A common misconception often associated with liposuction is that it’s an effective method for weight loss. In truth, it’s best to be at or very close to your target weight before opting for the procedure, as body contouring tools are meant to do just that—enhance the contours of your body in a way that just might not be possible through diet and exercise alone.
How to Determine Your Target Weight
While your ideal weight can be somewhat subjective, depending on your own personal goals, it should fall somewhere in the range of a healthy BMI for your height and weight. Because those with a BMI of 30 or higher have been shown to be at a greater risk for complications during liposuction surgery, most cosmetic surgeons require that you reach a healthy BMI first.
Get Better Results
Not only is it much safer to wait until you’ve reached your weight loss goals to get liposuction, but it can also significantly improve your final results. Liposuction can be great for targeting small pockets of subcutaneous fat that don’t seem to respond to diet and exercise, but it can’t address visceral fat located around your organs.
Small Lifestyle Changes to Improve Your Candidacy
Even if you haven’t met your weight loss goals just yet, you could still be a good candidate for lipo in the near future. By adopting healthy living habits like regular exercise and eating a lean, balanced diet, you can greatly improve your candidacy for liposuction or other body contouring procedures.
Author: Dr. Joseph Castellano
Dr. Joseph Castellano is a native Floridian who grew up in the Tampa Bay area. After medical school and residency, Dr. Castellano returned home and has opened a practice in Tampa, Florida focusing on breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, liposuction, facelift, and eyelid rejuvenation. He is a member of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, American College of Surgeons, and American Medical Association
