Can Liposuction Be Used As A Weight Loss Method?

Q:  Hi. I’m a male 34 years of age and am interested in getting liposuction done. I’m not obese, but am seriously overweight. I am around 250lbs at 6′ tall. I’m wanting to have a procedure done to have about 50 to 60 lbs removed. I’m not a professional, so I don’t even know if that’s possible.  Looking forward to hearing back from you.

A: Liposuction is not a weight loss method but a body contouring procedure. While most patients do lose weight after liposuction, it is not in the order of magnitude to which you refer. For a man your size, abdominal and flank liposuction (the typical areas for male liposuction) will probably result in 10 to maybe 15 lbs of weight loss. This weight loss usually takes about 3 to 4 weeks to fully see once all the retained fluids from surgery are eliminated. Once can continue the weight loss further through their own efforts if they desire. While a weight loss of 50lbs may ultimately be achieveable, lipouction in this outome will have been the ‘kick start’ to the process. Much of the achieved weight loss will have been not from the actual procedure but from the efforts to protect and harvest the best results from their surgical investment afterwards.

In short, perceiving liposuction as a weight loss method is ill-conceived. It is better thought of as part of an overall body transformation program. Where in this process liposuction should be done requires a thoughtful discussion with a plastic surgeon.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis Indiana