During the Baroque period, obesity was revered to the extent that corpulent aristocrats, mainly women, modeled for painters. It was as if the more excess fat they had, the more worshipped they were because excess weight represented social status. Kings, queens, and other royalty displayed their wealth through immense amounts of body fat. On the other hand, little to no body fat represented poverty. 

How times have changed! What once used to be treasured is now heavily criticized. Body fat still represents social status; however, it is no longer worshipped as in the past as it is now the reverse, implicating poor health and an unhealthy lifestyle. Obesity, which actually drains quality of life, has now become a worldwide health problem that leads to heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and even cancer.

BODY WEIGHT IS A RISING ISSUE

With the globalization of the unhealthy fast food industry came the reduction of prices on these menus, which draws millions of people every day, but especially the poorest. With inflation on the rise, prices of healthy food have increased; therefore, unhealthy fast food for many people sometimes remains the only option to eat. Because of this trend, affluent people, especially celebrities, tend to flaunt their wealth through healthy ranges of body fat, whereas the poorest usually cannot conceal their detrimental body fat deposits. Nevertheless, that is not always the case, as even wealthy people are tempted to binge on food. Nowadays, there is an overabundance of food, especially in Western society. It does not matter whether it is healthy or unhealthy because if consumed in large amounts, the calories all add up and may lead to obesity.

USING LIPOSUCTION TO LOSE WEIGHT

There is a fascination with physical beauty and youth in Western society, so It comes as no surprise that people search for ways to eliminate their excess fat when diet and exercise alone do not show promising results. Sometimes, to attain the desired results for an attractive appearance, medical intervention is recommended. That is how liposuction became a popular surgical procedure.

LIPOSUCTION IS FOR BODY CONTOURING, NOT THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT

Liposuction is an effective body contouring procedure that involves removing fat cells in concentrated areas, such as the abdomen or love handles, through suction in order to enhance the appearance of the body. It may be just the solution for those who have a postpartum figure that is out of shape or inherited unfavorable genes that cause their physique to be out of proportion. The best candidates are usually those who are close to reaching their desired weight and seek to adjust their body proportions that neither diet nor exercise can accomplish.

POOR HABITS WILL LIMIT YOUR RESULTS

Unfortunately, a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise will be required to achieve your ideal body weight. While your body shape can be improved with liposuction surgery,  unhealthy habits will promote new fat cells and cause patients to gain weight once again. On the other hand, most patients who follow recommendations continue to love their body shape and stay at a healthy weight. How much weight can you lose? It’s up to you!

IS LIPOSUCTION A WEIGHT LOSS PROCEDURE?

Contrary to popular belief, it is worth noting that liposuction is not meant to be a weight loss procedure like bariatric surgery, so it is not a recommended treatment if the primary purpose is to lose weight. Obese people who are concerned about their excessive weight due to health problems like diabetes or hypertension may consider modifying their lifestyle or, as a last resort, bariatric surgery before liposuction can become an option as this particular surgery facilitates significant weight loss. 

On the contrary, with liposuction, there is no significant change in weight as fat ranging anywhere from 1 to 10 pounds is usually removed during a liposuction procedure. Due to the risk of complications increasing if additional fat is removed, the provider must target your body’s fat deposits without exceeding a healthy amount.

HOW MUCH WEIGHT LOSS CAN HAPPEN AT ONCE?

To lower the risk of potential complications, two separate sessions should be performed if more than 5 pounds of fat are requested to be removed from multiple areas. Even though it is possible to remove more fat, most plastic surgeons do not undertake the risk of removing more than 11 pounds of fat during a single surgical procedure. It is worth noting that after the swelling has gone down after a liposuction procedure, results are almost immediate compared to outcomes after starting a healthy diet and exercise regimen. Even though significant weight loss is not possible, it may seem to be the case as the body appears slenderized due to the accentuating of body contours, such as an hourglass silhouette. Furthermore, patients may even notice a reduction of 20-30 pounds of weight as long as they manage a healthy lifestyle.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Patients who qualify for liposuction do not necessarily need to adhere to a restricted diet plan as typically required for patients after weight loss surgery. Standard weight loss surgery may only be a temporary fix as the weight can be regained if patients do not stick to a strict diet, whereas with liposuction, fat loss is permanent even though dramatic weight loss is not possible. Once fat cells are removed, they can no longer be restored. Nevertheless, new fat cells may form in other areas of the body, or the fat cells that are still remaining where liposuction was performed may become enlarged; therefore, to preserve and improve the results of liposuction as long as possible, patients should significantly improve their daily habits. It is advised to maintain the recommended body weight by exercising regularly and adopting a well-balanced diet for body sculpting that lasts.