Liposuction - Why Can't Doctors Remove all of the Fat?

The appearance of excess fat on the body can cause a person to have a bad self-image as well as create a desire to eliminate the fat from the body. Unfortunately, there are times when fat on the body can prove to be resistant to diet and exercise. For patients having trouble removing stubborn fat, liposuction might be the solution they need to eliminate fat and gain a better contour to the body. While patients might wish that liposuction could serve as a magic cure to get rid of all of the excess fat on the body, that is not an option and the reasons why are discussed in this informative article.

Liposuction – Why Can’t it Eliminate All of the Fat on the Body?

Many people are under the illusion their lives will be completely transformed by the performance of liposuction. They think they will exit the hospital with a slender and skinny appearance no matter how much, or how little, fat was removed from the body. However, doctors are not able to simply eliminate all of the fat cells from the body using liposuction (or any other surgical procedure).

So….Why can’t doctors simply suck out all of the fat cells in the body using liposuction?

The first thing patients should know is liposuction is not an ideal treatment for severely obese patients. A person that wants to have the procedure should be less than 30\\% above their ideal weight. The patient should also have a good amount of skin elasticity so the results will be noticeable without causing an excessive amount of loose skin to hang from the body.

Plus, it is a medical fact that surgeons can only remove a small amount of fat during the procedure. In general, doctors can also only safely remove around five liters of fat during a liposuction procedure. Surgeons have this limitation because the performance of a larger amount of liposuction can cause a shift of internal fluids which can result in issues with both the blood flow and blood pressure of a person.

It is important to remember that the removal of fat can come with some risks. Fat is intertwined with millions of blood vessels, nerves, and protein-fibrous supporting tissue. In other words, the removal of fat can also mean the removal of other tissues in the body.

Why do Patients Need Liposuction instead of Diet and Exercise?

While following a healthy diet and exercising on a regular basis can help a person maintain a healthy weight, it is not always the solution to achieving weight loss or eliminating fat. There are many factors that go into a person becoming obese including the DNA of a person. The changes in the body chemistry related to weight gain can also make the body resistant to getting rid of the extra fat on the body. Even though many people think losing weight is just a matter of exercise and practicing self-control, this attitude is not supported by science.

Neuroscientific research has shown some foods produce a feeling in the brain that is similar to what is seen in a person that has an addiction to alcohol or drugs. In other words, the brain is activated by some processed foods currently on the market which causes people to enjoy them, as well indulge a little too much, when it comes to consuming these foods.

Permanent weight loss numbers have been shown to improve a bit for patients who have undergone a bariatric procedure that cuts into the digestive tract in order to help a person achieve weight loss. Having said that, there can be complications after bariatric surgery such as intestinal blockage.

Liposuction Results – Learning to Accept Them

Since liposuction cannot remove all of the fat some patients might desire to see eliminated from the body, this might prove to be upsetting for some patients. Instead, they will have to rethink their goals and come to an honest realization of what they can accomplish by having liposuction. Patients should also realize there is a very good chance that, if they suffer from obesity, it might be a function of their body that is out of their control.

People that struggle with their size are not defined by their weight or their appearance. It is also true that it is easier to say people are more than their outward appearance than it is for some people to accept that fact when they look in the mirror. The results of liposuction provide more than a more contoured shape to the body. The procedure can also aid the self-image of a person and give them a greater sense of confidence in their appearance. It is important for patients to schedule a consultation appointment with a surgeon experienced in providing superior results with the surgery. The doctor can examine the patient, discuss their reasons for wanting the surgery (as well as their desired goals) and set realistic expectations when it comes to the final results.

- MA