Liposuction vs. Bariatric Surgery
Liposuction is cosmetic surgery procedure that allows plastic surgeons to remove a moderate amount of fat from one or two areas of the body. Bariatric surgery procedures such as gastric bypass surgery and LAP-BAND System® surgery performed by general surgeons restrict the amount of food that a person consumes on a daily basis. Some patients that are interested in losing weight are good candidates for liposuction, while others are more suitable candidates for bariatric surgery. The Indianapolis plastic surgeons of Carmel Cosmetic and Plastic Surgeons aim to educate our patient base about the differences between liposuction and bariatric surgery.
Liposuction
Liposuction treatment is recommended for patients that exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet, but have a mild amount of excess fat in a specific area of the body. During the procedure, the extra fat is suctioned out of the body using a specially designed instrument. While the procedure is effective in patients with a small amount of fatty deposits, liposuction is not ideal for patients that are significantly overweight. Our Indianapolis liposuction patients that do not follow a healthy lifestyle prior to undergoing liposuction surgery will probably not be satisfied with the results after treatment because it is possible to gain the weight back.
Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery procedures are recommended for patients that are obese. Patients that decide to undergo these procedures should be aware that the amount of food that they can eat after surgery would be significantly less than what they were used to consuming prior to surgery. Depending upon the type of surgery that the patient undergoes, the size of the stomach will be reduced, a portion of the stomach will be removed, or the intestine will be re-routed so the food is directed to a small stomach pouch.
Candidates for bariatric surgery include those that are morbidly obese or patients that are obese and suffer from a weight-related medical condition. Patients that undergo the procedure tend to lose the majority of their excess weight within one year. However, once patients have lost the weight they may notice that they have accumulated excess skin around the mid-section, thighs, and arms. These patients can undergo post bariatric plastic surgery procedures such as body lift, tummy tuck, arm lift, and thigh lift at Carmel Cosmetic and Plastic Surgeons.
If you are interested in undergoing liposuction or post bariatric plastic surgery procedures, contact Carmel Cosmetic and Plastic Surgeons to schedule a consultation at our practice.
