Does Liposuction Permanently Remove Fat Cells? A Plastic Surgeon’s Insight

Liposuction, commonly known as lipo, is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries worldwide. It is often sought by individuals who want to get rid of the stubborn fat deposits that don't respond to diet or exercise.

However, beyond its popularity among the masses, the procedure also raises many questions. The most common is, “Does liposuction permanently remove fat cells?” The short answer is yes, but it’s important to know the intricacies of how liposuction works, what happens to the fat cells, and how one’s lifestyle can impact the longevity of the results.

In this guide from Aestiva, we will be discussing everything related to liposuction and its effectiveness to give you a better idea.

What is Liposuction?

Let us start with the basics. Liposuction is a leading cosmetic procedure that helps eliminate stubborn fat pockets from specific areas in the body. These can include the abdomen, thigh, buttocks, hips, etc. The treatment usually involves using suction to break down the fat and then remove the fat cells from these target areas.

The procedure is usually chosen by individuals struggling with fat deposits that cannot be reduced with regular exercise or a balanced diet. One disclaimer about liposuction is that it is not a weight loss solution. It helps with body contouring and improving the appearance of certain body parts, but it doesn’t help you lose weight.

How does Liposuction Work?

Liposuction operates on a simple yet sophisticated principle: it targets and removes fat cells from areas resistant to fat loss.

The procedure is simple. It starts by making incisions in the treatment area and inserting a thin tube, aka cannula, through the incision to successfully loosen the fat cells, following which they are suctioned out of the body.

To better understand the permanence of liposuction, we must first understand the fat cells' biology.

Human bodies have a fixed number of fat cells, known as adipocytes, developed during childhood and adolescence. Unlike other cells that reproduce or regenerate, fat cells do not multiply. Instead, they grow or shrink depending on calorie intake and expenditure.

When you gain weight, fat cells expand to store more fat; when you lose weight, those cells shrink but do not disappear. Liposuction, however, physically removes these cells from specific areas. Once the fat cells are eliminated via liposuction, they will not regenerate, which leads many to believe that the results are permanent.

Does Liposuction Permanently Remove Fat Cells?

Liposuction involves removing fat cells from the targeted area of the treatment. When the best liposuction surgeon in Delhi performs the surgery, they physically extract the fat cells using the cannula, permanently eliminating them from the body. The body does not regenerate or replace these fat cells in the treated area.

However, undergoing liposuction doesn’t automatically mean that you are immune to future weight gain or fat accumulation in other areas of the body.

In short, liposuction reshapes and contours the body by removing fat cells from specific regions, but it won’t be preventing the remaining fat cells from expanding if you gain weight in the future. This is one of the reasons why prioritizing a healthy lifestyle after the surgery is quintessential.

Can Fat Return After Liposuction?

To answer the burning question, “Will the fat pockets in the treated site return after liposuction?” To put things into perspective, when you undergo the procedure of liposuction and the fat cells are removed from the treatment site, they won’t return.

Since liposuction only targets specific areas, untreated areas can still develop fat deposits. To give an example, let’s say that you are getting liposuction in the abdomen but then gain weight; fat may accumulate in untreated areas such as the thighs, arms, or back. Thus, while the fat is permanently removed from the treated areas, maintaining a stable weight post-liposuction is vital in preserving the desired results.

What Happens If You Gain Weight After Liposuction?

If you end up gaining weight after liposuction, the remainder of the fat cells in your body can still expand. The fat distribution might also change, with more noticeable fat accumulation in areas that were not treated.

This phenomenon is because the fat cells in the treated area have been significantly reduced, so future weight gain is more likely to affect untreated regions.

For instance, if you had liposuction in your stomach area and gained weight afterward, the fat cells in your thighs or arms may enlarge, giving the appearance of disproportionate fat accumulation. While this doesn’t affect the fat permanently removed from the stomach, it does highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle post-procedure.

How to Maintain the Results of Liposuction?

Getting liposuction is not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. This means that you can’t expect liposuction to be a miracle worker. You can’t expect that the results from the surgery will stay stagnant and help you remain contoured if you don’t prioritize a healthy lifestyle in conjunction with that.

The following are a few factors to maintain the results of liposuction:

• Importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle

Although the fat cells removed during the procedure are permanently gone, the remaining fat cells can still grow if you consume excess calories without adequate physical activity. This is why prioritizing a balanced diet and active lifestyle are critical to maintaining liposuction results.

After the surgery, your plastic surgeon will recommend a consistent exercise routine and eating a balanced diet that keeps you healthy and helps maintain the results from the liposuction in the long run. Monitoring your weight regularly is essential, as small, gradual weight gain can occur unnoticed.

• Long-term success

The long-term success of liposuction largely depends on the patient’s post-operative lifestyle. If you commit to maintaining a healthy diet and exercising, the procedure's results can last a lifetime. However, significant weight fluctuations can lead to fat redistribution in untreated areas, altering the body's overall contour.

The majority of patients who have thus undergone liposuction surgery often depict that they leverage that feeling to drive themselves to eat healthier and maintain a lifestyle attuned to prolonging the longevity of the treatment.

What is the Cost of Liposuction in Delhi?

The cost of liposuction in Delhi depends on varying factors. However, the traditional procedure starts from INR 90,000 and can go as high as INR 1,10,000.

Beyond that, other types of liposuction, such as laser-assisted liposuction, power-assisted liposuction, and tumescent liposuction, will have varying costs. Usually, the overall cost of the treatment involves the surgeon’s fee, clinic services, and accessory fees like tests and post-operative care.

Final Words

Liposuction can permanently remove fat cells from targeted areas, offering long-lasting body contouring results. However, it’s not a magic solution. While the fat cells removed during the procedure are gone for good, weight gain after liposuction can enlarge the remaining fat cells and accumulate fat in other areas of the body.

Are you considering about getting liposuction? Aestiva is one of the leading clinics in the country. To schedule your consultation, you can contact our team at +91 7982544598/ +91 8447652698.