Five Common Misconceptions People Have About Liposuction

Misconceptions About Liposuction

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Last Updated on November 15, 2023 by Steal the Style

Liposuction procedures are among the most popular plastic surgeries performed around the world. Hundreds of thousands of them are performed every year, whether as individual procedures or in tandem for procedures such as fat grafting and BBLs.

You might be wondering, with such high popularity, is liposuction worth it or not? Unfortunately, only you can decide that after thorough research and discussing your goals with a skilled cosmetic surgeon during a consultation.

To help further your research, here are five misconceptions about liposuction.

1. Liposuction Is a Weight Loss Replacement Surgery

One of the biggest myths about liposuction is a weight loss procedure. While liposuction is a procedure that will help to contour your body and leave it appearing slimmer and smoother, few patients ever lose more than two to five pounds of body weight from a liposuction procedure.

Additionally, to be an ideal candidate for liposuction, a person will already be within 30 percent of their ideal weight range.

2. Liposuction Is Only for the Young

There is a misconception that a person needs to be young to undergo liposuction. This fear stems from the idea that older skin will drop and sag after removing the underlying fat. While it is true that poor skin elasticity may create a less tight appearance, this can be true in both young and old alike and has more to do with skin quality versus age alone. Additionally, skin tightening procedures such as a tummy tuck can be performed alongside liposuction to help keep the skin tight against the body.

3. Liposuction Removes Cellulite

Liposuction is a procedure that removes pockets of fat, and contrary to belief, cellulite is not fat. Cellulite is when fat pushes fibrous bands of tissues into the skin, creating the bumps and dimples we see on the surface. While liposuction will remove the soft tissue, the hard bands of cellulite are not affected by the procedure.

4. nly Women Undergo Liposuction

Many people mistakenly believe that liposuction, and plastic surgery in general, is only for women. While they do make up the majority, a growing number of men are now undergoing various cosmetic surgeries to help solve insecurities in their appearances. Liposuction, specifically, is one of the top five cosmetic procedures that men undergo every year, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

When it comes to men’s liposuction, common treatment areas are the stomach, love handles, and chest to help reduce the appearance of “man boobs,” also known as gynecomastia.

5. The Fat Will Simply Come Back

One of the reasons people are skeptical about liposuction is the belief that the fat will return to the treatment area; this is partially incorrect.

Liposuction is a permanent procedure, which means that the fat deposits that are removed can not and will not return after their extraction. However, liposuction does not remove all of the fat in your body, and residual cells can expand themselves if an unhealthy lifestyle is kept, overtaking the area and replacing the space where fat was removed. Thus, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and exercise habits to maintain your results following surgery.