Disharmonious obesity following liposuction

Abstract

Liposuction is considered an excellent technique for body sculpting by removing unwanted fat [1-3]. The method has achieved much popularity in the past decades and is now one of the commoner elective cosmetic surgical procedures in the USA [4]. Liposuction is considered safe and effective [5, 6]. Although major complications associated with liposuction are rare, the potential for early and delayed complications exists. The early postoperative complications are extensively described in the literature and they include bleeding or unusual bruising, seroma formation, infections, lidocaine toxicity, skin necrosis, fat embolism, and perforation of major organs or vessels [7]. However, the long-term complications or sequelae are not so well established. One of the sequelae is the development of disharmonious obesity after liposuction. After removing one portion of the body's fat cells, the other fat cells may pick up the burden of fat storage. This may lead to an unusual area of fat bulging that becomes unattractive. © 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.