[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/10\/about-liposuction-surgery\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/10\/about-liposuction-surgery\/","headline":"Stubborn Fat? Learn If Liposuction Is for You","name":"Stubborn Fat? Learn If Liposuction Is for You","description":"Liposuction is a surgical technique to remove excess fat from beneath the skin. Read on to learn if you are a good candidate for liposuction surgery. \r\n","datePublished":"2017-10-20","dateModified":"2019-11-04","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/","name":"UPMC","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/102017BLG_LIPOSUCTIONWOMAN.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/102017BLG_LIPOSUCTIONWOMAN.jpg","height":327,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/10\/about-liposuction-surgery\/","about":["Living and Wellness"],"wordCount":416,"articleBody":"By Jill Murphy, MD, plastic surgeon at UPMC Altoona Plastic SurgeryNot all of us are built with completely even proportions from head to toe.\u00a0You may feel there is a part of your body that almost looks like it should belong to a different person.This may be a pocket of fatty tissue on the outer thighs, flanks, or abdomen. No matter how strict your diet, or how long you exercise, this area doesn\u2019t decrease in proportion to everything else.Enter liposuction.Liposuction is a surgical technique to remove excess fat from beneath the skin. It can be done while you are fully awake, fully asleep, or somewhere in between.\u00a0During the procedure, small punctures are made in the skin and a cannula (long metal tube) is inserted to suck out extra fatty tissue.Contact UPMC Altoona Plastic Surgery or call 814-947-5030The fat that is removed does not grow back. Fat that is left behind, however, can still increase in size with weight gain, as can fat in other parts of the body.Recovery from liposuction involves wearing a tight garment for four to six weeks after surgery to minimize swelling.\u00a0Swelling after liposuction can sometimes last a few months so your final results are often not visible until that time has passed.Dr. Jill MurphyThe pain after liposuction depends on the area treated.\u00a0Some people don\u2019t have much discomfort and equate it to having a large bruise.\u00a0Others experience more soreness and say it feels something like being banged up in a minor fender bender.Either way, this soreness is usually tolerable and most people are able to return to work, school, or other activities within a few days of their procedure.In my opinion, the most important part of liposuction is patient selection.\u00a0It truly is intended as a method to reduce stubborn fat in areas where the amount of fat is disproportionate to other parts of the body.What it is not meant for, is all-over fat removal; in other words, it\u2019s not a way to lose weight. For individuals who feel like they have too much fatty tissue evenly distributed throughout their body, liposuction will likely not produce optimal results.\u00a0For them, weight loss \u2014 followed by liposuction for disproportionate areas (if needed) once their ideal weight is achieved \u2014 is the answer.To learn more about this topic, or to schedule an appointment, contact us at UPMC Altoona Plastic Surgery, or call 814-947-5030.  "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2017","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"10","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/\/10\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Stubborn Fat? Learn If Liposuction Is for You","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/10\/about-liposuction-surgery\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]