If you’re thinking about getting liposuction, it is important to bear in mind that this procedure is not an alternative weight-loss method. Liposuction is designed to remove comparatively small amounts of fat from specific areas, with the goal of smoothing body contours. That’s why you have probably read that good candidates for liposuction are within 30 pounds of their ideal weight.
Ideal weight isn’t a specific number, it’s a range based on your height, body type, age and gender. Achieving and maintaining your ideal weight supports good health overall, and healthy individuals usually have the most positive experience throughout their procedure and recovery, for any type of procedure. The “close to your ideal weight” recommendation applies, regardless of where on your body the liposuction will take place.
Liposuction Can Help You Reach Several Body Contouring Goals
Patients come to Eterna Cosmetic Surgery seeking liposuction for a variety of reasons, typically:
- To finally get rid of stubborn fat that remains in certain areas despite the person’s efforts to get plenty of exercise and eat a nutritious diet. Depending on your body, that unwanted fat might be in your abdomen, back, knees, under your chin or elsewhere.
- To facilitate a fat transfer procedure to augment the breasts or buttocks. In this case, liposuction provides a secondary benefit, slimming and smoothing contouring where fat is harvested for transfer.
- To achieve an even more buffed-looking physique, by re-contouring subsurface fat to visibly define musculature in the abdomen, arms and/or legs.
To address the first two goals, Dr. Elizabeth Hernandez uses the most advanced VASER liposuction technology, which is faster, more precise and much easier on the body than older traditional liposuction methods. For patients who are already pretty trim and in good shape but who want to look even more athletic (or impressively ripped), Dr. Hernandez uses VASER Hi-definition lipo. This technique requires deep anatomical knowledge, highly developed skills and an artistic eye. Dr. Hernandez’s experience as a cosmetic surgeon is a significant benefits for our patients.
No matter your liposuction goal, Dr. Hernandez recommends you be within 30 pounds of your ideal weight in order to achieve the best possible results. Again, that’s because liposuction will contour only the treated area, not the rest of your body. The excess fat removed will weigh just a few pounds (typically less than 5 pounds).
Good Nutrition Boosts Results
Along with meeting the weight recommendation prior to undergoing liposuction, you can do even more to prepare your body for a successful procedure by eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. Good nutrition is very important because it helps the body heal well and quickly. For example, patients that are protein deficient (typically from strict dieting) tend to have a lot more swelling which can lead to seroma formation. (Seromas are caused by fluid that builds up following a surgical procedure, which can be very uncomfortable, even painful.)
Learn More about Your Options
Whether your weight is stable and within your ideal range or you’re still working to get there, scheduling a personal consultation with Dr. Hernandez can help you learn more about liposuction while she learns more about your body, your overall health and the aesthetic results you hope to achieve. Together you can create a treatment plan tailored just for you, and you can start looking forward to admiring your trimmer, smoother contours.
