Why Liposuction is About More Than Just Looking Good (Clinical Studies Prove It!)

Dr. David Stoker

When people have difficulty losing weight despite dieting, exercise, and even medication, they will probably start thinking about having liposuction or a tummy tuck. Los Angeles plastic surgeons like myself stand ready to help these patients if they decide to pursue these surgical options. I often say to patients – both on my website (drstoker.com) and in person – that tummy tuck and liposuction are among my favorite procedures to perform. Why? Because the results are so dramatic and immediate. There is no substitute for the look on a grateful patient’s face when they see themselves minus the undesirable pads of fat, bulging thighs, and drooping abdomen.

But immediately improved LOOKS are just the beginning. Patients who have liposuction or tummy tuck in Los Angeles at my offices FEEL better. While this might seem obvious for me to say, especially as a plastic surgeon, I can now point to a first-of-its-kind study that confirms that patients who have tummy tuck or liposuction (or both) report that in addition to being highly satisfied with their cosmetic outcome, i.e., how they look, they also experience a huge boost in self-esteem and consistently report having an improved quality of life. This study was just recently published in the medical journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Self-esteem makes a world of difference when you walk into a business meeting, a job interview, or when you go on that first date. You’ll feel like you have an edge after you have liposuction. Los Angeles is, for better or worse, a very image-conscious town, so having an advantage is important. You’ll feel like you can take on the world. You’ll feel like – to quote a very popular song of the moment – “I’m sexy and I know it!”

Now what about the second thing the study measured—quality of life? What do we mean by quality of life? Obviously the term is very broad and subjective, but basically I would say it means the ability to enjoy normal, everyday activities. This can have physical, emotional, spiritual, and other components. Many of my patients experience a better physical quality of life after having a tummy tuck or liposuction. It’s easier to fit into clothes; it’s easier to walk around Los Angeles without getting short of breath because you aren’t carrying all that extra weight. These surgeries can even have benefits in preventing or reversing type 2 diabetes and improving cholesterol and triglyceride levels – but that’s for another blog! Patients’ emotional quality of life is also better after liposuction or a tummy tuck,
according to the research study. This squares with what I see every day in my practice. And seeing my patients happy and healthy makes me feel great, so my quality of life is improved as well!

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