When it comes to body contouring, there are few procedures as popular or effective as liposuction. At our Tallahassee plastic surgery practice, this fat reduction surgery has helped both men and women take on the world with newfound confidence. However, it is important to have realistic expectations about what lipo can do for your body before deciding the surgery is right for you.
How drastic of a change can liposuction make in your body? Read on to get answers to all your questions.
What Does Liposuction Do?
Liposuction is a plastic surgery procedure in which a surgeon uses a hollow tube called a cannula to suction out stubborn fat through a small incision in the skin. It’s intended to slim down areas where we are naturally predisposed to carry extra fat.
Lipo can be performed on just about any area of the body, but it is especially popular in the:
- Abdomen
- Flanks
- Chin and neck
- Thighs
- Back
- Bra bulge
- Arms
If you do your best to stay slim but still have a bulge that won’t budge or pinchable fat pockets spoiling your silhouette, liposuction is likely the best solution for you.
How Much Weight Can I Lose With Liposuction?
Although liposuction is a fat reduction procedure, it’s important to note that it is not a weight loss procedure nor a treatment for obesity. If you’re looking to transform your body by losing significant amounts of weight, you’re better off starting with a healthy lifestyle.
Liposuction works best once you are at or near your goal weight. You will see a noticeable improvement in the way you look after the surgery, but don’t expect to see major changes on the scale. In fact, in the first few weeks after your surgery, you may even see a slight uptick due to post-surgical swelling. This will subside within a few weeks and leave you very close to or slightly below your original weight.
Will Lipo Change My Body Type?
You will still have your overall same body type after liposuction. However, the procedure can adjust your proportions and improve your shape a bit.
If you have always had thick thighs, for example, it can slim them down so you feel confident showing off your legs. Or, if you’re one of the many people who has struggled with a frustrating lower belly pooch for years, lipo can finally reduce it in a way that diet and exercise alone cannot.
Making these changes can greatly affect how your body looks overall. However, keep in mind that your bone structure and muscle makeup will stay the same.
To see examples of the types of changes you can expect with liposuction, please visit our before-and-after photo gallery.
Will Liposuction Give Me Abs?
Liposuction will not create toned abs for you if you don’t already have them. However, many people are surprised to find they do have sculpted abdominal muscles that are simply obscured by overlying layers of subcutaneous fat.
High-definition liposuction (also called HD lipo or high-def lipo) is excellent for muscle etching, removing the fat around muscles to reveal the existing definition. Our surgeons use VASER lipo, a form of ultrasound-assisted liposuction, to break up fat in these detailed areas and put muscle tone in the spotlight.
Learn more about making your abs and other hard-earned muscles pop with liposuction in this blog post.
How Many Sizes Will I Lose After Liposuction?
Some people go down a size or two after liposuction, although this isn’t always the case. Most people do, however, find they look slimmer and shapelier while wearing their same clothing size.
Liposuction also gives you the confidence to wear swimsuits or tighter-fitting clothes you may have shied away from before, as stubborn bulges no longer stick out. You’ll no longer need shapewear to show off a smooth and sculpted silhouette.
Will I Have Loose Skin After Liposuction?
You likely will not have loose skin after liposuction if you have good skin elasticity already. If you’ve lost weight and you have some loose skin in addition to stubborn fat, you may need a skin tightening procedure such as a tummy tuck, arm lift, or lower body lift to complete your look. Your surgeon can perform these during the same procedure to maximize your results while minimizing your recovery time.
If you aren’t sure whether liposuction is the best way to achieve your body contouring goals, consulting one-on-one with a plastic surgeon is an excellent way to start. Our surgeons have extensive experience in body sculpting and will partner with you to design an effective and efficient treatment plan for your unique goals.
If you would like to learn more about whether a Tallahassee liposuction procedure is right for you, please request a consultation online or call (850) 219-2000 to get in touch.
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