Frequently Asked Questions About Liposuction

Will the fat come back?

The fat cells that are removed by liposuction cannot regenerate. They are gone forever. However, if you gain 20 or 30 pounds, all bets are off. The remaining fat cells will become larger, and you will regain fat. The areas that were previously suctioned will be more resistant to weight gain than areas that were never treated. But all areas will enlarge to some degree if you gain weight after surgery.

If you maintain a stable weight after surgery, your results should last for many years.

Which liposuction technique is best?

Superwet, tumescent, ultrasonic, LASER, VASER…it gets pretty confusing.

Bottom line: any liposuction technique can yield good or bad results. The training and experience of the surgeon performing your procedure is probably far more important than the technique he or she uses. Evaluate surgeons based on their experience and surgical results.

What is mesotherapy?

Mesotherapy involves injection of various substances into the fat in an attempt to “melt” it. Mesotherapy is usually performed by non-plastic surgeons (most often nurses, family doctors, and gynecologists). Unfortunately, there is currently no “hard data” to support the use of mesotherapy. It is Dr. Friedman’s impression that mesotherapy does dissolve fat to some degree but does not do so uniformly. Frequently there are depressions at the injection sites without significant fat reduction in the adjacent tissues. This may give tissues an irregular, quilted appearance.

How much fat can you remove?

Dr. Friedman routinely removes 2 to 4 liters of fat on an outpatient basis. Although there is no fixed limit to fat removal, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons considers anything over 5 liters of fat removal to be “high volume liposuction.” High-volume liposuction must be approached with caution due to increased risk of fluid shifts, blood loss, and blood clots.

Bottom line: if you need more than 5 liters of fat removed, you should consider losing weight before surgery.

What about the fat under my chin?

Dr. Friedman usually performs submental (under the chin) liposuction under local anesthesia with nitrous oxide (laughing gas), rather than general anesthesia. Only one quarter-inch incision is required, and this is well-concealed. The procedure usually takes about 45 minutes. If desired, you can drive yourself home afterwards.

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