Are You A Good Candidate For Liposuction? Here's How To Find Out

Posted on

Liposuction is a popular cosmetic procedure that's safe and effective at removing subcutaneous fat that refuses to burn off from diet and exercise. It's commonly used on problem areas such as the buttocks and upper thighs that often retain large amounts of fat even when you're near your ideal weight — liposuction selectively removes fat from those areas in order to contour your body into the shape that you desire. If you have stubborn fat that won't go away no matter how much weight you try to lose, you may be wondering if you're a good candidate for liposuction. Read on to find out.

You're Already at Your Ideal Weight

There's a common myth in pop culture that liposuction is a weight-loss surgery. It's not — in fact, you won't lose much weight at all during the procedure. Liposuction is meant to remove stubborn fat underneath the surface of your skin that you have been unable to lose through diet or exercise. The way your body distributes fact is highly linked to genetics, and it can be nearly impossible for some people to lose fat in certain areas in order to obtain the body shape that they desire.

Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure that removes subcutaneous fat from your problem areas in order to contour your body. While your results will be highly visible after a liposuction, the total weight of the fat removed during the procedure is quite small. Therefore, the best candidates for liposuction are those who are already at or very near their ideal weight and who need extra help to get the body shape that they desire.

You're a Non-Smoker

Smoking (along with nicotine use in any form, such as through nicotine patches or lozenges) causes your blood vessels to constrict, which impairs your circulation. The reduction in circulation slows wound healing and reduces your body's ability to fight infection. This puts you at a greater risk of complications following your liposuction procedure. Because of this, smokers are poor candidates for liposuction. In fact, doctors often refuse to perform invasive cosmetic procedures on smokers — it's a preventable risk factor that can seriously interfere with recovery. If you're a smoker, ask your primary care physician for advice on resources on how to quit.

Your Skin Is Healthy, With Good Elasticity

After your liposuction procedure, your skin will naturally tighten over the area where your fat was removed to create a contoured body shape. As part of the interview for your liposuction, your cosmetic surgeon will assess the elasticity of your skin and determine if you're a good candidate for the procedure. If your skin is unhealthy or loose over the area, it may simply never tighten over the removed fat and continue to sag. Your cosmetic surgeon can recommend other cosmetic procedures to tighten your skin and restore its condition before moving forward with your liposuction in order to ensure you're getting the best possible result.

If you think that you may be a good candidate for liposuction, schedule an appointment at a clinic that performs cosmetic procedures for a consultation. Your surgeon will examine the areas that you want contoured and determine if liposuction is the best fit to give you the results that you desire.


Share