Science Behind Fatness
Many people believe that gaining weight means producing more fat cells, but research shows that the total number of fat cells in your body is determined by the time you reach adulthood. This discovery, published in a 2008 Nature study, has major implications for weight loss, weight gain, and body contouring procedures like liposuction.
How Fat Cells Work
- If you gain weight as an adult – Your existing fat cells expand rather than multiply. This means weight gain comes from fat cells storing more fat, not from new fat cells being created.
- If you were overweight as a teenager and later lost weight – You still have more fat cells than someone who was never overweight, but they are smaller in size.
- If you maintain a stable weight – Your fat cells remain at their current size, helping you sustain your body composition.
Why This Matters for Weight Loss and Liposuction
- Since fat cells don’t naturally disappear, losing weight means shrinking existing fat cells—not eliminating them.
- People who were obese in adolescence may find it harder to maintain weight loss because they have more fat cells than someone who was never overweight.
- Liposuction physically removes fat cells, permanently reducing their number in targeted areas—but it does not prevent remaining fat cells from expanding with weight gain.
What’s Next?
Understanding how fat cells function can help set realistic expectations for weight loss and body contouring.
Does Fat Just Go Somewhere Else After Liposuction?
A common myth about liposuction is that if you remove fat from one area, it will “relocate” to another part of the body. In reality, this isn’t how fat distribution works.
The Science Behind Fat Cells and Liposuction
The number of fat cells in your body is set by the time you reach adulthood—they don’t multiply or move elsewhere. However, here’s why it might seem like fat “shifts” after liposuction:
- Liposuction removes fat cells from a specific area (Area A)
- Once those cells are gone, they do not regenerate.
- This makes Area A permanently slimmer in terms of fat cell count.
- Weight gain causes all remaining fat cells to expand
- If you gain weight, the fat cells in both Area A and Area B increase in size.
- However, since Area A has fewer fat cells, it won’t expand as much as before.
- Meanwhile, Area B (which wasn’t treated with liposuction) still has all its fat cells, so when they grow, it can create the illusion that fat has “moved” there.
Does This Mean Liposuction Results Can Be Reversed?
No, the fat in a treated area will never return in the same way, but the overall body shape can change with weight fluctuations. The best way to maintain your liposuction results is to stay at a stable weight and follow a healthy lifestyle.
The Bottom Line
Liposuction is a permanent fat reduction procedure, but it does not prevent future weight gain in other areas. If you’re considering liposuction, it’s important to have realistic expectations and understand how fat distribution works.
To get your liposuction consultation in Washington D.C., schedule an appointment at the Plastic Surgery Institute of Washington today.
