Will Liposuction Help Me Lose A Lot Of Weight?

Q: Dr. Eppley,  I need to lose 145 lb and I have tried everything. Can liposuction help and how much does it cost? I also I need a tummy tucks and my breasts lifted.

A: With the need to lose a lot of weight, liposuction is absolutely not the answer that you seek. Liposuction is best used for spot fat reduction and for those patients who may need a ‘jumpstart’ for relatively small amounts of weight loss. (10 to 25 lbs) For near or over a 100 lb weight loss, you need to seek a consultation with a bariatric surgeon if everything to now has failed. That amount of weight loss can only be achieved through gastric banding or gastric bypass surgery.  Any other desired body changes, such as a tummy tuck to get rid of the skin overhang around the waistline or lifting sagging breasts, must wait until after this weight loss have occurred. Attempting to do such surgery in the face of being significantly overweight is not only ill-advised from a health standpoint but any benefits gained will be wiped out by significant weight loss. Not to mention that the amount of improvement one can achieve in the obese patient is relatively limited.

The foundation of your body reshaping begins with the need for a large amount of weight loss. The first place to start is a consultation at a Bariatric Center.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis Indiana