What Makes You a Good Candidate for Liposuction? Bengtson Center for Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery

Posted On: May 20, 2020

Trying to shed some extra flab from a trouble zone like your stomach, your flanks, or your thighs? Liposuction is the gold standard for tackling stubborn fat that won't go away even when you've lost all-over body weight through strict diets and regular workouts. Much like its non-invasive fat reduction counterpart, CoolSculpting, The Bengtson Center emphasizes that liposuction is ideal for aesthetic reasons, but isn't meant for people who are trying to lose a significant amount of weight and get healthy, nor as a substitute for bariatric surgery.

Instead, surgical fat reduction is best for patients who are relatively fit and within range of their ideal body weight - usually with a BMI of less than 30. By the time we reach adulthood, we acquire a set number of fat cells that doesn't fluctuate much. It's impossible to control exactly where our fat goes, and spot reduction (the theory that exercising certain areas can reduce the fat there) is sadly just a myth. Liposuction gets around these barriers, enabling patients to remove fat cells from a defined area, such as below the chin or on the flanks. Tiny incisions are made in the tissue so that under-the-skin fat can be loosened and vacuumed away through a special tool called a cannula.

It's important that lipo patients be in a good state of health before surgery, which means you shouldn't have any serious illnesses. And you should be both mentally and emotionally prepared for the procedure, recovery time, and results, with realistic goals in mind.

After liposuction surgery, the skin will generally retract to sit more tightly against the newly formed contours. However, people with a moderate to severe level of skin laxity or lots of excess skin may find that liposuction actually makes the “baggy” look more pronounced. Poor muscle tone, stretch marks, and cellulite are also not likely to be improved with liposuction. (Fortunately, there are plenty of surgical and nonsurgical options for tightening lax skin, too!)

Want to find the best treatment for you? For a more in-depth explanation of how liposuction works, reach out to Grand Rapids plastic surgeons, Dr. Brad Bengtson and Dr. David Alfonso, at Michigan's Bengtson Center for Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery. To arrange a personalized consultation, submit a contact form or call 616.588.8880.