Will Fat Cells Grow Back After Liposuction?

February 2nd, 2009 | Posted in: Plastic Surgery |

Patients frequently ask me this question: Will fat cells grow back after liposuction?

Gender, health, heredity, diet, and activity level are all factors in determining how much and where fat will be deposited on your body. When too much is deposited in specific areas for your liking, these trouble areas can be sculpted (liposuction and liposculpture are the same things- one just sounds fancier) to improve and enhance your appearance.

Many patients worry that if they have liposuction, fat cells will not only grow back but grow back in another area. This is not the case. Your body stops developing new fat cells after puberty and won’t grow new ones unless you become morbidly obese, at which point new fat cells are made to accommodate the storage of fat.

After liposuction, it would be ideal to maintain your weight… even better to lose a few pounds. But if you gain weight or fluctuate a significant amount, it has to go somewhere. You won’t grow more fat cells, the fat cells left over will expand. So if you keep eating more calories than you are burning off, the excess will be stored in the form of fat… and where it is stored depends on factors such as gender, health, heredity, lifestyle and types of activity.