Is liposuction safe? What are the risks? Could you actually die in surgery? Is liposuction even effective? Are the results permanent or can fat cells come back? Is the high cost worth it compared to natural alternatives for body fat reduction? Are you even a potential candidate? Before you consider liposuction, take a look at these interesting facts and get the perspective of a fitness and nutrition professional (not just a surgeon), then you can decide intelligently for yourself…
“Liposuction KILLS!” … Truth or alarmism?
I prefer not to resort to “scare tactics” or “alarmism” when I educate my clients about diet, fitness and weight loss. I only present the facts, share my opinions and then assume that my clients and readers are intelligent and fully capable of making an informed decision on their own.
However, when I read about how the procedure is performed, and I saw the side effects list and death statistics for Liposuction surgery, I have to admit, it did raise an eyebrow.
It’s actually a simple thing to get rid of “stubborn” fat with nutrition and exercise… if you know what you are doing and you keep after it. Unfortunately, most people drop their diet and workout programs like a hot potato and start thinking “LIPO!” the moment the going gets tough. It’s a shame really….
Most Dangerous Type Of Cosmetic Surgery?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says, “Most patients are pleased with the outcome of their liposuction surgery.” However, it IS true that liposuction is the most dangerous type of cosmetic surgery and that more people die from liposuction than any other type of cosmetic surgery. The most common cause of death is blood clots.
A report by Dr. Frederick Grazer of Penn State and Dr. Rudolph de Jong of Thomas Jefferson Medical college says that to date, 917 plastic surgeons reported 95 deaths in over 496,000 liposuction surgeries. If you do the math, that comes out to 19 deaths per 100,000 or 1 death in 5,224.
The so called “acceptable” death rates for elective (non life-threatening) surgeries are 1 per 100,000. To give you a comparison, these statistics show that more people are killed during liposuction procedures than in automobile accidents (16.1 deaths per 100,000).
I recently read a news story about liposuction where the reporter said, “Some people are just “dying” to be thin.” It was a play on words and perhaps journalistic sensationalism, but in this case, it was literally true.
Lipo is Serious Surgery
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Liposuction is the most common cosmetic surgery procedure in the United States. As such, it is often taken very lightly.
However, liposuction is serious surgery. It involves making an incision and suctioning the adipose tissue from under your skin and out of your body. This causes the destruction of numerous blood vessels and surrounding tissue.
Liposuction Complications And List Of Liposuction Side Effects:
According to the FDA’s statement on liposuction, other complications include:
- Infections
- Visceral perforations (puncture woulds in the orgrans)
- Seroma (pooling of serum)
- Nerve compression
- Changes in sensation (parasthesis)
- Permanent numbness
- Visible scar
- Dimples
- Abnormal body contours
- Results that don’t look natural
- Burns (from ultrasound assisted lipo)
- Skin necrosis (skin death)
- Anesthesia toxicity
- Serious swelling which can persist for weeks or months.
Liposuction is not necessarily permanent
When you are weighing the risks versus the benefits, it’s also important to realize that fat cells can come back even after they are liposuctioned.
It was once believed that the number of fat cells could not increase after adulthood, only the size of the fat cells could increase. Exercise physiologists now know that fat cells can increase both in size (hypertrophy) and in number (hyperplasia), even in adulthood.
Although liposuction is sometimes presented as a “permanent” solution in the sense that fat cells are completely removed, if lifestyle isn’t changed and the cause of the fat is not addressed, then remaining fat cells will grow in size and new fat cells can form.
Reducing the risks and choosing the right surgeon
If you decide to go forward with liposuction, I would caution you to do business only with surgeons who explain that you are NOT a good candidate for liposuction unless:
(1) you have first made sensible nutrition and training a part of your lifestyle for an extended period of time, but you still struggle with local pockets of fat.
(2) you are in good health
(3) you are normal weight or only slightly overweight (The surgeon should openly explain that liposuction is not a solution for overweight and obesity and is merely a cosmetic procedure).
As with all cosmetic surgeries, it’s also important to choose a surgeon who is well-trained in the procedure and has a long list of references and satisfied clients. A surgeon should always abide by the highest ethical standards. Cosmetic surgery is a lucrative business, and being an ethical physician includes telling someone if they are not a good candidate for the procedure, even at the risk of losing a potential client (“sale”).
Perhaps most important – you would want to pick a surgeon who puts safety above all other considerations. Many surgeons have responded to the media’s often harsh coverage of liposuction. Some have posted statements online saying that safety can be increased by following certain procedures and by avoiding others. For example, extracting large amounts of fat at one time, using general anesthesia or removing fat from multiple areas in one day have all been reported to increase risk of complications.
Ultimately, you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons and decide for yourself whether the potential benefits are worth the possible risks. Just keep in mind that fat loss can be achieved naturally, even in what appears like “difficult cases,” so whatever you do, don’t throw in the towel and concede to surgery prematurely. Intense exercise and proper nutrition can work wonders, they really can.
The Wisdom of The Natural Approach
Hippocrates, the “Father of Medicine” (460-370 B.C) said, “The natural way is the only way.” He believed that the body must be treated as a whole, not just in individual parts, and that causes must be treated, not just symptoms. Liposuction is your classic example of treating symptoms, not causes.
That’s why liposuction should not be viewed as a true weight loss solution, only as a cosmetic procedure. It should also be viewed as a last resort. It just doesn’t make sense if you haven’t first fully explored, exploited and consistently applied all the scientifically proven nutrition and exercise principles that are available today.
I guess what I’m saying is, DON’T skip past the gym, the trainer and the nutritionst and go straight to the surgeon… go straight to the fitness and nutrition professionals FIRST! Then, hopefully, you can skip past the surgeon!!
What Every Effective Fat Loss Program Has In Common
There is a proven formula for fat loss success. The most effective fat reduction programs in the world always include these 4 elements:
(1) nutrition
(2) strength training
(3) cardio training
(4) mental training (goal setting and self image modification)
A 5th element – social support – can make the first 4 elements work all the better.
If you’re not using this multi-tiered approach to fat loss, then you owe it to yourself to put ALL 4 of these pieces into place
before you even think about what should be a “last-resort” like liposuction surgery. My first advice to clients who are thinking about liposuction is simply this one word:
“Wait.”
Yes, procrastinate! (and don’t tell me you don’t know how to do THAT!). Just don’t decide yet. Think it over and while you do, tackle the nutrition and training with all your heart and see what happens.
Train hard and expect success,
Tom Venuto
www.BurnTheFat.com
P.S.In my nutrition consulting and personal training practice, I have seen dozens of men and women who were on the verge of getting liposuction, who said they were frustrated with “stubborn fat” but they admitted they were missing one or more of these 4 elements. Most of them had not been training with any degree of intensity, and some told me they hadn’t even done ANY training at all (but they were considering surgery… go figure).
When they put everything together in a comprehensive fat loss program, they were amazed, suprised and thrilled to see the body fat starting to come down. They saved thousands of dollars and avoided the pain and potential complications of serious surgery. For a safe, inexpensive and proven solution, please visit my Burn The Fat website to learn more about this all-natural approach www.BurnTheFat.com .
Great article!Now, would you consider writing something like this for those considering bariatric surgery? I was just telling a friend about my fat loss efforts and she popped up and said she was considering bariatric surgery! Without ever trying the natural way of changing eating habits and getting some exercise! She claimed she didn’t have “motivation” to do the latter. How does one get motivation to have serious surgery but can’t get it to just make some sensible changes? Scary!Mind you the changes aren’t always easy. I was morbidly obese, am still in the obese category and it’s going slow, thanks to foot injury. But I’m doing what I can and I feel healthier for eating whole foods and getting what exercise I can.Cynthia
A good friend of mine from San Francisco died from liposuction.A blood clot formed during the surgery and she died of a stroke when the clot broke loose a few days later.She was a beautiful woman, just wanted to be a bit leaner.She was taking care of two small children off and on, when the children’s mother, who had a drug problem, could not take care of them.It was a true tragedy.
I had lipo suction by an eminent French Professor, on arriving home I went into shock and was very ill. Almst arrested due to shock.The fat returned and more and I am left with the most awful dimpled thighs. I only had it on my thighs but it is the worst thing I have ever done and it cost a lot of money!!
Very interesting topic the liposuction article. We would like to hear more on these types of subjects.YoursHelen Krystallis
This was a very useful and well-balanced article- It demystified a lot of things about “cosmetic” weight loss! thanks … Raja
I have worked as a nurse for 30 years on medical surgercial unit. The liposuction procedures are the most bariatric of all the surgeries I have worked with. I have seen beautiful attractive women, come in for liposuction and something went wrong in surgery, many times the report we got(the nurses) was that a blood clot formed durning surgery. These women died. Some had strokes due to blood clot.
I am against liposuction as well. I lost 100 pounds of fat over 18 months with diet and exercise. A friend of mine spent 7,000 dollars to have it done recently and he still eats junk food and does not exercise! I told him that he threw away a lot of money and that the fat would come back if he kept eating junk and not exercising. My gym membership costs me only $200 a year and I can use any gym on the road when I travel.
I have always enjoyed reading your articles. This one hit home more than all the others. As someone who has watched their diet, worked out faithfully 5 to 7 days a week cardio and weight lifting, the smallest size I was able to get into was a tight size 4 and that was because of my stomach, I chose to have a tummy tuck with lipo. Having once weighted 250 lbs and worked hard to get the extra fat off my body; I am one of those who had extra skin and fat around my stomach that would not go away……..no matter what I did. I will say this, I am in excellent health now and before I had the procedure. Having this procedure made all of my hard work come into perspective, as nothing else could get rid of the extra skin………I tried for 6 years to make it go away….BEFORE deciding to have surgery!!! My surgeon was excellent….she took the time to explain everything to me; including all the risks. I choose an epidural; not general anethesia as an extra precaution to being put out. Anyway…keep the excellent article flowing and as in life and all things……….best in moderation.
Well,,That was a huge mental booster for the people who have done everything,got frustrated & eying for a Lipo .2 years back, i was in the same state of hitting a plataue & nothing could bring in a change. Infact i had taken all kinds of tummy tucks, fat reducing oil massages, but everything external.Inspite of being a Doctor & knowing all the physiology I could not help being tempted to go in for lipo. But, i had not completely involved all the 4 important steps which you have given. So i finally gave complete faithfull try 6 months back with lot of determination & now i stand completely by your words !!By the way, your previous post on “predictions for 2008” was amazing and Ive been reading & re-reading it again & again will keep pushing u till the end.Thank you so much & will look forward for more articles like this.Dr Eash HoskotePaeditritian
Hi Tom…That’s great and an eye opener.. I would say for the sake of a lean body its really mad to put life in danger even if its 1 in 5224 odds..If the desire is really true and high, better start some resistance training atleast for 20-30 min / day would bring a great shape in body and allow us to have the fond food also occassionally.Thanks for article… keep posting good stuff for the sake of goodness of the society.
Thanks for the information. Its quite a revelation, especially remembering the death of a high in society woman from one of the African states early last year due to complications of the procedure. I have just started out on my diet and exercise and will keep it going, to see lasting results in not only a cost effective manner but also risk free way.
I’m glad to have read this article. Thanks Tom. I had been thinking about having liposuction myself in recent years. I don’t think temporary results are worth the risk. I don’t mean to sound pessimistic. I do realize that there are some things (body dislikes) that I may have to live with due to genetics, being a female, and having a lower level of testosterone and more body fat than the average male. I do eat a fairly decent diet, do about 2 hours of cardio a week and lift weights about 3 hours a week. And by all means I am grateful that I don’t have more unwanted body fat weight to live with. Basically I work out in the hopes of looking better and to keep the trouble spots on my body from looking worse. What more can you do?
I am also a personal fitness trainer and so many times people ask me the same questions: ” How safe is Liposuction is and how effective it is?” I always explain why it not good to go in for Liposuction by explaining them about the side effects and advise them to lose fat the way they accumulated it i’e., naturally .After reading the way you explained it in this article I felt that most people who read this article will never think of Liposuction as the article is very informative, honest and self explicit.keep doing the goodwork and giving people hope Your articles like this one will educate and open the eyes of people who keep themselves away from the gyms as they have myths regarding exercise and diet.
Hi TomIt’s a great article. I was planning to do liposuction.Now, I am changing my mind. But what can I do with my tummy ? My hight is 4.11 feets and weight is 58kg. Please suggest me.Farzana.
Thanks Tom, I really wanted to know more about this subject and it was the right time I got this article from you. My friends have being recently talking about this and asking me how dangerous this could be, I have the answer now I will forward this to all of them. It is really very scary. I have made up my mind that I will from today start with my healthy food diet and some exercise. Thanks for all your articles I love reading them. You really make life worth living.
Great article Tom!I love how you cover all aspects of the health and fitness world and cover all angels.From what I’ve seen most people who opt for the cosmetic surgery have not put forth consistent effort to all the components of a fat loss program.They believe in their mind that they have simply because they’ve tried dozens of diets off the book shelves or taken some sort of fat burning supplement, but really they haven’t.When I begin to train a client they all tell me, “I eat well and exercise but I can’t seem to lose the weight.”Then I have them record their nutrition and exercise in a journal which always leads to the conclusion that their nutrition is a far cry from ‘well’ and that they’re intensity in their workouts has sucked.I do know a couple people who have had gastric bipass surgery and they lost a bunch of weight and are happy. They are exercising regularly but basically it seems like they are starving themselves because they can’t even keep any food down. So they rely on supplements for their nutrition.After five months they can finally keep down one meatball as a meal or a spoonful of scrambled eggs.It just doesn’t seem worth it to me.There are people who view exercise and a healthy nutrition program as restrictive… well I don’t think you can get any more restrictive than having gastric bipass surgery.I also know a few people who have had liposuction and it hasn’t stopped at that. They’ve opted for a couple other cosmetic surgeries as well.I love your bonus report on Self-Image. I think that’s what a lot of this all comes down to. You’ve got to love yourself for who you are and love yourself so much that you are willing to do the right thing for your body and take the natural road to becoming the best that you can be.Keep up the great work buddy!Scott Tousignant, BHK, CFChttp://www.FitChicFatLoss.com
Well we can sum it up in a nut shell ..There are NO shortcuts in life … ” Nature shall always prevail “. We must come out of our comfort zone. Altering our eating habits, becoming physically more active & doing what are body requires that is adopting to healthy fitness regime, which may not sound very tempting to begin with, in view to modern life stlye, where we have turned ourselves into couch potatoes.Following the nature’s way to counter the the natural human body problems(obesity), it may sound like a slow process but its a sure kill ” it works every time. No matter what race or religion you belong, what language you speak, no matter where you are living on this planet, what the color of skin is.. your appearance is mere reflection of what you do to your body on the daily basis… Our body surely does understand 1 universal language i.e we must change our lifestyle for better, Excercise Regularly & Simply Eat right…!Tom you are doing a gr8 job.. and a service to humanity by sharing such wonderfull piece of information, statstistic facts & figures,Tom you certainly look at things from a very pragmatic point of view,!!! i cant agree with you more … !!Syed Sherjeel, Pakistan.
After posting my recent comment I went out for a 40 minute brisk walk in the freezing cold conditions and snowy weather.I got to thinking about how people who successfully burn fat and achieve their ideal body are always willing to do whatever it takes (positive actions) to reach their goals. This means developing a powerful unstoppable mindset, building a strong support system, following a wise nutrition and workout program, and using a variety of methods to train your cardiovascular system.At first I was thinking, “When will these people ever get it that it takes hard work and effort to achieve fat loss success and there’s no quick fix or easy solution. When will they wake up and be willing to do what it takes to get what they want?”Then I began to think of those grim statistics that you mentioned about 1 death in 5,224. I thought, “Holy smokes, these people are willing to die for a leaner body” which is literally true like you mentioned about the one news story.If people are willing to risk death to achieve a leaner body and they can convince themselves that it’s worth it… then shouldn’t these same people be able to convince themselves that it’s worth it to consistently follow a great workout and nutrition program as well as spend time on improving their mindset?They’ve got to have a powerful enough reason to be leaner if they are willing to risk death. They just need to change their focus and use that powerful reason to drive them to do the right thing.You’ve really got me thinking Tom. Thanks for sparking some fire in me.Scott Tousignant, BHK, CFCwww.Unstoppable-FatLoss.com
Hi Tom:Thanks a million for this article. Although I have been going to the gym and working out for the past six months I have missed on the first one, proper nutrition. My intensity is okay; I have a personal trainer on weight training; I do cardio regularly; I have lost inches (two inches from my waist), etc. But I still have not lost weight in the way others keep telling me. I was actually contemplating liposuction from two spots on my back hips. Now after reading your article, it is goodby to that idea. Thanks once again. Keep up the good work!Srinivas
Dear Tom,Great article.Thanks for such good information.It was an eye opener .
Hi Tom,i have all Your e-books on fitness, fatloss, etc. I’m also a fitness trainer but most of the time i can’t get all my ideas across to my (stubborn) clients and the people who really need it & dont have the means to get the kind of data you provideYour site & books are very helpful & informative to the layperson. This article on lipo explains in a way that people will really “get it.” You are doing a great service to the (OBESE) Humanity.Please keep up the good work.with warmest regards,karthik.
I t’s just so much easier and safer to watch what you eat and EXERCISE! I’m a critical care registered nurse and have personaly taken care of people who have undergone liposuctionand bariatric surgery and had it go horribly wrong. Your life just isn’t worth taking the easy way out.
Hi Tom,I am getting all I need – to motivate myself to loose my fat from your website & articles. Having a personal & experienced physical trainer is impossible in the village I am living in. I get the required informations from your website & articles. Millions of thanks to you.Your articles always put me in the right path whenever I am tempted by these new ideas like Liposuction.You are doing a great & priceless job. Please keep it up for people like me.With warm regards,Saaral , India.
Thanks Tom! This is a very important information to know! I will tell everyone! You are the best
Reading the comments here it sounds like it is mainly about the looks. I think that eating healthy food and exercising regularly also make you healthier on the whole, more energetic… so it’s not just about the size and looks, that’s just the bonus.
Don’t overreact. I lost 15 Kgs by diet and hard exercise and weighed just 69 Kgs but I still had a fat gut and flanks and nothing I did could shake it. I tried for 2 years. I then went to a Qualified Plastic Surgeon not Cosmetic Surgeon (in Australia) and he removed all that stored stubborn fat. I was in Hospital overnight and wore a garment for 6 weeks. If you go to a Plastic Surgeon there is no problem, however if you choose a dodgy doctor then you are asking for trouble.
Good to see people being real about liposuction! If there is a ‘quick fix’ to something, then it can’t really be a fix…I heard the other day that they now create a ‘six pack’ using liposuction. For those people who don’t have the motivation to work hard for a genuine one that actually lasts… crazy – it doesn’t last long at ALL!
Great post. It’s too bad that in some cases it is societal pressures which force people into liposuction. However, this procedure can be very useful for women after giving child birth. I think surgeons should have more of a subjective view when deciding who is “eligible” to receive this procedure.