Liposuction and Gastric Bypass Explained

There are many people who are not really obese, or even overweight, but have fat in the regions of the buttocks, the knees, and the thighs which they cannot get rid of even with targeted exercises. There are other areas of the body such as the abdomen or the chin or the cheeks from where getting rid of stubborn fatty tissues is difficult. These localized fatty areas give a very ungainly look to the person.

A surgical procedure that was evolved in the 1980’s can solve this problem. It must be realized, however, that these surgical procedures are not alternatives to proper diet and exercises – it is only a solution of the last resort. This is an invasive procedure and like all surgical procedures it also has some risks involved.

In liposuction procedure tubes are inserted into the target skin by making tiny incisions and fat is sucked out through the tubes. This procedure generally does not take a long time and is performed as an outpatient procedure. In case the volume of fat to be removed is large, it may require an overnight stay of the patient in the hospital. Liposuction is generally done under local anesthesia.

People who are suffering from diabetes or have some other surgical issues are not suitable foe liposuction. Those desiring liposuction should not be overweight and they should have firm and elastic skin. Plastic surgeons would generally advise a patient to try weight loss diet and exercises before considering liposuction. Even though Liposuction removes fatty deposits which cannot be removed by exercises, we should bear in mind that it can never be an alternative to healthy eating and exercising.

Liposuction is not a procedure for overweight people, it is meant to remove fatty tissues from localized areas. For highly overweight or obese people there is another surgical alternative. It is called bariatric (weight loss) surgery. Among the different techniques of bariatric surgery, the most popular one is Gastric Bypass. Some people call it Obesity Surgery.

In this procedure anatomy of the digestive system of the patient is altered; stomach and a part of the small intestine are bypassed and the food directly enters the lower part of the small intestine. By this arrangement the amount of food you eat and digest gets reduced. Gastric bypass operation can result in a substantial loss in weight of the patient especially for those patients who are overweight by more than 100 lbs.

Gastric bypass isn't for everyone with obesity, however. As with any surgical procedure there are risks involved in this procedure too. Moreover, this procedure alters the gastric anatomy permanently. It requires a permanent lifestyle change to be made by the patient. It is essential, therefore, for the patient that before committing to the gastric bypass operation he/she should fully understand what is involved and what lifestyle changes he/she will have to make. In the final analysis, the success of the surgery is up to the patient.