How Much Weight Can You Lose With Liposuction?

The CDC says that 73.6% of American adults 20 and older are overweight or obese, so it’s very likely that you’re struggling with your weight too. There are things you can do, such as eat a healthy diet and get more exercise, but sometimes, you need some extra help.

You’ve seen the results people get with liposuction, and they look fantastic. So you’re wondering, how much weight can you lose with liposuction? Is this a procedure that can help you finally achieve the dream body you’ve always wanted?

This article will go over what liposuction can realistically achieve for you.

How Much Weight Can You Lose With Liposuction?

First, let’s go over how much fat a surgeon can theoretically remove from a patient. Of course, it’ll depend on personal factors like body size, health, and local regulations.

But generally speaking, surgeons are allowed to remove a maximum of 5 liters of fat in a single session. How much does 5 liters of fat weigh? About 10-11 pounds.

In some cases, surgeons may remove up to 6-8 liters of fat (13-17 pounds). However, this is less common since there are higher risks.

Removing too much fat in one session can significantly alter a person’s fluid and electrolyte imbalance, and this can result in things like:

• Cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
• Low blood pressure
• Excessive bleeding
• Patient resuscitation

The goal is to balance noticeable results with patient safety. As a result, you shouldn’t expect huge transformations in terms of weight loss.

Also, you should note that even if a surgeon removes 10 pounds of body fat, your total body weight may not drop by the same amount of weight. This is because swelling and fluid retention happen while you’re healing. The “real” weight loss will become more noticeable after a few weeks or months.

Will Liposuction Remove Belly Fat?

Yes, liposuction will remove belly fat, but perhaps not in the way you’d imagine.

This procedure works by suctioning out subcutaneous fat, which is located directly under your skin and above the abdominal muscles. It won’t remove visceral fat, which is deeper into your body. The only way to eliminate this type of fat is to use diet, exercise, or medical weight-loss methods.

So while liposuction can flatten your stomach, it won’t do so significantly.

How Many Sizes Do You Drop After Liposuction?

The number of clothing sizes that patients can lose will vary greatly. It depends entirely on:

• Where the fat is removed
• Your starting body shape
• Skin elasticity

Typically, people lose 1-2 clothing sizes after they’ve healed completely (around 3-6 months). But larger reductions (such as 2-3 sizes) can occur if you get multiple areas treated and combine the surgery with a healthy diet and exercise routine.

This is all to say that if you want the most noticeable effect on clothing fit, you should remove fat from the following areas:

• Waist
• Hips
• Thighs

Can a 300-Pound Person Get Liposuction?

An obese person can theoretically get liposuction, but it’s not recommended for several reasons.

First, the best candidates for liposuction should be close to their ideal weight; we recommend that patients be within 30% of their goal. The procedure is best for stubborn fat pockets that don’t respond to diet and exercise.

This means that liposuction isn’t a treatment for obesity. It won’t significantly reduce the overall body mass or improve obesity-related issues.

But do note that in rare cases, some overweight patients can get liposuction for specific areas. However, this is usually part of a staged plan and not a signal large-volume procedure.

What you should do instead is achieve weight loss through lifestyle changes or medical weight-loss programs. Some people even get bariatric surgery (like gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy) for effective and significant weight reduction.

Once you’re closer to your target weight, then you can use liposuction to help refine your body shape.

What Happens If You Lose Weight After Liposuction?

Something you should understand about liposuction is that it permanently removes fat cells from the treated areas. But this doesn’t stop you from losing or gaining weight after your procedure.

If you lose additional weight after your liposuction surgery, your results will change. And this doesn’t matter if you do it through diet, exercise, or medical programs.

The good news is that usually, the changes are for the better. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t understand them before they happen.

You should expect the following to occur:

• Your contours stay more proportional
• The remaining fat cells will shrink
• You may drop even more clothing sizes
• Your skin tightness may change
• Your body fat distribution won’t shift
• Your results can be longer-lasting

Don’t Use Liposuction to Lose Weight

Does liposuction make you lose weight? Yes. However, the main purpose of liposuction isn’t to help people shed excessive amounts of weight.

Instead, it’s a body sculpting procedure, meaning that it’s intended to help accentuate certain parts of your body.

Liposuction shouldn’t be used as a weight-loss tool, as there are many other, more effective weight loss solutions to see the pounds drop.

Use Liposuction as the Final Touch

So how much weight can you lose with liposuction? In one session, a surgeon can remove up to 11 pounds of fat (up to 17 pounds in rare cases).

While this may sound like a significant amount of fat, the point of the surgery is to contour your body, not to aid in weight loss. So if you’re searching for a weight-loss solution, you may be better off making lifestyle changes and getting bariatric surgery if you’re obese.

Get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation for liposuction if you’re already near your goal weight. Dr. Valdez is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has over 17 years of experience.