Keeping a long-term perspective enables you to make better decisions today. And this holds true for every type of decision you make, especially when it involves your body, health, and overall well-being.
When considering liposuction, you may be wondering if it will be worth it 5 or 10 years down the road. Is liposuction permanent? What if I don’t like what I see after? How long does liposuction last? If you’ve ever had these questions lingering in your mind, it’s understandable. Anyone considering investing time and money into a major surgery needs to grasp the extent of their decision fully and not rush into any surgical procedures.
I’ve been asked by my patients about the longevity of liposuction results, and I always tell them that the final results depend more on what they do after the procedure than on the surgery itself.
Most people pursue liposuction to remove the amount of fats in certain areas of the body to improve their contour and body shape. However, there’s a common misconception that once the surgery is over, they can return to the same lifestyle they had before it. But this isn’t the case, because making the results last requires some permanent changes to your lifestyle. Past bad behaviors, if not corrected, will facilitate the return of the fatty tissues erasing all of the positive changes that have occurred.
There are two possible future outcomes after you’ve had a liposuction procedure. There’s a good possibility that 10 years from now, you’ll still be able to enjoy the results long-term because you intentionally followed a structured diet and fitness plan. On the contrary, there’s the undesirable likelihood of failing to change certain bad habits and increasing the chances of all the weight you got rid of coming back.
One Possibility: The Fats Come Back
If there’s one thing you should understand about your body after liposuction, it’s that it won’t store fat the same way it did before. This is because fat cells do not regenerate in the area where liposuction has been done. But with the limited number of fat cells left in your body, fat distribution will transfer to other areas of the body.
A careful evaluation of what’s causing you to put on weight will help prevention. Do you lack physical activity? Is your diet high in fat, salt, and processed sugars?
At the end of the day, lipo can never be a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. Its results need to be reinforced by a balanced and nutritional diet and exercise.
If you’re eating well and regularly working out but experiencing sudden weight gain, it may be due to a hormonal imbalance or deficiency. You may also be under new medication and its side effects include putting on weight. In these instances, it’s best to consult your physician and inform them of your observations.
Learn More Why Fats Come Back After Liposuction
If you’re gaining a significant amount of weight, your fat cells will enlarge to store additional calories that you consume. So how can you protect the investment you made on yourself and your body?
Another Possibility: Sustained Long-Term Effects of Liposuction
- Maintain a healthy diet
I can’t stress it enough, but the food choices you make have a critical impact on helping you protect your shape after surgery. Make sure you limit your sugars, carbohydrates, and saturated fats and increase your intake of beans, legumes, and other high-protein foods instead. Keeping track of your calorie intake each day through a health app will also help you plan your meals. - Eat a series of smaller meals often
Eating smaller portions more often throughout the day will help you avoid snacking on junk food whenever you start getting hungry. These small meals will help you maintain even energy levels, especially if your work requires you to constantly be on the move. - Exercise regularly
During recovery from liposuction, a gradual return to regular exercise will help you form a habit. Start by exercising at least 30 minutes each day. Once you’re cleared to do more physical activities, you can train for 1 hour each day. Activity is necessary to staying in good shape, and it does more for your body than just maintaining your liposuction results. - Adequate hydration
After liposuction, more fluids are necessary because of wound drainage. So, it will help speed up your recovery. Drinking water also helps avoid the hunger that leads to snacking. The benefits of drinking water are extensive across all areas of your body including your skin. - Keep stress to a minimum
For some people, stress will prevent them from losing weight. But for others, it’s the culprit for their sudden gain. By keeping stress to a minimum, and staying on top of your day-to-day activities, you’ll be able to control the desire to stress eat. It will also help you sleep better at night because a body that isn’t rested will put on more weight faster.
Can I Have Liposuction Again if My Fats Come Back?
If you’re currently experiencing fats coming back and it’s affecting other parts of your body, you may consider getting a second round of liposuction. But you’ll need to take certain factors into consideration such as your age, the effect of another surgery on your body, as well as the costs needed for it. Liposuction should never be treated as a weight-loss procedure, so even if you want another treatment, you’ll still need to get as close as you can to your final desired weight.
Following your surgeon’s post-surgery recommendations for recovery and lifestyle will keep the extra pounds off for good. The experience of a board-certified plastic surgeon earns not only the best results post-op but also the expert advice needed to stay in shape afterwards.
If you are considering liposuction and live in California or nearby areas, request a consultation today.
*The content in this blog is developed to spread the awareness towards plastic surgery. Our blog is not intended to serve as a replacement for an actual in-office consultation with Dr. Marin. As such, the information within this blog reflects the unique cases of our individual patients.