Let’s Get It Right—Liposuction is NOT Bariatric Surgery

It’s time to debunk some misconstrued theories.

For all of you who don’t know, liposuction is not a weight-loss surgery nor is it non-surgical! It’s just a body contouring procedure that has the potential to go wrong if performed by under-qualified people. 

Simply put, liposuction is used to remove fat from specific areas of the body like the buttocks, abdomen, etc.  Bariatric Surgery, on the other hand, is a weight-loss surgery.

What It Is

Liposuction is a surgical procedure where excess fat under the skin is removed through tiny cuts or punctures that are not very obvious. This procedure took off originally in the 1920s and was popularized by the French plastic surgeon Dr Yves-Gerard Illouz in 1982. 

Since then, liposuction has become one of the most-performed cosmetic procedures. It’s completely safe when done by properly trained plastic surgeons.

Liposuction is purely cosmetic while Bariatric Surgery is recommended for reasons of health, when a person’s obesity poses a threat to their life.

Liposuction vs. Bariatric Surgery

As the name implies, liposuction is used to suck out unwanted body fat.

However, in one sitting, only 4-5 litres of fat can be sucked out depending upon the areas of the stubborn fat as well as the skin’s elasticity. This roughly reduces body weight by about 5 kgs. Liposuction merely shapes the body by removing unsightly bulges of fat.

Bariatric Surgery, however, yields dramatic weight loss results. 

Liposuction is recommended in cases where there’s disharmonious fat, as in the case of someone with bulging fat pockets near the buttocks, tummy, etc.

Liposuction is a delicate procedure that must be performed only by a qualified plastic surgeon, and that too, after careful evaluation of the patient’s health.