Is there an ideal area of the body that can benefit the most from lipo? That’s a tough question to answer since we all store fat differently. One woman might have an accumulation of fat on her outer thighs that can be effectively treated with liposuction. Another could have a tummy roll that just won’t go away no matter how much weight she loses. Here are some of the criteria you can use to choose which part of your body would have the best results.
Fat Concentration
The areas of the body where fat collects in pockets rather than being spread throughout the muscle and other tissue are always the best spots for liposuction. In most women, these areas are usually:
- The belly (especially the “pooch” in the lower abdomen)
- The inner thighs (for women who experience “chub rub” in this area)
- The outer thighs (for women who have the “saddle bag” look)
- The hips and waist (for women who have a persistent “muffin top”)
Some women also have easily treated fat pockets on their buttocks or their back.
Most Visible
If you aren’t planning to wear a bikini very often after your lipo procedure, you may want to consider what area of your body could really use the most improvement. Think about how your new contours will look when you are wearing regular clothing:
- Will your waistbands fit better if you have your tummy smoothed?
- Will your slacks have a nicer line if your outer thighs are reduced?
- Will your jeans stop wearing out on the inner thighs when your legs no longer rub together?
- Will your butt look more pleasantly rounded in a skirt or shorts once you have lumpy areas removed?
- Will you be able to wear knit shirts that don’t emphasize the roll of fat just above your waist?
You might want to spend your money on the procedure that will make you look better with and without your clothes on. That way, you get to enjoy the results every day!
Most Commonly Performed
These days, lipoplasty is being used to micro-contour many more areas of the body than ever before. However, this means that a lot of surgeons are experimenting with lipo treatment. The safest parts of your body to have liposuction done on are those that your particular surgeon has treated in many, many other patients in the past. For most plastic surgeons, these are areas like the abdomen, hips and thighs. If you want facial liposuction, seek out a surgeon who specializes in that procedure.
Less Optimal Areas
You can request lipo surgery on the following areas, but you may not be as happy with the outcome:
- Breasts (to reduce size)
- Neck (to address a double chin)
- Arms (to remove fat along the underside of the arm)
These body parts can be treated with liposuction. However, lipo alone usually doesn’t provide significant results except for very minor issues. This is because skin laxity is usually a big part of the problem causing sagging in these areas. Some forms of lipo are advertised as tightening skin as well as reducing fat. However, this effect is limited and does not provide the desired results for all patients. It is especially important for you to have realistic expectations before having lipo on these areas. You may wish to have a surgical breast reduction, neck lift, or brachioplasty (arm lift) along with liposuction to provide sufficient improvement.
Best Body Part for Lipo for Men
Gynecomastia surgery (breast reduction) is one of the most popular uses of liposuction for men. When the excess breast tissue that must be removed is fatty rather than glandular, lipo often provides a minimally invasive reduction with satisfactory results. Men can also be candidates for lipoplasty on their thighs, belly, back and face/neck. The distribution of fat is the most important factor in determining if these are good areas of the body for lipo.