An extremely common question among those considering liposuction is, “How much weight can I lose with liposuction?” It’s a valid question considering that liposuction is an extremely invasive procedure. Simply put, the amount of weight you stand to lose from liposuction is essentially left to your doctor’s discretion. Numerous factors can affect the amount of weight lost from this procedure.
Choosing Between an Office and Clinic for Your Cosmetic Surgery
Each patient is seen by a dermatologist before the two determine an appropriate weight loss solution with liposuction. For example, if the cosmetic surgery takes place in a hospital, the doctor has access to many more resources. Therefore, he/she can take greater risks and maximize the potential for significant weight loss. On the other hand, if the surgery takes place in an office, the doctor might not feel comfortable going to these kinds of lengths due to the lack of resources. As it stands, each state regulates the amount of fat that can be removed with liposuction surgery in various environments (office vs. hospital).
Staying within Safe Weight Loss Limits
Medicine has made great strides in recent years, but that doesn’t rule out the inherent risks of liposuction. Most cosmetic surgeons will agree that 12 pounds of fat/fluid is the safest maximum amount that can be extracted in a single session of liposuction surgery. It is considered extremely unsafe to attempt removing any more than that at one time. Research has shown that excessive fat removal from liposuction can end fatally. Medical professionals focused on weight loss still have differing opinions about where to draw the line when extracting fat, but it is generally agreed that a patient’s health is at greater risk when more fat is removed.
Avoiding Health Complications During Your Liposuction Procedure
Another reason doctors steer clear of removing too much fat at one time is the risk for dimpling or lumpiness in the skin. These types of risky procedures can also lead to a number of problems including:
- Infection
- Dangerous fluid build-up
- Shock induced by dehydration
- Reactions related to anesthesia
- Low blood pressure
- Blood clotting
- Seromas
- Lidocaine toxicity
There is no research available to support significant fat removal as being beneficial. Many people see liposuction as a band-aid procedure for fast weight loss, but this simply isn’t true. Liposuction is most popularly used to remove stubborn pockets of fat that can’t be removed with diet and exercise alone.
This is why your doctor will personally discuss with you the best approach for undergoing liposuction surgery. If you’d like to learn more about liposuction surgery and how it can benefit you, contact the OC Skin Institute today.