Liposuction vs Bariatric Surgery: Which One To Go For?
Although both of these procedures look similar, they are basically very different in their execution and purpose.
Liposuction is an “instant gratification” surgery, used to remove fat from specific body sites. It is performed by sucking the adipose tissue out to create the desired body shape. It is not intended to treat patients who suffer from obesity.
If you are seriously overweight or obese, bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery) might be the better option. The objective of this surgery is to significantly reduce the capacity of the stomach, which will lead to a significant reduction in amount of food consumed.
This will allow a bariatric patient to lose weight, and keep it off, while potentially solving a multitude of obesity related health issues such as high blood pressure, sleep apnea, hypertension, fatty liver disease, etc.
Below is a simplified chart comparing both the procedures for your easier understanding:
| Liposuction | Bariatric Surgery |
| Removal of external fat from certain specific body areas like the tummy or thigh. | Overall reduction of fat in the body. |
| Removal of external fat only. | Removal of both external AND internal fats. Internal fat is the “killer” fat that leads to heart diseases and stroke. |
| Extremely painful. | Tolerable pain due to keyhole surgery. |
| Does NOT have any health benefits. It is purely cosmetic. | Potentially cures many medical problems like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, irregular menses, infertility, joint and back pains. |
| High risk of thrombo-embolism which may potentially cause death. | Some bariatric surgeries like the sleeve gastrectomy is a 30 minute short surgery which is not considered a major surgery and has a lower risk than liposuction. |
| Potentially can regain all the fat if not careful about diet. | Good long term weight maintenance. Able to keep off excess weight from coming back. |
| May result in uneven areas of skin and fat eg. one area more flat and dented in. | Evenly distributed and gradual fat loss. Bariatric surgery may be a first step in weight loss followed by liposuction (if necessary). |
| Not suitable for obesity. Liposuction is only good for the removal of fat from certain body areas. The more fat is removed, the more pain there is and the higher the risk of the surgery. | Suitable for obesity and any BMI > 27.5 |
We hope you have a better understanding of the differences between the 2 procedures. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.