It is indeed possible that fat may be redistributed after liposuction,
but this is generally only a problem if the patient gains weight.
Since there are many fewer fat cells in the areas where the patient
used to be bulgy, a weight gain will instead plump up the fat cells in
new locations. I have a friend who had liposuction on her abdomen and
"love handles." She later gained about twenty pounds, and now her
thighs are grossly disproportionate to the rest of her body.
Here are some online references regarding the redistribution of fat
after liposuction:
"If you allow yourself to gain weight, you will most likely gain
weight disproportionately in untreated areas. This may give the
impression that the fat is coming back in other areas. After puberty,
most of us gain weight by storing more fat in the fat cells we have,
not by getting more fat cells. So the untreated areas will be able to
store more fat than the areas that have been treated with
liposuction."
Look and Feel Better
http://www.lookandfeelbetter.com/faq.htm
"Liposuction can be permanent if the patient maintains his or her
weight because the fat cells are permanently removed. People who gain
weight after liposuction can sometimes regain in the operated area.
Some can gain in other parts of the body. The more weight one gains,
the higher the chance of fat redistribution."
Women's Plastic Surgery
http://www.womensplasticsurgery.com/lipo%20page.htm
"Patients who gain 10 or more pounds after the procedure will likely
gain weight all over but may gain weight disproportionately in the
areas not treated by liposuction."
Susan Goodlerner, MD
http://www.drgoodlerner.com/cos_lipo.html
"Crash or starvation diets, more often than not, are followed by a fat
gain rebound, only that the newly gained fat tissue may be more
stubborn than the previous fat tissue that existed before the initial
fat loss. Ironically, a fat gain rebound, or as it’s often called fat
redistribution, often occurs after liposuction seizures, likely due to
the same biological reason."
University of Central Oklahoma: Department of Chemistry
http://204.154.117.39/Jezercak/CD%20Files/Injury%20and%20Disease%5Cstubbornfat.pdf
"Losing weight after liposuction is the best way to obtain muscle
definition. Gaining weight after liposuction makes you bumpy."
Constructive Surgery
http://www.constructivesurgery.com/liposuction_maleabdomen.html
"Since liposuction permanently removes fat from a specific location,
weight gain will shift to another target area. The new target area of
weight gain may be desirable or undesirable."
John F. Farella, MD
http://www.drfarella.com/liposuction-faq.html
"Tumescent Liposuction removes fat cells from localized parts of the
body. Some cells are left behind intentionally. If too much fat is
removed, the skin will stick unnaturally to the underlying muscle and
tissues. The remaining fat cells can still store unused energy. For
those who eat more than they use with exercise, the extra energy will
be put away as fat. The distribution of where you put on the fat may
be different after Tumescent Liposuction surgery."
Plastic Surgery 4 U
http://www.plasticsurgery4u.com/faq/faq_lipo_gainweight.htm
"Pretty soon I start noticing weight gain in my tummy and face! BUT!
I always get it in my saddle bag area and knees first which triggers
me to stop eating like that and to watch my calories. Well, that
saddle bag area doesn't have as many fat cells as it once did, nor do
those knees. In fact they aren't much bigger if anything - but darn
it all if my tummy and face don't look chunky now... So by then I have
gained mass in my secondary areas and my primary fatty areas aren't
all that big - well not as big as they used to get pre-lipo. So, did I
grow new fat cells? No, it just went 'somewhere else' and I need to
watch my caloric intake and insulin spikes. Liposuction isn't a
miracle procedure. You still need to mind your P's & Q's."
Liposuction 4 You
http://www.liposuction4you.com/fat_grow_back.htm
"It is a common misconception that fat just comes back to other places
after liposuction. If one maintains a stable weight, one’s body habits
should be maintained and fat will not be redistributed. If, however,
one gains weight after liposuction the fat cells in other areas will
enlarge in a disproportionate fashion."
Total Skin Care
http://www.totalskincare.com/library/totalskincare_l_liposuction.html
"Someone gaining weight after liposuction is more likely to notice the
increased fat being deposited in other areas which did not get
liposuctioned. That is the reason for the incorrect speculation that
after liposuction, 'some other area will just get fat'. Only if one
gains weight would an increase occur."
Richard V. Dowden, MD
http://dr-dowden.com/main/lipofaqs.html#OtherAreas
Search terms used:
"after liposuction" + "fat" + "redistribution"
"after liposuction" + "fat" + "redistributed"
"after liposuction" + "fat" + "uneven"
I hope this is helpful. Please keep in mind that this answer is
intended only as a source of information, and should not be regarded
as a diagnosis or a substitute for the services of a qualified medical
professional.
If anything is unclear, or if a link does not function, please request
clarification. I'll be glad to offer further assistance before you
rate my answer.
Best regards,
pinkfreud |
