Dr. Ivan Puah has been seeing an increasing number of male patients enquiring on treatments to improve their body and self confidence.
February 6, 2026
Table of Contents
When something is bad, we all want to get rid of it immediately and, more importantly, permanently.
This applies to almost everything in our lives, including our appearance.
Hence it is not hard to understand why liposuction, with its near-immediate results and its ability to rid fat permanently, is the most commonly performed fat loss and body contouring procedure globally.
Still, there are concerns among many on the longevity of its results.
Liposuction permanently removes fat
There are several liposuction techniques, but they all focus on the same goal - eliminating fat.
They also use the combination of a cannula and an aspirator (suctioning device) to suction out the fat.
In medical terms, liposuction is known as suction-assisted lipectomy.
Liposuction can remove fat tissues on specific areas, including the hips, abdomen, armpits and thighs, among others.
However, although it is an effective permanent fat removal procedure, it is not a weight loss tool.
Weight gained after liposuction may affect other areas of the body. These areas may amass fat gained.
What if I gain weight after liposuction? Can your body create new fat cells after liposuction?
Fat cells will not regenerate in areas where liposuction was done.
However, there is a limit to the number of fat cells a body can store new fat, so with weight gain, some other areas may seem more significant than a previous weight gain.
This, in turn, may give the appearance of the fat moving from one location to another.
Can fat return?
Fat removed via liposuction will not return.
However, the patient must do their part to maintain the post-lipo results by adopting an active and healthy lifestyle.
Look at it as maintenance work to upkeep, in this case, that gorgeous physique to continue looking good and a motivation to start a healthier lifestyle.
A small weight gain of, for example, 5kg, may result in the expansion of fat cells.
While this may defeat the effort, the effects of liposuction will still be visible in terms of overall appearance.
This is because the treated areas have lesser fat cells and therefore experience a lower enlargement rate.
In individuals who experience considerable weight gain, for example, amounting to more than 10 percent of their body weight, new fat cells can actually develop even in the treated areas.
The good news is since new fat cells are created evenly throughout the body, they accumulate less in the treated areas.
The even better news is that many patients who gained considerable weight still look better than before undergoing liposuction.
