Instinctively, we all knew it was too good to be true just like rumors about fascia blaster results that supposedly get rid of cellulite.
And, it is.
Liposuction, the hugely popular plastic surgery technique where excess fat is typically sucked away from pesky saddlebags, buttocks or thighs turns out to have an even more short-lived effect than gastric bypass surgery.
MUCH more short-lived.
While those who undergo gastric bypass usually regain most of the weight within 5 years (and 50% within only 24 months), the effects of liposuction only last one year.
That’s it!  ONE YEAR.
Even more sobering, the fat doesn’t come back in the original areas that were liposuctioned. According to a study published in the journal Obesity, the fat reappears in places like the shoulders, triceps, and the upper abdomen.
Upper abdomen? Isn’t that where many vital organs like the heart are located? Not good.
These findings are in line with previous studies on rats that found the exact same thing. The body defends its fat, so to speak, so when fat is removed either surgically or by diet, it comes back quickly if lifestyle and eating habits are not changed (the women in the study promised not to change any lifestyle habits for the duration of the study).
The reason the fat did not come back in the areas that were lipo’d is likely because the surgery destroys the fishnet structure under the skin which holds the fat cells.
Despite these findings, researchers found that most of the women who had liposuction were happy with the results. Most shocking, half the women in the control group who were promised free lipo for participating in the study still chose to undergo the surgery even with the knowledge that the fat would return within a year!
Can Lipo Harm Health?
While the study did not examine the health implications of fat redistribution after lipo, such a question immediately comes to mind as upper body fat is more dangerous to health than fat below the belt on the hips and thighs. A number of studies have indicated as such with an association between upper body fat and arterial stiffness as well as breast cancer.
It seems a follow-up study is desperately needed. In the coming years, do the women in the study become more predisposed to cancer and heart disease for choosing liposuction? Will the fat removed from their hips and thighs which quickly returns in the upper body area harm their health long-term?
It seems a likely prospect to me. Lifestyle changes to eliminate the fat for good present a much better and more effective alternative.
References
(1) Fat Redistribution Following Suction Lipectomy
(2) Long-Term Weight Regain After Gastric Bypass
(3) Location of Body Fat May Predict Arterial Stiffness
(4) Obesity and Body Fat Distribution and Breast Cancer Prognosis
What gets me is that liposuction has been around since 1974. It is one of the most heavily advertised procedures, with over half a million lipectomies performed every year. Why did it take so long for any studies to rise to the surface detailing the facts that the fat does come back to different parts of the body? I can’t imagine the emotional pain in those who underwent such a dangerous surgery as well as the expense only to see the fat reappear in the shoulders, triceps or upper body. Lowering one’s fat percentage comes through sensible eating by carb cycling, training hard, reducing stress (and its accompanying hormones), sleeping well and avoiding over the counter drugs that promise panacea.
I’ve had fat on my face under my jawline mostly which makes me look like I have large jowels ever since I turned 40. I exercise and eat well, but I’m less educated than I’d like to be. I’m interested in liposuction, but I’ve heard that fat will return after surgery. Can you provide any advice?
Sarah, this article has cured me of my jealousy regarding my sister’s recent tummy tuck! 🙂
It seems like such a quick fix, although expensive, and yet cost was the only thing that seemed to stand in the way for me before I read this. I wish I had known about this to share with my sister. I will certainly never consider it again. I had no idea about all these terrible side effects so thanks for sharing!
On another note, I have done a lot of research regarding stubborn tummy fat, which is what seems to want to hang on for me, after 4 children, as much as I eat healthy and exercise strenuously. What I have recently discovered is that there can be underlying issues that need to be addressed first, or no amount of healthy eating (and I eat a very WAP diet) or exercise will help. The main things that could be the cause of midsection stubborn weight are stress (which leads to cortisol production in the abdominal area), low thyroid function, adrenal issues, and hormonal imbalance, low progesterone in particular. On top of that many people are just bloated from food intolerances and allergies which also lead to digestive issues and inflammation. So some of those inches may not actually be fat. Think about how many people you see who look a few months pregnant and yet are not. Bloated bellies. This is how I looked before I addressed my digestive system and food intolerance issues. It was so nice to finally realize some of the extra abdominal inches were not fat at all!
I wanted to share my experience b/c it has been fresh in my mind lately and I think a lot of people jump into this surgery after dieting and exercising with no results and it is simply because they need to address underlying issues first when it comes to extra abdominal fat in particular. This was my experience so now I am on the road to addressing those issues. I hope this helps someone!
Nickole @ http://www.savvyteasandherbs.com
What do you think about abdominoplasty? I am 49, I had twins when I was 21. They weighed (boy) 7 lbs. 11 oz, (girl) 7 lbs. 3 oz. I am 5′ 8″ and a half. When I became pregnant with them I weighed 128 lbs. The day I delivered them, 186 lbs! The skin on my stomach has never recovered. In fact as the years go by it gets worse. It actually folds over the the skin on my abdomen. I doesn’t matter how much I weigh. Do you think if I had the surgery to fix this the fat or skin would come back some place else. This skin makes me feel totally unsexy to my husband and clothes do not fit right. I hate wearing a bathing suit. What would you do?
If you just have the excess skin removed, that should be fine. I wouldn’t mess with the fat though as it would come back somewhere else you might like a whole lot less.
Sarah, I was watched a few of your videos and was wondering about the microwave I see over the stove in the background. Immediately after reading NT, I gave our counter-top model away, which was about ten years ago. I didn’t do any research on that topic, but it just seemed reasonable and I got rid of it. We are remodeling our kitchen before we sell our house and just added a built-in micro since the future buyer will probably want one. I was just curious if you use it for anything or it is just there. Microwave usage might be a good post if you haven’t done one, yet. (Still not all the way through the archives so you may have covered it already.)
Also, sorry. I know this isn’t on topic, but I didn’t know if you would see if I posted it on the video post I was watching.
Hi Emily, I still use our microwave for storage of fresh baked goods. It’s a great airtight cabinet! We also use it to warm up wheat filled cloth bags for tummy aches and such. We don’t use it to heat anything edible though.
LOL! I never thought about it as a food storage container. That’s a great use.
Also, this lipo post (this comment is now on topic!) reminded me of my sister-in-law. She had extremely large breasts that were causing back pain and other problems. She got breast reduction surgery, which seems like it would be similar to liposuction, and around one year later she gained fat in her upper back, shoulders, face, and upper arms. I had no idea that the weird weight gain was most likely caused by removing the fat.
Emily, that is a very interesting observation. I never considered breast reduction surgery as a cause for bizarre fat redistribution patterns as well.
Thanks, Sarah! I didn’t realize that my real name would be posted. (I’m brave, but that not brave.) Is there any way it could be edited/removed?
Hi Rose, I removed your last name. Is that enough or do you want your first name removed as well?
That’s perfect, Sarah. Thanks!
I had liposuction of the abdomen, and I experienced this exact phenomenon. I think I ended up gaining weight all over, but I especially noticed it in my face/arms/back. In my opinion, I went from slender and attractive with a tummy to fat and unattractive. It has devastated me, and I sense I will have a life of endurance ahead of me. (I’m a single mom, and the surgery was supposed to give me a boost in the dating scene; instead, I can’t fathom ever meeting anyway.) What this study doesn’t mention is that many people have reported an increased propensity to gain weight. What’s sad, is that much of this information has been available in scientific journals via the Web. Among animal researches, it’s well known that fat removal causes compensatory weight gain. (If you use the word “lipectomy”, you’ll get the scientific articles.) I don’t think the proper studies were done before approving this procedure. What also is becoming more evident is that fat has a lot of benefits that we don’t yet understand. A special type of fat – brown fat – contains mitochondria and plays a role in metabolic regulation. Fat, in fact, is being viewed more like an organ rather than tissue. (You have to ask, Why are we removing part of an organ.) Additionally, visceral fat (internal organ fat) has been linked with life-shortening diseases (coronary artery disease, stroke, etc.) The University of Colorado study showed that the lipectomized women increased their visceral fat. Personally, I feel old compared to my peers and sense that I’ve shortened my life. I think it will be interesting to follow this story in the news. I predict that plastic surgeons will counter this finding because, frankly, they’ve got a big financial stake in the status quo. In 2004 (I think), the media reported that a survey revealed that lipectomized patients reported a 10lb. weight gain one year after the procedure. The survey was carried out by plastic surgeons, and their conclusion was “See, we always said you need to eat healthy and exercise”. I get so frustated – the question is does the procedure itself cause weight gain? The answer is turning out to be “yes”. Anyway, I thought I’d take this opportunity to warn people. And keep in mind when some people report positive results, you never know if they have an ulterior motive. (It may just be a plastic surgeon maintaining his/her lifestyle.)
Rose, thank you for bravely sharing your story. I hope your experience is read by many women who will consider your experience and bypass this procedure.
Rose – I see that I am not the only one whose been passionate about researching the scientific studies behind such invasive procedures. I agree with and relate to every single thing you write. I was given a free ticket to get external liposuction (ultrasonic) done on my estrogen-dominant love handles two years ago and it wreaked major havoc on my metabolic system (thyoid problems, weight gain, etc.). I honestly wish we could force plastic surgeons to get liposuction themselves so they themselves can experience what it does to the body.
In your research on brown fat, did it say if there was a specific area of the body it was found? Due to the fat redistribution I experienced, I have been considering getting a fat transfer from the areas I now gain fat back to the area that was robbed from me yet am concerned about any fat reabsorption causing more damage. It would be great if you could post a link to the sources you’d found.
Thanks for your post – and I thought I had been doing good research – you definitely have been ahead of the curve on that. I’m glad there is someone who I can relate to out there though, it’s been ridiculously difficult to prove to others to what extent this procedure has caused problems for me.
Well, I am not in favor of elective surgery at anytime, it is far too traumatic for the body. I do understand that at times our bodies need help to heal and surgery can improve and even save lives but there is a far cry between this and lipo. Speaking of surgery, my husband is a classic case of recovering from years of SAD going back to his mother’s pregnancy with him and has necessary oral surgery this week. I made ice cream for him to eat to make sure he got enough fat when it was painful to eat. I love that you put up an ice cream video! I have a Cuisinart ice cream maker that I have had for years and love. Cream and eggs are definitely food for healing!
Fat around the hips/thighs is pretty normal. We need it for child-bearing! Which these women obviously fail to understand. Fat in the upper body is dangerous. I’ll take my slightly-wider-than-I’d -like hips over dangerous fat anyday! (I should mention I’m not overweight…and I am 6 months pregnant. I’m sure that factors in, lol.)
The photo with this is equally disturbing…”enter to win free liposuction”. Way to prescreen the surgeon! I can’t imagine someone getting liposuction because they won it as a doorprize. I guess it just goes to show that people don’t regard liposuction as a serious procedure. As far as I’m concerned that would fall in the category of an unnecessary, invasive procedure and there is still potential for something to go wrong. Yikes! Such a weirdly warped culture we live in.
You gotta wonder why folks would submit to surgery that people have actually died from for a reduction in fat that only lasts one year and comes back in more dangerous places.
Sarah, also they may believe that whatever the “supposed” consequences or bad outcome are, they won’t happen to them, and not that these issues are inherent in the surgical procedure itself.