One of the benefits of liposuction, not commonly discussed by most internists or family practitioners, is that by reducing your total body fat, liposuction can help lower your cholesterol, reduce your insulin requirements, and reduce your risk of heart disease. Also, by removing fatty bulges from the abdomen, arms and thighs, liposuction enables large people to be able to exercise more easily and to become more mobile.

We develop all of our fat cells by the time we reach puberty. When fat cells increase in a part of your body, you gain weight there. Although the total number of fat cells remains stable in most people, in cases of extreme obesity the body can actually increase the number of fat cells in order to be able to store increased fat. Therefore, the common belief that patients who undergo liposuction will become fat in other parts of their body is to some extent true.

Fat cells that are removed from a body area do not return. Rather, fat cells in the remaining parts of the body, not treated by liposuction, will fill up with fat, thus causing one area to become disproportionately larger! Therefore, patients who have undergone liposuction need to avoid gaining significant amounts of weight -- thirty or more pounds.

Does Liposuction Remove Cellulite?

Cellulite refers to the fatty deposits that form uneven, wrinkled, dimply skin found on the thighs, hips and buttocks of women. Cellulite is not caused by being overweight. In fact, even when fat is lost from other areas, cellulite remains and will actually be the last fat to disappear, because it occurs only when damaged fatty tissue accumulates.

This connective tissue is made up of fibers, and acts as an anchor between the muscles and the skin. It also forms the chambers that hold the fat cells.

Cellulite develops when connective tissues beneath the skin that shape the fat contract and harden, thus resulting in areas where the skin is held down while other sections bulge out, resulting in lumpy "cottage-cheese" appearance. These irregular bulging dimples are called cellulite.

No cream, lotion, laser treatment, Endermologie machine, or massage treatment has shown to indefinitely remove cellulite. Liposuction can not remove cellulite either. On the contrary, in areas with poor skin elasticity, excessive removal of superficial fat can potentially worsen the appearance of cellulite.

Does Liposuction Remove Stretch Marks?

No. In fact, the stretch marks can possibly become more noticeable after liposuction. Stretch marks are caused by excessive stretching, breakdown, and separation of the deep layer of skin, which is indicative of poor skin elasticity. Therefore, areas that have many stretch marks will not have the smoothest and tightest look after liposuction.

During your consultation, the plastic surgeon will review your treatment options for body contouring and Liposuction, including pros and cons, potential risks and complications, recovery course, pre and post operative instructions, and esthetic outcomes.