Liposuction can create wonderful body transformations. Localized areas of excess fat can be removed, preserving a person’s natural, more appealing body features. However, as I was reminded this morning at a session with a patient who had previously undergone liposuction, it is not without drawbacks. A 46-year-old lady had shed approximately 45 pounds, resulting in skin that was slightly more flexible than that of others her age. She had already undergone belly liposuction and intended to have additional work done in that area. Regrettably, her earlier treatment left her with an unnatural appearance, with some contour waviness and an over-flattened lower belly. Nonetheless, she could generate a roll of skin and fat when she clutched her tummy, so she reasoned that further liposuction was the answer. I advised her that more liposuction would be inadvisable because it does not tighten the skin and would exacerbate any existing contour defects. Almost certainly, I would not have recommended abdominal liposuction in the first place.

This is a regular scenario that I witness on a daily basis during consultations: women who acquire a “muffin top” over their jeans and rightfully conclude that liposuction is the solution to their problem. Unfortunately, when the jeans are released, no localized bulge exists! Liposuction is not the appropriate procedure in these instances.

Therefore, how can you decide what to do when you are dissatisfied with your body contour in the mirror? If you look hard enough, you’ll find the answer you want to hear. The internet will undoubtedly provide content to bolster any intended conclusion. If you’re looking for evidence that liposuction tightens skin, you’ll find it. If you’re looking for evidence that liposuction will eliminate waste, you’ll find it. If you’re looking to hear that liposuction can chisel off six-pack abs, you’ve come to the right place. However, if you truly want to understand the benefits of liposuction, the proof is in the images. Before and after photographs of genuine patients demonstrate what is truly possible. In the mirror, make an honest assessment of your troublesome regions and then search online for images of ladies in comparable situations. If you are unable to locate the desired results, they may not exist.

Liposuction must be performed correctly. In my perspective, the majority of poor outcomes or dissatisfied patients following liposuction are the result of poor patient selection. In other words, the problem is frequently not a poorly done surgery, but a poorly chosen procedure! I tell everyone I meet during a consultation that liposuction is the most over-hyped, over-marketed, and over-performed cosmetic surgery treatment. However, when performed properly on the appropriate person, liposuction can be quite effective.