Why Liposuction Isn’t Actually About Losing Weight

Why does the average person get a liposuction treatment? The answer may surprise you.

We have seen a major shift to more enlightened attitudes towards liposuction, and plastic surgery in general, over the last few years. In fact, nearly 50% of surveyed people said they would be open to getting their first-ever plastic surgery in 2020. A few years ago in 2014, that number was closer to 17%.

A big part of this shift in thinking has come from breaking down some of the myths, double standards, and stigma previously attached to plastic surgery.

Regaining What Time Took Away

Contrary to what you may think, the average woman looking into liposuction is probably not trying to get Jennifer Lopez’s abs. They’re more likely trying to get their old body back. This is particularly true after women have children.

“A lot of the women I speak to will often have a moment. They will just look in the mirror one day and wonder what happened,” said Dr. Stephen Mulholland, Toronto liposuction surgeon and body contouring expert.

“They see their mother in the mirror, and they may only be in their mid-30s.”

At the same time, Dr. Anu Antony wrote about the various reasons that women come to her for plastic surgery. She wrote that, “Some wish to restore that which cancer took away. Some want to defy their genetics. Others want to undo the effects of pregnancy on their body. I have yet to hear a woman say she is acquiescing to societal demand for perfection.”

The notion that we get plastic surgery to achieve the perfect body is patently outdated… if it was ever accurate at all.

Being More Realistic About Weight Loss

There is also a major misconception out there that liposuction is a weight-loss tool – that people simply suck 20 or 30 pounds of fat out of their bodies so they don’t have to work out. This, once again, is simply not true.

The average liposuction patient will only lose between 5 to 8 pounds. There are careful regulations in place to make sure that patients are not trying to lose an unhealthy amount of weight.

Most patients are simply tired of beating their heads against the wall trying to trim a few pounds or inches in stubborn parts of their bodies, like their abdomen. Healthy living and regular exercise will always be the best ways to manage your weight. But there always seems to be a few pounds that don’t want to be managed. They will linger no matter how much you exercise, or how disciplined you are in the kitchen.

A lot of people look into liposuction procedures to lose that stalwart weight. If they’re already living a healthy lifestyle, they’re often able to keep the weight off for good.

So if you’re considering a plastic surgery or liposuction procedure, you are far from alone. And if an outdated stigma is keeping you from doing so, you should never let yesterday’s ideas keep you from building a better tomorrow.