Fact: Liposuction technology has come a long way in the past decade. The tools involved in the procedure are now more refined and advanced to the point that many patients don’t feel much pain at all after the procedure. Liposuction involves making small incisions on the patient’s body, then inserting a tiny hollow tube called a cannula to break up and remove the layers of fat. Once the desired amount of fat is removed, the tube is removed and the incisions are closed. Sometimes the incisions don’t even require stitches. Patients typically deal with some swelling and discomfort and occasionally some mild pain, but nothing that would suggest liposuction is hurtful to the patient.

Myth: Liposuction Can’t Be Reversed

Fact: Most plastic surgery procedures can be undone if patients choose not to take care of themselves before, during, and after surgery. The excess fat removed from liposuction is easily replaced if the patient has poor diet and exercise habits.

Myth: Only Women Get Liposuction

Fact: Not true at all! Men get liposuction, too. In fact, 12 percent of all liposuction procedures performed in 2013 were done on male patients.

How We Use Liposuction at Weniger Plastic Surgery

Liposuction can be a procedure all on its own, but it can also be used to boost the results of many procedures offered by Dr. Weniger, including breast surgery, tummy tucks, and body lifts. How liposuction is used in each case depends solely on the patient and their specific surgical needs.

We have three variations on liposuction that can be used for patients. Traditional liposuction involves the method described above, in which a small hollow tube is inserted through an incision and used to break up and remove the excess fat. Tumescent liposuction involves injecting a saline solution that is enhanced with adrenaline and sometimes an anesthetic to help with the removal process. Ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL) uses ultrasound waves to break up and even liquefy the excess fat before attempting to remove it.

Dr. Weniger is specially trained and highly skilled at each method. He chooses which method to use based on the individual patient needs during his one-on-one patient consultations. If you would like to schedule your own consultation for liposuction or any of our other available procedures, call (843) 757-0123 for an appointment.