Since there is no magic pill that will make us thin, the next best thing seems to be sucking fat out of our bodies. No machine exists, yet, that passes a wand over our fat thighs, bellies and spare tire and vaporizes the offensive fat. Liposuction is about the best cosmetic surgery can offer, and its popularity attests to the effectiveness of the procedure in contouring bodies to our specifications, rather than the geography of our fat deposits.
But alas, liposuction has now been shown to be as impermanent as a quick weight-loss diet in keeping us thin. The New York Times recently described the results of a study published in the journal Obesity. Conducted last fall, the study revealed that that a year after liposuction removed fat, it came back. And horrors of horrors, it reappeared mostly in the upper abdomen, shoulders and triceps (the back of the arms).
The image is appalling and sounds like something out of a bad science fiction movie. The researchers explained that the fat did not appear again in the area from which it was removed because the fat cells there were destroyed. But, like water during a rainstorm seeking a dry creek to fill, the new fat being made by the body sought out fat cells in other parts of the body, often some distance away from the fat cells that had been sucked out. Presumably--and this is painful to contemplate--if one had liposuction in all the traditional areas where fat is usually deposited (and we all are familiar with those places), then the new fat might seek out fat cells in places where it normally doesn't go, including the face and head. "Fat head" might not just be a term of derision but also a description of new fat deposits.
Still, the study was misleading. The subtitle to the piece stated: "A study on liposuction confirms the patient's worst fears: that weight loss is temporary."
Weight loss? From liposuction? How much weight could one lose from liposuction? Three pounds, maybe five pounds? I doubt that any patient truly believes that suctioning out fat deposits from her thighs or belly is going to do anything more than sculpt her body into a shape she is pleased with. Does any woman regard liposuction as the answer to dropping from a size 14 to a size 4 in an afternoon?
Many people who opt for liposuction have already lost weight, dropped to an acceptable clothing size, watch what they eat and exercise regularly. They may trek to a liposuction specialist because, despite their best efforts, they don't like the way they look in a bikini.
However, the study does pose an important warning to people who may fail to maintain their weight loss after liposuction -- they erroneously believe they won't have to worry because their fat is gone forever.
According to the Dr. Rudolph Leibel, a medical researcher quoted in the article, fat cells are continuously made because the life span of a fat cell is about seven years. The new ones are just as eager to fill up with fat as the ones they have replaced. Some obesity researchers believe this may be why it is so hard to deviate from a set weight, no matter how many times we attempt to get thinner. Unless the ex-dieter is exceptionally vigilant about calorie consumption and maintaining a vigorous exercise schedule, weight will be regained and the fat cells filled once more.
Certainly numerous studies have discouraged us with the statistics on weight gain after the end of the diet. Reading them can lead to the decision to keep pre-diet clothes because they probably will, unfortunately, fit again.
So should people opting for liposuction be asked to sign a consent form agreeing not to be upset if, a year or so after the operation, fat appears in awkward places? Or should the operation be off-limits to anyone who has not been able to maintain an appropriate weight for, say, five years after the end of a diet? At the very least, the interested patient must be told that liposuction does not equal substantial weight loss, and that weight gain equals new fat deposits.
There is something else the article did not mention. People who resist the weight-loss process might feel that a fat-removing procedure gives them a head start on looking thinner. Knowing that the mirror will show sleeker thighs or a flatter tummy (after the swelling goes down) might motivate some to take on a long diet and commitment to exercise. Liposuction might be the push that gets them started, but they must be told that suctioning out fat does not remove the reasons they gained their weight or eliminate the reasons they may gain it again. Otherwise, they will be doomed to disappointment--and more fat.
Follow Judith J. Wurtman, PhD on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@stopmed_wt_gai
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As a psychotherapist, and avid fitness/health enthusiast, I know firsthand the benefits of mind body connection to fat loss. We have to get our mind-set in the right place before we can ever hope to achieve that ultimate body and optimum fitness for the long term.
After working with many clients in my therapy office, and teaching yoga and fitness classes, my partner, Demi Langford and I have developed a system of tools and secrets to help our clients align their minds and bodies to optimal fat loss.
Your mind is more powerful than any muscle in your body. We’ve all heard about what and how to eat and how to exercise. That’s essential information, for sure, BUT none of it will work, especially in the long term, unless your mind is in the right place.
Many Thanks,
Sunny Strasburg, MA, LMFTI
I'm glad someone wrote about informed consent, but even then, the language is not accurate. There have been many reports (I’m one of them) of an increased propensity to gain weight after the procedure. It’s like the body wants to hold onto as much fat as possible now that we’ve sucked some of it away. The statement implies that it's the patient's fault, not the procedure's.
Regarding the implausibility of this, the animal studies have repeatedly shown that fat depots increase after fat removal.
Nelson Montana, you are incorrect when you say that fat cells cannot multiply. That has been the conventional thinking, but the lipectomy animal studies have shown that the remaining fat can indeed multiply.
I doubt that this study will change things much. It’s sad.
Done!
I guess my #1 goal is to just not be a prisoner to my body. I want to be able to move and not be home bound due to illness brought on by obesity. I don't want to die at 55 of a heart attack or stroke. I also want to be in tune with my body, so if an illness does set in, I can be aware of it early on.
None of those things equate with being skinny. Being thin is unattractive if you're just all kind of saggy...
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I gave anesthesia for many liposuctions and sometimes they removed tremendous amounts of fat. the ones which worked best were the ones where the person had a genetic pouch or area which wasn't huge, but made a big difference in appearance. I had a friend who had unusual fat deposits on and around her knees and the back of her knees. She had lipo done in a very conservative manner and it helped so much. The entire amount of fat removed did not come to that much, but because the deposits were unusual and detracted from a very attractive person, it made a big difference for her.
One needs to understand that there are tremendous risks and tremendous complications which can and do occur with liposuction. Be conservative folks, start with an area which will give you a lot of satisfaction and be noticeable, and then give it some time. Just that one area can make enough of a difference to be very happy and then this kind of hump and bump thing in other areas is unlikely to occur.