Where Does the Fat Go?

According to the latest research, women who got liposuction, saw the fat reappear, but in different parts of their bodies.  Women, who got liposuction on their thighs, saw the fat come back on their abdomen within about 12 months.  

Liposuction typically involves injecting large amounts of medicated fluid into fat deposits, then sucking the fluid and the fat out of the body.  It is primarily a cosmetic procedure and not a treatment for general obesity. It also has side effects, including shock, infections, uneven appearance and scarring.  

One of the researchers, Dr. Eckel told the press “that the fat was "redistributed upstairs", mostly in the upper abdomen, but also in the shoulders and upper arms, according to a report in the New York Times.” 

 And the explanation for why the fat does not return to the thighs is that the liposuction destroys the "scaffolding" infrastructure that holds fat in place, so it finds somewhere else to settle.”  

There have been similar studies done on rodents with the same results.  Some fat was removed and then it came back in different parts of the body.  Rodents grew new fat cells to replace the ones that were lost.

Liposuction has become a very popular surgery, with more than 450,000 operations a year and most of the women are still happy with the results they get.  Many women are happy to see the fat go from the thighs and do not mind that much that it compensated for that in different parts of their bodies.