Is Liposuction Worth It?

Is Liposuction Worth It?

Every day, our office sees patients who are interested in liposuction but still don’t know if it’s the right procedure for them. They usually ask loads of questions, explore a variety of options, and waffle between feeling ultra-confident with a decision to get liposuction and … so-so confident.

“Is it really worth it?” they ask hesitantly.

This is a great question, and it’s good to be inquiring — and even skeptical — about liposuction. You want to know that you are an ideal candidate and will see real results from your procedure before going through with it. In fact, whenever we approach elective surgery, this should be the essential question we ask: Is it worth it?

What the answer will come down to is a thoughtful weighing of the procedure’s ultimate pros and cons. So, let’s dive in.

Pros and Cons

Liposuction offers a range of wonderful benefits for patients. It is the perfect solution if you are at the ideal weight and have realistic expectations for fixing a “trouble zone” such as the lower abdomen, excess fat in the buttocks, or too much bulk in the upper thighs or upper arms.

Still, there are some cons that go along with liposuction as well. Let’s take a look at the particular pros and cons you can expect from the liposuction procedure.

Pros of Liposuction

• Dropping excess fat
• Getting rid of fat in places where diet and exercise don’t help
• Contouring of your overall body shape
• Less cellulite
• Smoother, softer skin

Cons of Liposuction

• Short recovery period that may include swelling and discomfort
• Possibly taking time off from work and/or regular activities
• Small scarring (though scarring will be limited if you have a quality surgeon)
• Responsibility of maintaining a healthy weight and overall fitness level in order to keep results

Who Is an Ideal Candidate for Liposuction?

The bottom line is, liposuction is only worth it if you qualify as a candidate for the procedure. The ideal candidate for liposuction:

• Is at a healthy weight. It’s important to be within approximately 5 to 10 pounds of your ideal healthy weight. You can speak to your Philadelphia plastic surgeon about what this range is at your consultation appointment.
• Has one or two areas they’d like to improve. Liposuction generally helps you improve one or two areas of your body where there is stubborn excess fat.
• Has realistic expectations. While liposuction can certainly help you achieve the body you desire, it’s important to have realistic expectations about the outcome of your procedure.

Committing to Lasting Results

Qualifying patients who choose to undergo liposuction are overwhelmingly happy with their results. Still, no matter how satisfied you are with the outcome, there’s more work to be done to maintain your results. You’ve invested time, money, and resources into finding a solution for your “trouble zones,” and now it’s time to maintain the body you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

Here are the steps that you will need to take after your liposuction surgery in order to maintain the wonderful results you’ve achieved:

• Follow your doctor’s instructions for recovery. After liposuction, you will receive detailed instructions from your surgeon. These instructions will include guidelines such as limiting the amount of physical activity you do, limiting or holding off on taking certain dietary supplements and/or medications, waiting to return to certain other activities such as work, and limiting the amount of heavy lifting you do. Make sure to follow these instructions carefully. If you fail to do so, you may not get the results you worked hard to achieve.
• Ease back into a regular exercise routine. Your recovery continues and you’re able to return to a regular exercise routine, do so! Exercise is critical to a healthy lifestyle. Even 30 minutes a day, 3 to 5 times a week can drastically improve your overall health and wellness. It doesn’t have to be ultra-vigorous exercise either. You can walk, jog, ride a bicycle, or do yoga, for example.
• Eat a healthy diet. Make sure to eat a healthy diet, full of lean meats, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. If you struggle with overeating or put on weight easily, you might consider tracking your food intake. Eating a healthy diet doesn’t mean excluding all of the foods you love. It simply means eating those foods, which may be higher in fat, salt, and sugar, in moderation.
• Drink enough water. Like a healthy diet, water is an essential part of your overall wellness. Experts recommend that you drink at least eight, 8-ounce glasses of water every day. You can include other beverages such as juice and nonalcoholic and non-caffeinated beverages in your daily water intake as well.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Overall, it’s important that liposuction patients maintain a healthy weight. Before your surgery, your surgeon likely made sure that you had lost most of the weight you wanted to through healthy means: diet and exercise — or that you were naturally at a healthy weight that you were satisfied with. Now that your liposuction procedure has taken care of the trouble zones that once bothered you, it’s important to maintain that healthy weight — within around 5 to 10 pounds, depending on your overall size.

Experience “The Stark Difference”

Schedule your liposuction consultation appointment at StarkMD Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Center

Dr. Ran Stark is a leading plastic surgeon in the Philadelphia area. His vision, skill, training, and compassion shine through in every procedure he undertakes. Patients appreciate Dr. Stark’s kind and attentive attitude and demeanor, and his close attention to detail never goes unnoticed.

As a double board-certified surgeon Philadelphia plastic surgeon Dr. Ran Stark has over a decade of post-medical school training — plus years of experience in his own practice. He’s the kind of surgeon patients tell their friends about and keep coming back to.

Ready to book your breast augmentation consultation appointment with Dr. Stark? Contact us today to get started!