Liposuction or literally ‘sucking out fat’ is a suboptimal therapy for OBESE patients who desire weight loss. Liposuction can be considered as a treatment option for body sculpting, or slightly overweight patients who need to shape their abdomen in a particular manner. However, if one is obese, liposuction will cause a disproportionate loss of fat over the tummy, and leave space for fat re-accumulation in the future.
There are many weight loss options for a proportionate weight loss, eg. diet, exercise, or medications.
The healthier or ‘more natural’ way to lose weight in obese patients (with a BMI of more than 30 kg/m2) is bariatric or metabolic surgery, wherein the stomach is re-sized or bypassed using keyhole surgery. This surgery causes proportionate loss of fat all over the body up to 80% of the excess body weight, over a period of 1-1.5 years. This surgery is a safe and effective option if done by a certified surgeon at a high-volume center.
