While liposuction may be one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures performed today, there still seems to be a lot of misinformation available that causes confusion among my patients. To set the record straight, I am going to address a few common myths about liposuction, and provide you with correct information.

Myth 1: I don’t have to work out again after having liposuction.

Not only should you work out in order to lead a healthy lifestyle, you should also work out to ensure that you do not gain weight after you have experienced satisfying results from your procedure. I tell my liposuction patients from Spokane and Coeur d’Alene that the procedure should not be regarded as a weight loss technique, but rather, an “inch loss” technique.

Myth 2: Fat cells won’t return once suctioned.

While it is widely thought that when we reach adulthood our fat cells do not increase in number– just in size– this actually isn’t the case. While we do have most of our fat cells by the time we reach adulthood, if we do not lead an active and healthy lifestyle, not only can these cells expand, but they can increase in number.

Myth 3: I’ll have to spend a long time recovering from my liposuction treatment.

In the past, recovering from liposuction may have taken up to several weeks. Now, with advances in procedural techniques, recovery from liposuction is generally straightforward and simple. Typically, most people spend a week or two recovering, depending on the amount of fat removed from the target area or areas. As a general note, the more fat removed, the longer recovery will be.

What can you take away from this? Well, for one, there will always be misinformation regarding liposuction available, so it is important to discuss the procedure with a specialist in the field. They can tell you if you are a good candidate, and determine whether liposuction can help you achieve your goals.

I perform liposuction for Spokane and Coeur d’Alene residents, but the benefits of this popular procedure are apparent to people across the nation. Here are four benefits women and men can expect when they plan for this popular and effective procedure:

1. Liposuction provides an instant answer to excess fat and bulges that are difficult to remove through exercise and dieting. Once swelling subsides, the results are immediately apparent, giving people the contoured bodies they desire.
2. Most doctors are willing to perform liposuction on multiple areas of the body at the same time. This is a great option for people who want to create comprehensive results.
3. Liposuction serves as an excellent complementary procedure for women and men interested in more dramatic results. Combining liposuction with another procedure will help to enhance the benefits of both.
4. Liposuction has the ability to not only enhance the contours of a person’s body, but it can also positively influence a person’s mental state. A number of people report increases in self-confidence that eventually translate to the workplace and home.

Liposuction is one of the most popular procedures in the United States. Liposuction at my Spokane practice is helpful for women and men who have an excess amount of fat in a specific area that neither diet nor exercise can remove. In these instances, liposuction may be an appropriate measure to remove the fat deposits to provide a lean and smooth body contour.

With that said, it is important to remember that liposuction is not a permanent solution to weight loss. One question that I am often asked during a consultation is if fat will return after a liposuction procedure. The answer to this question has actually changed over the past few years. We used to think that we had a finite number of fat cells and those removed by liposuction would never return. That is actually true. However, fat has a large number of stem cells and as a result, the cells may multiply in an area even if some are removed. Ideally, if a patient has liposuction in a specific area and they maintain their weight and diet, the fat layer will not grow. And, most likely if they gain a few pounds, the fat will be evenly distributed on other areas preferentially. If they gain significant weight, then fat can and will accumulate in the liposuctioned area. So, in order to maintain results, we encourage a good diet and regular exercise.

What is your experience with liposuction?