Is It Right to Choose Liposuction as an Alternative Treatment for Obesity?

There are so many treatments available for obesity. It ranges from simple exercise routines, changes in eating habits, taking diet pills or weight loss surgery. All of these methods have their advantages and disadvantages. For those people who don’t want to take synthetic medications, herbal weight loss supplements are also gaining popularity. There are some products for obesity that promises immediate results but you should be careful since most of these are not 100 percent effective.

The main objective of obese people is to shed those excess fats in their body. A surgical procedure which became a popular method in 1990’s for sculpting body and removing excess fats could influence obese people to try this method. It is called liposuction, lipoplasty or suction lipectomy. The word “lipo” comes from a Greek word which means fat. In this method, a vacuum-like device or sometimes a large syringe is used to suction fat deposits in the body. The suction device is inserted through a small incision in the area where excess fats are removed.

The specific areas that can be the target of liposuction are thighs, abdomen, hips, buttocks, waist, breasts, upper arms, flanks, legs, back, chin, cheeks, and neck. This procedure offers a smoother and trimmer body. Liposuction is used primarily for cosmetic purposes. If you will ask; Is it right to choose Liposuction as an alternative treatment for obesity? The answer is no. It should not be used as an alternative method for losing weight if you are overweight or obese.

According to experts, people who would try liposuction should have a body close to normal weight. Remember that liposuction is only used to remove extra pockets of fats in a specific area of your body. An individual should have firm skin. Loose skins may require another type of surgery. It is also a must that a person who will undergo liposuction is physically fit and psychologically healthy. You have to be ready on the immediate changes in your body after the procedure. There are some cases where the procedure results to complications and even death. However, the method has already improved and the side effects are now minimized provided the surgeons are well qualified to perform the liposuction. The risk for major complications from liposuction is estimated at less than 0.5 percent.

Some reported side effects and complications include severe bleeding, prolonged swelling of the area, hyperpigmentation, and abnormal body contour because of inexperienced surgeon. Severe complications may also happen like necrosis, infection, blood clots, nerve damage, skin burn, accumulation of fluid in the lungs and shock.

People who are already considered obese or people with more than 130% of their ideal body weight should not consider this procedure in losing weight. It is not applicable to people who have diabetes, uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart disease, poor blood circulation, and lung disease. Other severe medical conditions are also considered before undergoing lipo treatment. This cosmetic procedure is not recommended for older people.

It is a fact that liposuction removes fats from the body. Experts say that the result should be permanent provided the patient maintains a healthy lifestyle, doing regular exercises and eating a healthy diet. Minimal weight gain should not affect the result of liposuction. However, gaining more than 30% or 50% of your ideal weight will surely make the surgery a waste of money.